Hollywood Reporter
CNN issued a statement Friday announcing that anchor Rick Sanchez has been let go from the network after giving a radio interview in which he insinuated Jon Stewart was a bigot and CNN was "run by Jews."
“Rick Sanchez is no longer with the company," the statement read. "We thank Rick for his years of service and we wish him well.“
Sanchez let loose on "The Daily Show's" Stewart while appearing on the " Stand Up! with Pete Dominick" SiriusXM radio show Friday morning.
Sanchez, who is Cuban American, said there's racism in the media "not just [from] the right," but also "elite, Northeast establishment liberals" that "deep down, when they look at a guy like me, they see a guy automatically who belongs in the second tier, and not the top tier."
He pointed to a personal experience with an unnamed CEO exec calling him "more as John Quinones," referring to the Hispanic ABC News reporter.
A rep for Stewart had no comment.
An insider says he may discuss this on "The Daily Show" on Monday.
Jon Stewart and David Letterman joked about the Rick Sanchez controversy on Saturday evening as hosts of Comedy Central's "Night Of Too Many Stars."
CNN fired former anchor Sanchez Friday after he let loose on "The Daily Show" host and Jewish people in the media while appearing on the "Stand Up! with Pete Dominick" Sirius XM radio show.
Stewart brought up the issue in his opening monologue to "Stars," which he hosted at Manhattan's Beacon Theatre.
In talking about how people should donate for autism education, for which the show raises money, Stewart said: "If you went on radio and said the Jews control the media...you may want to hold on to your money."
But if Sanchez was right about the Jews, Stewart also suggested, "All he has to do is apologize to us, and we'll hire him back."
The Sanchez topic came up again when Letterman made a surprise guest appearance. The late-night host told Stewart that he was just in the city "helping Rick Sanchez clean out his office."
Even Tom Brokaw got in on the fun in an appearance later in the evening in which he took a jab at Sanchez as well.
The "Night Of Too Many Stars" will air on Comedy Central on Oct. 21.
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