CNN's Rick Sanchez fired after calling Jon Stewart a bigot [Updated]

 
Say goodbye to the king of "Conventional Idiocy": CNN newscaster Rick Sanchez has been fired. The news comes one day after Sanchez appeared on Pete Dominick's Sirius radio show, where he called "The Daily Show's" Jon Stewart a "bigot" (he later amended the term to "prejudicial") and suggested that "everybody who runs CNN" was Jewish.

Today, CNN released a statement noting that “Rick Sanchez is no longer with the company. We thank Rick for his years of service and we wish him well.”

CNN did not disclose whether Sanchez's comments were cause for letting him go. But the radio interview was just the latest in a history of incendiary quotes from the newscaster, who has gotten into trouble for calling Obama a "cotton-pickin' president," misquoting Rush Limbaugh, and not understanding the metric system.

If you'd like to listen to Sanchez’ radio comments (and hear him quote Mark Twain), click here.

[Updated at 5:06 p.m.: An earlier version of this story misspelled Sanchez's and Stewart's first names in one reference and has been corrected.]

-- Melissa Maerz

Photo credit: Mark Hill/CNN

Comments

[sethook]

As usual, the reporter becomes the story. What are they teaching in journalism classes now. Get the story and facts right. Or, slant the story that best serves your desire? Rick was no more than a self promoted lightening rod, who was really unbearable to whatch without screaming "you idiot" at the screen.

[non sequitur]

Sounds like he's petitioning for FOX News employment.

[SDCyclist]

Yea!!! I'm going to circle the date on my calendar in red and toast to this fantastic event with a glass of wine tonight! Tune into his show for any 2 to 3 minute time-frame and you would surely hear something ridiculous and/or offensive coming from his mouth. Listen to him for 10 to 15 minutes and it becomes clear the guy is a moron - not for his beliefs - he's just not anywhere near intelligent enough to be hosting a news program. If you were ever in the mood to watch an uncomfortable and often times embarrassing interview, it was as easy as tuning into his show. I am so happy CNN made this smart decision! Goodbye, Rick! Please stay off the air!

[Vet1]

Best news all week. Maybe now I can watch CNN for a little while without some idiot interrupting relatively decent programming. Maybe he has a chance at MSNBC. After all they hired Obermann.

[NetteAndruss]

It's Jon Stewart, not John. And Rick Sanchez is what's wrong with TV news today.

[R U Joking?!]

Stop spin-doctoring, LA Times.

Sanchez was fired for mentioning that Jews run most US media, not for calling Jon Stewart a bad name.

There's no taboo like a PC, lefty, liberal taboo. OMG! Prosecute him! He said the Emporer has no clothes!!!

[Stanley Friedman]

Maybe Sanchez can now do a little studying and learn the difference between Rabin (Yizthak) the deceased Israel Prime Minster. and Rabbani, a former Afghanistan President, something he did not appreciate some years ago.

[john]

I think Hispanics should start showing their power by banning jon stewart's advertisers.

[Rocco]

Absolutely could not be happier. One less annoying newscaster is a good thing. And he was as annoying as they come. Good riddance.

[Greg the Jedi]

Does every accredited member of the press insist on spelling Jon Stewart's name wrong??

It's spelled JON, not JOHN....repeat:Jon, NOT John

I cannot tell you how many times I see this error among the major publications.

[Philip]

I rarely watched Sanchez's show as I found him to be extremely boring. After listening to this radio interview, its obvious that he was hurt and he was speaking his true feelings that he previously kept bottled up. If the media is indeed controlled by liberal Jews, he might want to start searching for a new career as he probably will never work on TV again.

[Stephen D. Johnson]

So much for the discussion on race? Is it a mystery why the subject cannot, and will not, be disussed. If one says the wrong thing, he/she gets greeked (Jimmy, that is). Mr. Holder will be waiting a long time.

[commentator123]

Rick Sanchez was the bigot. His show was slanted towards hispanics and laced with Spanish, as if trying to straddle the line to make Mexicans and Americans watch his show. It's an English language network and the person sitting at that desk should respect it. I stopped watching CNN during the day all together because of this guy. And yes, his commentary was stupid. Thought they got rid of Lou Dobbs for too much commentary, but it's ok if it's a hispanic? Glad Sanchez is gone. Adios. Maybe Univision is hiring.

[blackone]

The unemplolyment check will be denied.

[drew]

Look all, CNN is no longer relevant because there's no more reporting there anymore. HLN just has a bunch of angry people behind the desk, shouting at the top of their lungs on every topic. He has a chance a CBS because after all, they hired Katie Couric. And non sequitur, you're simply jealous that FOX News is the best -- talk to the hand now...

[Daniel]

Because Rick is an obvious joke I am quite sure he will land a nice job a MSNBC with the rest of the idiots.

[mosquemadness]

For once I agreed with Rick Sanchez, John Stewart is a moron and a bigot. He is is as funny as my wet tissue after I jo.

CNN should fire itself.

[SnapTie]

He should have torched the place on his way out. Special Ed Schultz His mentor surely would have.I hear the More Socialist News By Commies [MSNBC] is searching for minorities to cover for Fat Eddie.

[Paul Rice]

Finally!

Rick Sanchez was the worst newscaster on the cable news networks (next to Geraldo, that is)!

[Gates]

Yeah, I'm shedding no tears. I disliked him since I saw his coverage of the D.C. Holocaust Museum Shooting. His reporting was more about himself than the story.