About Rick Sanchez and Jon Stewart

When this whole little episode with Rick Sanchez's adventures in radio began, I had a flashback to a scene from the 1994 movie, The Paper, where the parking commissioner Sandusky (Jason Alexander) has it in for a New York Sun reporter McDougal (Randy Quaid) because he has been slamming his department in his column.

Sandusky: Why did you have to pick on me?
McDougal: You should have returned my calls.
Sandusky: You called me a mindless bureaucrat!
McDougal: You should have paid for the damages.
Sandusky: You made my kids scared to go to school. You made my wife cry when she reads the paper.
McDougal: At least she bought it, didn't she?
Sandusky: You tell me right now or I'm going to pull this fucking trigger. Why me?
McDougal: You work for the city. It was your turn.

And that in a nutshell is how I saw Stewart's jokes at Rick Sanchez's expense. It was just his turn.

I mean, really, if Jon Stewart is busting your balls, it is sort of an indication that you've made it. Hell, I'd gladly take some ribbing from Jon Stewart. Or Glenn Beck even. Bring it on.

But what I find hilarious in all this is how the media is characterizing this as Sanchez getting fired because he criticized Stewart. I am sure that all the news networks would love to see Jon Stewart getting taken down a peg, so clearly, that isn't the reason. He goes after them all, and seeing him take a few hits is great for them.

But the headlines I've seen since this happened, even today are making it seem like taking shots at Stewart was the reason he got the axe instead of some of the other comments:

CNN Anchor Ousted Over 'Bigot' Comments
News anchor Rick Sanchez is fired after calling Jon Stewart a bigot.

Rick Sanchez Ousted After Jon Stewart Crack

What is amazing though is after Sanchez got fired, an article was posted on The Huffington Post detailing a lot of stupid things he has done/said on the air. It was titled It's the Stupid, Stupid: Rick Sanchez Fired for the Wrong Reasons.

Now that was an interesting read and an alternate take on the Sanchez firing. If he got fired for that with the other stuff being the excuse, I would totally buy it.