As we previously covered, CNN anchor Rick Sanchez went on a radio show last week and preceded to go off on Jon Stewart, calling him a bigot and a fancy-pants elitist because Jon is Jewish, and from Jersey, apparently. Jon then gently mocked Sanchez over the weekend as Jon hosted a charity event for autism. It seemed like it could have been over there, but this week has brought a new crop of Sanchez vs. Stewart news. First off, Jon discussed the situation on Monday’s Daily Show, telling the audience that Rick had called him personally to apologize for his comments, and that we should be going easier on him. Of course, he also had a lot of funny sh-t to say too:
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| Hurty Sanchez | ||||
|
||||
Chuckle. So it could it have been over there. But it wasn’t. Rick Sanchez decided to release an oddly-worded statement to the press:
“On October 4th, I had a very good conversation with Jon Stewart, and I had the opportunity to apologize for my inartful comments from last week. I sincerely extend this apology to anyone else whom I may have offended.
As Jon was kind enough to note in his show Monday night, I am very much opposed to hate and intolerance, in any form, and I have frequently spoken out against prejudice. Despite what my tired and mangled words may have implied, they were never intended to suggest any sort of narrow-mindedness and should never have been made.
In the aftermath of these comments, CNN and I have decided to part ways. However, I want to go on record to say that I have nothing but the highest regard for CNN and for my six wonderful years with them. I appreciate every opportunity that they have given me, and it has been a wonderful experience working for them. I have tremendous respect for everyone there, and I know that they feel the same about me. There are no hard feelings – just excitement about a new future of opportunities.
I look forward to my next step with great anticipation. In the meantime, I will continue to promote my book, Conventional Idiocy, in the hopes of broadening the discussion to get a better understanding between all Americans, regardless of race, creed or religion.”
[From PopEater]
Did he fall on his sword hard enough for you? Eh. I agree with him that his words were “tired” and “mangled” but… was he really lashing out at Jon Stewart, or was he trying to attack CNN and “the powers that be” that gave his temporary timeslot away to Eliot Spitzer? Page Six thinks it’s the Spitzer thing:
Eliot Spitzer isn’t ready for live TV, sources say. CNN’s “Parker Spitzer” is pretaped and edited because the ex-gov and Kathleen Parker can’t take cues or stick to timing. A rep for CNN denied the show is pretaped to edit flubs. But an insider said watching the inexperienced duo bumble during rehearsals drove primetime fill-in Rick Sanchez over the edge, leading to his charge that CNN is run by bigots.
“Timing was a big factor in Sanchez’s blowup,” our source said. “He was frustrated that he was constantly being overlooked, he thought his race had something to do with it.”
Sanchez’s rep had no comment. With former CNN President Jon Klein and gaffe-able Sanchez gone, morale is higher at the network that prides itself on straight news.
“It was really the end of the Klein era when Sanchez was fired,” a source said. Klein was booted a week earlier. His replacement, Headline News honcho Ken Jautz, is universally liked for working his way up in news, unlike his predecessor, who was considered a gimmicks guy.
[From Page Six]
See, that actually makes me feel sorry for Sanchez. It must suck to see people promoted over you who have no idea what the hell they’re doing. That being said, I don’t think Rick knew what the hell he was doing in general, even if he did comprehend the basics of being on television. Oh well. Let’s see if Rick ever gets work again. It should be interesting.
Ugh, can’t stand arrogant, smug, know-it-all Jon “Stewart.”
I ADORE Jon “Stewart.”
Don’t feel sorry for Rick Sanchez. Feel sorry for the man he killed while drunk driving.
@Liz – He’s not arrogant. Don’t mistake his brand of humor (I going to jump to the conclusion that you’re not from the east coast) for arrogance. He’s very self-depricating, surprised and grateful for all his success. He’s a simultaneous joy and riot to work with …
Please don’t flame me for the east coast reference. As a New Yorker who has lived and worked in other parts of the country I can say that a lot of people simply don’t get our sense of humor. It’s better than it used to be but I remember 15-20 years ago (I’m old) many folks (outside of the tri-state area) didn’t think Seinfeld was funny. They still don’t.
I think Sanchez is “sorry” that he didn’t realize how stupid he would sound until after the fact.
P.S. Love Stewart!
Sanchez only apologized and released that statement because his publicist basically gave him an ultimatum. Either apologize to Stewart and praise CNN or there is absolutely no chance of getting work in this field elsewhere and that includes FOX.(I have many friends that work for CNN and this is what is being said and I believe it, no way is Sanchez sorry)
I can’t believe CNN gave Spitzer a show. A prime time slot at that. What are they thinking?
I could care less about Sanchez but I would have been upset too.
@ smith:
I’m from the deep South, and currently live in the admittedly bass-ackwards midwest (much worse than the South when it comes to ignorance and dullness, actually).
And I totally love Jon Stewart, and I totally get his humor, as do many, many, many people who don’t happen to live in NY. But here’s the thing. Seinfeld? Is *not* universally-relevant and enjoyable humor the way Jon Stewart is. It just plain isn’t. Not “getting” Seinfeld is not the same thing as not “getting” Jon Stewart. Jon Stewart is one of the great ironists and humorists, an heir of Jonathan Swift and other satirists. He is not only funny, but also politically astute and important for the national conversation. Seinfeld was a vulgar, tacky, pointless unfunny hack who has done nothing in the last decade.
Sorry. Not trying to flame. I just get really, really, irritated with people who equate not finding Seinfeld funny with some kind of provincialism or lack of a sense of humor.
hahah i saw this when it was on i was lmao
Sanchez will still be punished because he spoke his mind or…perhaps the truth??
Love Jon Stewart
Sanchez really had no choice but to apologize and kiss CNN’s ass; he’s got a book to promote and he needs a job pronto so he had to make nice.
