CNN Fires Rick Sanchez for Remarks in Interview

Rick Sanchez, a daytime anchor at CNN, was fired on Friday, a day after telling a radio interviewer That Jon Stewart was a Bigot and That "Everybody That runs CNN is a Lot Like Stewart."

The Latter comment was made shortly after Mr. Stewart's faith, Judaism, was invoked.

CNN said in a statement Friday evening, "Rick Sanchez is no longer with the company. We thank Rick for his years of service and we wish him well. "

Mr. Sanchez's comments on Thursday during Easy Came a contentious conversation with the comedian Pete Dominick is a satellite radio. By Friday afternoon, a recording of the conversation had occurred widely circulated on the Internet.

In the conversation Mr. Sanchez, Who Is Cuban-American, repeatedly Suggested That they HAD Experienced Subtle forms of discrimination in his television career.

They Said That "a lot of elite Northeast Establishment liberals" viewed him as someone "who belongs in the second tier and Not the top tier."

Among Those Establishment figures, they said, was Mr. Stewart, the host of "The Daily Show" and Comedy Central is a friend of Mr. Dominick's.

At first, Mr. Sanchez, Mr. Stewart Called a "Bigot, 'but later'm guessing the word back, calling the comedian" prejudicial "Instead.

Prejudicial "Against Who?" Mr. Dominick asked.

Mr. Sanchez said, "Against Anybody Who does not Agree to His point of view, Which is very much a white liberal Establishment point of view."

One of the co-hosts of the radio show Brought Up The Fact That Mr. Stewart was a Jew, saying Mr. Sanchez Thurs That they was a Minority "as much as you are."

Mr. Sanchez answered sarcastically, "Yeah. Yeah. Very Powerless people. "He let out a high-pitched laugh.

"Everybody That runs CNN is a Lot Like Stewart," Mr. Sanchez said. "And a Lot of People Who Run all on the other networks are a lot like Stewart. And Thurs imply somehow That They - the people in this country WHO are Jewish - are an oppressed Minority? Yeah. "

Mr. Stewart has made jokes about Mr. Sanchez's more than just 20 times in the last five years, According to a search of the show's Web site. Or as Mr. Sanchez put it, "You watch yourself on his show every day and all They ever do is call you stupid."

Mr. Stewart was far from the only person Known Thurs mock Mr. Sanchez, the WHO was tasered once the camera for a segment. They was a polarizing figure Within, CNN, But under the channel's former president, Jonathan Klein, was rewarded them with more air time, most recently a two-hour block in the afternoons. Mr. Klein was fired last week.

On Monday, Mr. Sanchez ended two months as an interim prime-time anchor. They appeared on the radio show as part of Tour to the promote his book "Conventional Idiocy." Attempts Thurs REACH Mr. Sanchez were unsuccessful.