Openly gay talk radio host and frequent
Countdown with Keith Olbermann fill-in Rachel Maddow will
become host of her own cable news show on MSNBC, wrote Keith
Olbermann on his blog Daily Kos.
Speculation that Maddow would receive
her own show has been rampant, including a July 17th New
York Times article that suggested as much.
“Happy now?” wrote Olbermann on his
blog. “The network will be formally announcing this tomorrow, but
I am pleased to inform you in this fully authorized leak, that as of
Monday, September 8, our mutual friend Ms. Maddow will become host of
her own show, on MSNBC, at 9PM Eastern Time.”
Maddow, who currently co-hosts a radio
morning program on Air America, started guest hosting for Olbermann
about five months ago. “With people as talented like Rachel,
getting it locked down quickly is a good thing,” Olbermann wrote
about Maddow's quick rise to host.
Listeners to her radio show are
undoubtedly aware of her homosexuality. She met her partner of ten
years, artist Susan Mikula, in Massachusetts while finishing her
dissertation at Oxford University. Mikula hired her to do some
landscaping.
“She opened the door, and we both
went, 'Aaaaah,'” Maddow told the New York Times. “It was
love at first sight.”
When asked if America is ready for an
openly lesbian host on cable television news, Maddow replied: “Well,
I think Ellen DeGeneres has shown people are ready for her. But I
will not dance the way Ellen does.”
In making the announcement Olbermann
said, “No, there will not be pie. Well, you may bring your own
pie, but I can't be bothered with pie now! I have to find another
guest host. Dammit!”