My sister Jill, who has been a fan of Keith Olbermann long before it was fashionable, compares him to Max Headroom. For those of you who are too young to remember, Max Headroom was an early invention of the Cinemax network. Max was, quite literally, a computer- generated “talking head” talk show host. Like Keith, Max was always impeccably dressed in a fashionable suit. And like Keith, very little was known about Max Headroom, the man.

John Townley adds in a comment: Keith Olbermann may actually BE Max Headroom…in from the film database site IMDB on Keith: “Doesn’t drive because of a loss of depth perception caused by a head injury. In 1980, he hit his head on the top of a subway door while running into the waiting car.” Straight out of the TV series, except in the original, it was an overpass…

Keith Olbermann became a hero to the left in the early days after the invasion of Iraq when he dared to speak out against the war and the repressive atmosphere that reviled dissent while the rest of the news media pandered to the White House. Now that the rest of the country is beginning to wake up to the debacle that is the Bush presidency, Olbermann’s ratings are soaring. Still, Olbermann is not a Democrat but a clearly independent radical thinker who makes fun of just about everyone. His taste for gossip and natty dress has led to rumors that he is gay, but the rumor mill reports that he has moved in with his 22-year old girlfriend who is a fellow journalist.

Keith’s astrological chart reveals that he was born with the Sun in Aquarius, the sign of independent and free thought. Aquarians are reputed to be somewhat eccentric, and it is true that they always seek their own way of doing things. They are not the ones to conform to a pack mentality, and ultimately their concern and goal is for liberation and equality for all humanity. Keith’s Sun is opposite Uranus, the planet that rules Aquarius. In astrology we call this a “double whammy,” or two signatures that say the same thing indicating that this influence is very strong in his chart. Uranus shows where we seek autonomy and freedom, where we defy convention. When opposite the Sun we develop a fiercely independent and rebellious nature, and because in Keith’s case the Sun is in Aquarius it accentuates this characteristic.

Keith’s Moon (emotional nature) is in the detailed sign of Virgo, showing that he craves order and is somewhat obsessive about the details of life that Virgo rules. Discriminating and analytical, he also has a tendency to be critical of himself and others. He is also fastidious as reflected in his taste in clothes. Mercury is in Capricorn which is the sign of material success and hard work. Capricorn is very goal-oriented and ambitious, reflecting Keith’s desire for achievement and success. There is a sense of competition here, and a tendency (like all cardinal signs) for the ends to justify the means.

Mercury is in harmony (trine) with Mars in his chart which energizes (Mars) his thought process (Mercury) and gives him an ability to express powerful views without seeming overly aggressive. Mars is an independent planet, and in trine to Mercury it amplifies Keith’s independent (Mars) thinking (Mercury), adding to the radical tendency that his chart already shows with the Aquarian Sun opposite Uranus. However, Mars in his chart is in the conservative sign of Taurus, a sign that has a tendency to resist change. Mars in Taurus can be stubborn and unyielding, with a remarkable persistence and tenacity that can serve them well. This combination of earth signs helps to stabilize Keith and keep him from becoming a rebel without a cause – it also provides the grounding to keep him on track to achieve his goals. He famously left earlier jobs with ESPN and MSNBC after very public disputes with management, but this tenacity has helped him to continue his broadcasting career despite his need to do things his own way.

This is not a man who cares what others think, as long as it doesn’t interfere with his ambition. His chart lacks the water element that confers sensitivity to others, except for Jupiter which falls in the fiery water sign of Scorpio. Scorpio has the sensitivity of the other water signs, but it operates differently. In Scorpio there is an awareness of emotional undercurrents but without the compassion and empathy that Pisces and Cancer possess. Scorpio is more manipulative and more concerned with the reality of a situation than taking care of the needs of others. The sting of Scorpio is renowned, but there is also a depth of character here that no other sign engenders.

Mars in Keith’s chart opposes this Jupiter in Scorpio, expanding (Jupiter) his desires and aggressive instincts which often results in a reckless and insensitive personality. This is a very competitive placement, excellent for someone in the sports world. Keith has taken the competition of sports and injected it into the nightly news, particularly in his famous feud with Bill O’Reilly.

Mars and Jupiter both square a conjunction of Venus and Chiron, forming a stressful T-square in his chart. The combination of Venus and Chiron shows that relationships (Venus) are painful (Chiron) for Keith, probably due to a painful episode that happened early in his life. Stressful contacts to Venus tend to show damage to one’s sense of self and one’s value to others. With both Venus and Chiron in the rational sign of Aquarius Keith lacks the introspection that is required to venture into a difficult emotional healing process, and the square of Mars to this sensitive point in his chart explains his tendency towards rudeness to women that has offended even his most ardent fans.

The Taurus Mars/Scorpio Jupiter opposition is intensely sexual, and Keith is rumored to have engaged for many years in brief sexual affairs without commitment which is a perfect way to escape the difficulty of his difficult Venus configuration. Transiting Saturn began a stressful cycle to the Mars/Jupiter/Venus/Chiron combination back in October as one of his paramours publicized his supposed lack of prowess in bed both in gossip columns and with her own blog (as an astrologer, I would doubt this from looking at his chart). This very public exposure of his private life must have caused him considerable pain, and it was shortly after this that he appears to have moved in with his young girlfriend. This cycle will continue for Keith through September of next year, but it is doubtful that we will see much evidence of it. Keith appears to compartmentalize his life and his private life is extremely private. Still, other positive influences show that the next year is certain to be a good one for Keith Olbermann in the public life where like Max Headroom, he is most effective.