Acerbic ESPN host Keith Olbermann has been felled by a 55-year-old mother of two.

In a feel-good story for the rational-minded, the venomous former MSNBC host has been suspended for the rest of the week by his current employer for calling Penn State University students “pitiful,” according to Fox News.

Why are they pitiful in Olbermann’s mind?

Seemingly because they exhibit a prowess for raising money for pediatric cancer research.

In response to previous criticism from Olbermann toward Penn State over the Jerry Sandusky scandal, Penn State graduate Lisa Aiello DeLeon tagged the sports commentator in a tweet that included a link to an article touting the success of the school’s annual pediatric cancer fundraiser — they raised better than $13 million over the weekend.

“I was just trying to educate him,” the mother of two told the Philadelphia Inquirer.

“We are!” her tweet stated — a play on the school’s iconic battle cry: “We are! Penn State!”

We Are! @KeithOlbermann http://t.co/c5vmqIuW7G

— Lisa Aiello DeLeon (@lisaadeleon) February 23, 2015

Olbermann responded by finishing the sentence: ” . . . Pitiful”.

@lisaadeleon …Pitiful — Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) February 23, 2015

When a social media user called him out for criticizing an effort to raise money for pediatric cancer research, a condescending Olbermann tried to couch his remark:

.@dave_seidel No, Son. I said PSU students were pitiful. Had nothing to do with fundraising #AlsoPSUReadingComprehensionAppearsToBeWeak — Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) February 23, 2015

And proving that he is indeed a progressive liberal, when faced with the reality that he was in a hole, Olbermann kept digging:

.@KeithOlbermann The students (I am an alum, gainfully employed in DC) are “pitiful” for running an organization that raises millions? Okay.

— Dave Seidel (@dave_seidel) February 23, 2015

.@dave_seidel Again – get your $ back – you didn’t learn how to read. PSU students are pitiful because they’re PSU students – period.

— Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) February 23, 2015

Eventually, ESPN stepped into the fray.

“We are aware of the exchange Keith Olbermann had on Twitter last night regarding Penn State,” the sports network said in a statement. “It was completely inappropriate and does not reflect the views of ESPN. We have discussed it with Keith, who recognizes he was wrong. ESPN and Keith have agreed that he will not host his show for the remainder of this week and will return on Monday.”

ESPN added that “the efforts of the students of Penn State to fight pediatric cancer should be applauded.”

Relish the moment — because they are rare — but the self-proclaimed “stupid and childish” Olbermann actually apologized:

I apologize for the PSU tweets. I was stupid and childish and way less mature than the students there who did such a great fundraising job.

— Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) February 24, 2015

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Tom Tillison

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The longest-tenured writer at BizPac Review, Tom grew up in Maryland before moving to Central Florida as a young teen. It is in the Sunshine State that he honed both his passion for politics and his writing skills.

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