Ex-MSNBC host Schultz, 64, dies
Ed Schultz, former host of “The Ed Show” on MSNBC and a longtime political commentator, has died at 64.
The veteran broadcaster died Thursday of natural causes, according to his former employer WDAY-TV, based in Fargo, N.D.
His passing was later confirmed by the RT America network, where Schultz was employed at the time of his death.
“We at RT America are sad to announce the passing of Edward Andrew Schultz,” a statement from RT reads. “Ed Schultz passed quietly early morning on July 5 at his home in Washington, D.C. This announcement comes as a shock to all of us here at RT America."
He is survived by his wife, Wendy, and their six kids.
Schultz broke into the media business during the early 1980s as a sportscaster in North Dakota, but moved into political commentary the following decade and earned a following as a conservative radio host.
He would later change his political support to the Democratic Party. His long-running radio show, “The Ed Schultz Show,” which was originally based in Fargo but later moved to New York City, became a national program in 2004 and remained on that platform until 2014.
Schultz garnered even more widespread attention in 2009 when he began hosting “The Ed Show” on MSNBC. The hourlong weekday program centered on Schultz providing his takes on political topics, combating the views of those who he believed had outlandish opinions and hosting discussions with other broadcasters and pundits.
Schultz’s tenure at MSNBC ended in 2015 after “The Ed Show” was canceled by the network.
He joined RT America — the United States affiliate of the Russia-based RT network — in early 2016. There, Schultz hosted another commentary show, “The News with Ed Schultz,” every Monday through Thursday.
Schultz was mourned Thursday by Keith Olbermann, whom he worked with at MSNBC.
“This is shocking, sad news. No matter how wildly his politics swung, he took up our free health care clinics initiative at MSNBC and ran with it with total dedication, raised millions, helped thousands,” Olbermann tweeted. “And it was impossible to stay mad at him and his generous laugh. #RIPEd.”