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Behind-the-scenes footage of MSNBC host Lawrence O’Donnell was released online Wednesday, showing the typically reserved host in a state of impatient rage that had many thinking of Bill O’Reilly’s famous meltdown on Inside Edition. In an eight-minute clip released by Mediaite and spread out online, O’Donnell faces a series of technical hiccups with his earpiece, shares his complaints about how the show is being put together, and some phantom hammering from outside the studio that he just can’t seem to pinpoint.
While it is understandable for someone to lose their patience in this type of situation, it is well outside of the norm for O’Donnell and the person he presents on his show The Last Word. The height of his frustrations comes with the hammering, finally forcing him to lose his demeanor and explode according to Mediaite:
“STOP THE HAMMERING UP THERE. WHO’S GOT A HAMMER? WHERE IS IT? WHERE’S THE HAMMER? GO UP ON THE OTHER FLOOR. SOMEBODY GO UP THERE AND STOP THE HAMMERING. STOP THE HAMMERING. I’LL GO DOWN TO THE GODDAMNED FLOOR MYSELF AND STOP IT, KEEP THE GODDAMNED COMMERCIAL BREAK GOING. CALL F*CKING PHIL GRIFFIN, I DON’T CARE WHO THE F*CK YOU HAVE TO CALL. STOP THE HAMMERING. EMPTY OUT THE GODDAMNED CONTROL ROOM AND FIND OUT WHERE THIS IS GOING ON.”
The clip itself has already gotten the meme treatment online and has quickly made its way around social media, including a mashup with O’Reilly’s infamous meltdown by Free Beacon video editor David Rutz:
https://twitter.com/DavidRutz/status/910631632507428866
O’Donnell addressed the video himself, releasing an apology on Twitter and owning up to the behavior:
A better anchorman and a better person would've had a better reaction to technical difficulties. I'm sorry.
— Lawrence O'Donnell (@Lawrence) September 20, 2017
While it is definitely outrageous behavior, one could assume that this just part of the territory when it comes to putting together any type of television or film production. If real life isn’t like 30 Rock, it will be quite disappointing. You can check out the full clip below.