I must be cracking up. Or maybe my eyes and ears are deceiving me. Whatever the case, I thought Rick Sanchez asked some intelligent questions while interviewing militia gun nuts and anti-gun nuts during his afternoon CNN gig. I hesitate to call ”Rick’s List” a news show since it is more about him than the news.

My opinion of Rick’s journalistic skills has a history. Twenty-plus years ago, I received a telephone call from a close friend and former colleague during my tenure at south Florida’s then NBC affilate. “You have to see to believe our new anchor, Rick Sanchez. He is like a Saturday Night Live character,” according to the description.

My TV investigative reporting career had begun at the same station when the call letters were WCKT and I still have a soft spot in my psyche for the station. Indeed, I collected my first two Peabody medallions in Miami during the the investigative reporting heydays that followed the Watergate scandal. In 1983, seven years after I left Miami for Boston, WCKT became WSVN. The station lost its NBC affiliation after the owner, Ed Ansin, refused repeated offers to sell to a network.

Operating as an independent station prior to signing on as a Fox “News” affiliate in the mid-nineties, WSVN’s local news coverage became notorious for its blood, guts and sensationalism. It was, however, one of the nation’s most successful independents—in part, because of Rick Sanchez.

In 1984 at the age of 22, Sanchez became the youngest anchor in the Miami market. At WSVN, he developed a calculated on-air persona  of odd facial expressions, body language, and feigned empathy and/or outrage. For old traditionalists like me, he was a comical caricature of an honest-to-goodness newsman. But what the hell do I know. His age, style and Cuban heritage attracted viewers in South Florida.

After a stint at MSNBC and couple of local broadcast jobs, Sanchez was hired by CNN in 2004 for what seemed like a newly created position as a stuntman. His adventures included escaping underwater from a sinking car, wearing a stun belt that was triggered by a cop, and subjecting himself to waterboard torture. His reporter participation segments blurred the line between news and entertainment. But viewers—me included—were fascinated by this kind of stuff. Indeed, Comedy Channel’s Jon Stewart regularly shows Sanchez stunts, mainly because of Rick’s acting skills. Although the derring-do is performed in controlled circumstances, he is able portray a sense of panic that warns viewers, “Don’t try this at home.”

Anyway, given that Rick is so intent of being a performer, I’m always pleasantly surprised when he actually tries his hand at serious reporting. This week was one of those occasions. A large portion of “Rick’s List” was devoted to demonstrations in Washington,Virginia and elsewhere against gun control. The reasons are vague for organizing the protests on the 15 year anniversary of the bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma City. There is no pending gun control legislation in Congress, nor has President Obama indicated any plans to encroach on the 2nd Amendment. As a result, Sanchez asked the proper questions. Why are these people waving placards in the nation’s Capitol and strutting around a national park in Virginia with guns strapped to their sides like a bunch of old west cowboys?

One of the guests answered that Obama voted in favor of a gun control law as a state senator in Illinois. But he could offer no specifics about the vote. In my opinion, wearing holstered guns is like driving a big SUV. It makes little guys feel like big men. I base my belief on personal experience. While playing the role of “great white hunter” years ago in California in search of Bambi’s daddy, I  used to strap on a pistol—a snake gun, I said.  The only time the gun was fired at a snake, I missed. Nonetheless, there was a warm fuzzy feeling buckling on the gunbelt. I guess SUV’s are now adequate to compensate for my masculine inadequacies. I have two.

But back to Rick. I think the guy has talent. Though not as a reporter. He would, however, make a terrific Larry King. Larry is nearing his 25th CNN anniversary, which is about five years too many from the standpoint of  the quality of his show, its guests and the dwindling ratings. Besides, the old guy may slump over dead if he continues to marry and divorce younger women. Although slow-motion reruns of his death would temporarily improve ratings, CNN needs to consider the long haul. 

So in an effort to save the show and Larry alive long enough to use his nursing home insurance, CNN should give the 51 year old “kid” a few pair of suspenders and let him play journalist in front of a prime time audience.

My memoir, Odyssey of a Derelict Gunslinger, is available at amazon.com and independent bookstores. It offers much more than $19.99 worth of laughs. It is an account of my illustrious (I choose the adjectives) career.