Lessons of the Rick Sanchez firing: Don't take criticism personally...OUCH!

[SoCalDem]

Lessons of the Rick Sanchez firing: Don't take criticism personally
Story posted 2010.10.02 at 10:02 AM EDT
http://mobile.orlandosentinel.com/wap/news/text.jsp?sid=292&nid=23668372&cid=17425&scid=-1&ith=1&title=TV+Guy&font=l

The news of Rick Sanchez’s firing at CNN caused many jaws to drop. But I’ll always remember that Sanchez was highly sensitive to criticism.

He certainly complained to my editors when, as TV critic for The Miami Herald in the early 1990s, I lambasted his bombastic style as an anchor for WSVN in South Florida. Longtime Miami viewers will remember Sanchez squatting over a map of Iraq. It’s just one of those images you can’t forget.

I later met Sanchez for lunch and explained I was just doing my job. It was a cordial meeting, and he seemed to understand what I was saying. But recent events suggest he didn’t. Years later, I was surprised when he landed at CNN, where he retained the bombastic style, but that didn’t seem to deter his progress. His firing contains some valuable lessons:

1. Don’t take the criticism personally. Sanchez lashed out, in a Sirius XM interview, at Jon Stewart, who has frequently blasted Sanchez. (Stewart ridiculed Sanchez for being a news guinea pig for being tasered and pretending to fall off a cruise ship.) Sanchez should have enjoyed the attention and laughed it off. Instead, he went into a whiny, babyish rant about Stewart’s upbringing and outlook. I’m sure the jokes hurt, but Sanchez had his job. He took the barbs personally, which is extremely stupid. And now he has no job.

2. Don’t try to take on Jon Stewart in a battle of wits. He is smart. He is quick. And his aim is usually deadly accurate. In any such shoot-out with Jon Stewart, you will be mortally wounded.

snip

[tularetom]

1. Stewart won this shoot out without having to draw his weapon

It appears that Mr Sanchez wanted to run with the big dogs and got peed on instead.

[ixion]

2. "In any such shoot-out with Jon Stewart, you will be mortally wounded."

Just ask Tucker Carlson. ;)

[Initech]

3. We can add Rick Sanchez to the Jon Stewart Wall Of Shame.

Previous inductees include Jim Cramer and Tucker Carlson.

[WeekendWarrior]

4. By saying all this you folks make it sound as if

this is somehow Stewart's fault. Which, of course, is ridiculous.

[Swede]

5. I think Monday's show will be interesting.

Stewart may even have some sympathy for Sanchez.

[SoCalDem]

9. Yep.. Stewart is a classy guy.. Kicking a guy when he's down. is not his style.

He happily mocked Little Ricky with the Oww owwoww taser clip because Sanchez was so serious about the piece & then it was so unintentionally funny...

Rick never learned to "roll with it"..and it's gotten him fired again..and in a very ugly (and unnecessary) way.

[hlthe2b]

7. No... but Stewart speaks the truth & does not suffer fools gladly...

He follows this adage from our former President, Harry S Truman: “I never give them hell. I just tell the truth and they think it's hell.

[Initech]

15. What? It's Stewart's fault that he makes them look like assholes?

We all knew that Jim Cramer was a total idiot, but Stewart completely ripped him apart.

We all know about how he got Tucker Carlson off the air.

And now Rick Sanchez showed his true colors by attacking him.

[WeekendWarrior]

17. Which was pretty much my point. nt

[hlthe2b]

6. So has there been any response from Sanchez?

I'd have thought he'd have some PR firm issuing a "sincere" apology by now.. or at least the semblance of one, in order to try to preserve some possible career options. :shrug"

[SoCalDem]

8. I doubt that he will comment until he lands another job

Right now he's radioactive. He probably wants the whole thing to "go away".

[hlthe2b]

10. You think he can get another job without repudiating his own words?

and.. apologizing?

Even Faux News has to maintain the pretense of abhoring anti-antisemitism or lose all the neocons. :shrug:

[SoCalDem]

12. In time he will, but in the immediate, I think he will disappear.

He can only make it worse by commenting now. It must really suck to be him right now.. He's got a family & I bet his wife had some choice words for him..

I don't think he was the highest paid at CNN, but he certainly had a good income, for a relatively easy gig....and now he's unemployed and has branded himself as a bigoted, thin-skinned numbskull.

[monmouth]

16. If, as he says, the media is run by Jews, I doubt his next job will be

anywhere near the media. Department stores will be hiring Christmas sales staff soon...

[Hello_Kitty]

11. He squatted over a map of Iraq?

:wtf: :wow:

[DirkGently]

13. He didn't look that foolish ... until he got angry and nasty. A worthy lesson for many.

[jillan]

14. I think the lesson learned should be Do not channel your inner Mel Gibson on a live mic.

Seriously - just because Jon Stewart is Jewish shouldn't have caused a rant about "people like Jon".