'Breaking: Olbermann announces the end of 'Countdown'"

And so as he flies the blue lady of the skies into the sunset, we say “Aloha, 5 O’clock Charlie!” and return to our duties. Let me remind you the Weblog is open 24 hours for your dining and dancing pleasure.

So what happened? Anderson Cooper of CNN tweets, “Comcast deal is approved. Jeff Zucker leaves. #keitholbermann gets fired. Coincidence? Find out #ac360 at 10p”

And Larry O’Connoner jokes, “If Roger Ailes were really the evil genius everyone on the left thinks he is, Olby will be replacing Greta next week.”

The NYT has details on why Olbermann left, but the end of this quoted passage is a hoot:

Keith Olbermann, the highest-rated host on MSNBC, announced abruptly on the air Friday night that he is leaving “Countdown with Keith Olbermann” immediately.The host, who has had a stormy relationship with the management of the network for some time, especially since he was suspended for two days last November, came to an agreement with NBC’s corporate management late this week to settle his contract and step down.

In a closing statement on his show, Mr. Olbermann said simply that it would be the last edition of the program. He offered no explanation other than on occasion, the show had become too much for him.

Mr. Olbermann thanked his viewers for their enthusiastic support of a show that had “gradually established its position as anti-establishment.”

As with the Times’ own Paul Krugman, Olbermann doesn’t seem to realize that even as he attempts to verbally distance himself, he’s a prominent member of the Ruling Class.

Even if his name dare not be spoken, as Glenn Reynolds quips:

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Oh, and “NBC executives said one term of his settlement will keep him from moving to another network for an extended period of time,” the Times’ Bill Carter adds.

Clearly, Olbermann’s 15 minutes as the New, New Murrow are up. But what about the network that hosted him?

Developing, as one of Keith’s early obsessions would say.

Update: “Plenty on the left are also blaming Olbermann’s ouster on Comcast, but a glance at the political bent of Comcast’s CEO should at least give that notion a moment of pause,” Doug Powers writes at Michelle Malkin’s Website.