Over a decade before her "emotional and digital" affair with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Olivia Nuzzi had a fling with former MSNBC and ESPN star Keith Olbermann. Olbermann confirmed their past relationship on social media on Tuesday, saying that a reporter was about to release details of their fling after Nuzzi was put on leave due to her involvement with Kennedy.
This came as reports emerged on Monday that RFK Jr. was exploring a potential lawsuit against Nuzzi, who allegedly "bombarded him with increasingly pornographic photos and videos" while deceiving him into unblocking her numbers, according to a mutual friend. The new revelation now tells a lot about Nuzzi's affairs.
An Affair Not to Remember
"We didn't do much to keep it a secret," Olbermann said of the relationship, which occurred when the former SportsCenter anchor was 55 and Nuzzi was only 21.
"I just assumed nobody cared. Certainly it has nothing to do with the RFK stuff. I also assumed it had been covered online somewhere," he added.
Olbermann later assured that the "quite boring" relationship "was really nice and (god help me) wholesome." He added that she was by his side when he adopted a dog for the first time, a cause he now actively supports on Twitter.
"In fact it was she with whom I got my first dog and for that I'll always be grateful to her."
The former Countdown host mentioned that he planned to share more information on his podcast on Tuesday morning. When the New York Post reached out to Olbermann for comments about the affair, he said that he hadn't been in touch with Nuzzi for ten years but thought everyone was already aware of it.
"That's online. It's public knowledge, I keep my personal relationships close to the vest," Olbermann said.
The affair with Olbermann is said to have taken place while Nuzzi was interning for the now-embattled New York Congressman Anthony Weiner.
Nuzzi in Trouble
The never-married Olbermann, who has previously been in relationships with Senator Kyrsten Sinema, Fox News host Laura Ingraham, and MSNBC's Katy Tur, expressed criticism of both Nuzzi and RFK Jr. on social media when news of the affair surfaced.
He claimed that Kennedy's efforts to look into Nuzzi's actions are unacceptable, although he was clear about his belief that what she did was wrong.
"This psychopath and serial woman chaser @RobertKennedyJr is talking about having @Olivianuzzi ARRESTED? I excuse none of her conduct but the dynamic just changed here."
Olbermann continued: "F*** him. He's an utterly irresponsible pile of s***. You participate in these sexts and they become a problem, you call her boss. Faster than 10 months later."
He said that the scandal has shifted from addressing Nuzzi's behavior to determining "how RFK Jr. needs to be controlled and held accountable."
Jessica Read Kraus, the author of the well-known House Inhabit Substack, reported on Saturday that Kennedy is considering his legal options after Nuzzi reportedly " bombarded him with increasingly pornographic photos and videos."
Kraus, who typically writes favorably about Kennedy, noted that Nuzzi would often press her for details about the now-former presidential candidate.
"There was an undercurrent of fascination that went beyond journalistic intrigue, bordering on obsession.
"Her constant desire for updates, coupled with the tone of her inquiries, made it clear she wasn't merely reporting: She was weaving some kind of fantasy."
A source close to Kennedy's circle previously told The New York Post that Nuzzi became "obsessed" with the former candidate after taking his interview. She pursued him persistently through text messages, leading him to block her multiple times.
