I'm just getting around to learning about this, and all I can say is, "wow." I'm not a big fan of "fluff" conversation on news broadcasts as a former journalism student, and this is a great example of why. When your on-air talent is encouraged by producers to go out and "ham it up" to appear more approachable to the viewing audience, you open yourself up to off-the-wall comments like this going over your air. I'm extremely disappointed in Rich for thinking the comment he made was anywhere near acceptable, and I'm stunned as to why he thought it was a good idea.
What Rich and Dave gave us with the enjoyable guest list we saw on the podcast while things lasted was something we as game show fans couldn't get anywhere else, and it's unfortunate things had to end the way they did. I hope someone out there can pick up where things left off and continue with a similar podcast. If not, I sadly don't see any mainstream outlets running to folks like Kathleen, Shane, Burton, Bob, David, Kathy, and Roger to ask for hour-long candid interviews with no commercial interruptions.
Now I wonder if Rich got too comfortable and over his head at Television City to where he made crude jokes off set and the post-Dobkowitz/Barker brass and Drew got tired of it so they wouldn't renew his contract. But if that was the case, why would KCBS/KCAL hire him afterward?
The news business knows that fewer and fewer eyes are on their broadcasts every year, which translates to fewer advertising dollars for the station. When the former announcer from a smash-hit show like "Price" with Bob Barker knocks on your door, you hire him knowing you can milk as much publicity out of it as possible and potentially get some of those eyes from "Price" on your news show.
I'm not sure how they promoted Rich at KCBS/KCAL in his early days, but I'd be surprised to hear they weren't heavily running promos to the effect of, "tune in to the news to see the announcer from 'Price' doing the weather," or simply putting Rich himself on camera to do teasers in between commercials on "Price". Even if they did know about Rich's alleged backstage commentary, I don't recall it being discussed anywhere outside of diehards on game show fan boards at the time. It was a low risk/(potential) high reward proposition for the KCBS/KCAL brass.