Cannot believe that Elliott Spitzer has a show on CNN. WTF?
My inner frat-boy is still giggling at The Daily Show’s “Hurty Sanchez” caption.
All this sounds like a bunch of CNN inside political bullsh** to me!
Hate all of it!
@Lindy – I rarely respond to people who respond to me, because really where will it end, lol.
But just to clarify, I don’t equate people not getting Seinfeld with lacking a sense of humor, just not – let’s say, enjoying – a particular BRAND of humor. There’s a certain observational, pragmatic, “I’m a cog in the wheel of life, someone throw me a line” humor that is very New York. It’s very Seinfeld, very Jon Stewart. It’s not superior and it’s certainly not the only way to be funny, but it does resonate more with certain people.
And I didn’t feel flamed. Thank you.
I don’t think the scare quotes around Stewart are necessary, it’s his middle name.
@ Lindy- THANK YOU!! I’m from NJ and have always thought Seinfeld was a complete and utter waste of time. Not funny, unlikeable characters, no plot- a black hole in entertainment. When ppl try to make it seem like it’s “over the heads” of the rest of the US, they make us Northeasterners look like tools. (some of us are, but not all)
Actually, Jo Mama, his middle name is Stuart, not Stewart. But I was just putting the quotes there because the poster above me made an issue of it. So he changed his name, who cares? So did “John Wayne” and “Marilyn Monroe.” I was just being a pest. 🙂
I can’t stand Rick Sanchez. I lived in South Florida for the years that he was on there and I’d had my fair share of him back then.
I Love Jon Stewart
team stewart!
What’s Jon Stewart’s real name, she asks curiously.
And to weigh in on Seinfeld . . . when he was funny he was really funny, and when he wasn’t he really wasn’t. But I saw him live a few years ago and wasn’t expecting much, and he was funny as hell.
PS — And to the guy who’s still giggling about Hurty Sanchez, so am I!!!
Jon Stewart for… higher office, anything!
He’s much more intelligent than so many politicians, and see how far Al Franken got, and how well he’s doing at the Senate.
Never really heard of a correlation between geographical location and a particular brand of humor. I’ve always just assumed it is a very individual thing, meaning what people view as “funny” is completely subjective.
@bluhare: I’m a woman, but sometimes I swear there is a 21 year old Frat Boy living in my head who LOVES Jon’s puns and off color humor. Same for Conan.
and yeah, I’m still LMAO at Hurty Sanchez. 🙂
Aw, I’m gonna miss Rick’s show –it was my comedy break! That guy is freakin’ hilarious…he is SO earnest, SO hard-hitting, SO topical, SO witty, SO tuned into his audience — IN HIS OWN MIND. What a narcissist he is! I really did find him unintentionally funny. I predict he ends up on FOX, like many of the other CNN cast-offs who got too big for their britches.
Rick Sanchez is one to talk. All “minorities” are not created equal in South Florida, where the Cuban immigrant population (and not Afro-Cubans, who are marginalized in Cuba and also in the migrant community) dominate.
@bluhare: Jon Stuart Liebowitz, if I’m not mistaken. 🙂
Well it only took him a week That show was taped Thurs wasn’t it?
Let’s not forget years ago he was driving drunk left the scene after he killed a guy (who was also drunk walking I think) I mean he LEFT the guy dead on the ground and then said he went home and had a few drings to calm his nerves. WTF!! sorry i posted twice how to delete???
Let’s not forget that years ago.. Sanchez killed a person while he was driving drunk and left the peson dead. A hit and run. (The guy was also drunk) I mean he left the guy dead in the street. I don’t think he was even punished?? I read he told the cops not to test him or something like he was above it.
You have to feel sorry for anyone who gets replaced by that clown Spitzer!
When I see Spitzer, the only thing I can think about is the hooker incident.
@jessiee:
I see (and my bad on the spelling ignorance *rips foot out of mouth*. I’ve wondered if he dropped the last name while starting up his career since a lot of people with ‘ethnic’ (take that for what it is)-sounding names are advised to do so, or do it of their own volition. Liev Scheiber flat-out refuse to make that change when advised to do and young stars still do it.
I just wanted to chime in that I am from the south and I love Jon Stewart and Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm. I don’t know what Liz’s problem is.
From the outside it seems like capitalists make a lot of money from exploiting the poor and down trodden and Stewart MAKES A LOT OF MONEY out of sticking up for them and mocking the exploiters. So ironically he profits from their exploitation too. If Stewart was serious he’d put about 2 million aside for himself and give every other cent he generated to those in need. But maybe he already does, I don’t know.
American Jews make up only 2% of the population of America. Yet: 46% make over $100,000 per year, they make up 15% of the U.S. Senate, 13% of the U.S. House of Representatives, 67% of members of the Board of the Federal reserve, 33% of the U.S. Supreme Court. Media: Just taking CNN only, 55% of corporate officers for TBS, which owns CNN, are Jewish. On air, Larry King, John King, Howard Kurtz, Eliot Slpitzer, Jeffrey Toobin, Paula Zahn, etc.. Rick Sanchez has nothing to apologize for.
And Jon hires Sanchez in three, two…
@ActaNonVerb: That’s an interesting post. Given that the over representation of black males in prisons is often cited as evidence of systemic racism, then I guess it’s fair to ask if the over representation of Jews in positions of affluence is evidence of systemic racism too.
all great comments
me: love jon stewart and the daily show! 🙂
Intriguing lack of full story.
Rick Sanchez’s full tirade also relentlessly bashed people for watching another network, and that got very racial too. Yet only the remarks about one famous guy are offensive?
The drunk killer was full of all kinds of bigotry in the same tirade yet media calls him out and he apologizes for just one.