Usually, Buzz is wary about weighing in on workplace strife. See, Buzz has a history of, ah--how exactly would the company lawyer prefer we put this?--a history of explaining ourself loudly and forcefully to co-workers. Truth be told, Buzz has, on several occasions during the past decade and a half, completely lost his shizz at work. But someone always deserved it. There was that time the salesperson rolled her eyes at Buzz. She got an earful. Then there was that marketing doofus at the last place Buzz worked who wrote the letter complaining about Buzz's professionalism. When we read the letter, we promptly discovered four new curse words, two of which included the suffix "slice."
Point being, we understand anger-management issues. So when we heard from three sources that WFAA-TV Channel 8's Scott Sams was suspended three days for calling his co-worker Alexa Conomos a "Greek bitch," we felt his pain. Not that he was right--for all Buzz knows, since neither Sams nor Conomos returned phone calls, they're both saintly--but we understand how the pressures of the day and a few triple-shot lattes can get you so jicked up you scream at the first warm-blooded creature who invades your line of sight.
Once more details were made known, we realized this incident, involving the morning show (News 8 Daybreak) anchor and traffic reporter, respectively, was worth exploring. First, it reportedly occurred a few weeks ago during a postshow meeting wherein the morning team was discussing ways to overcome its slide in the ratings. (Channel 8's morning show, an important money producer for the station historically, has been trailing Channel 4 and Channel 5 in recent months.) Conomos, according to two sources, suggested they all gather and watch their competition so they would know what they were up against. What happened next is unclear, but the sources say it ended with Sams calling Conomos a "Greek bitch." (Buzz wonders if adding ethnicity to the insult softens it. Does "Italian asshole" sound almost complimentary? Discuss.) After Conomos complained to HR, Sams was reportedly suspended three days.
Again, so we're told. Calls to station management also weren't returned. "They're under a lot of pressure," says another reporter who doesn't want his name used, for fear it will tell management exactly who to fire. "Scott was supposed to help the morning-show ratings, and he hasn't. I'm sure that had something to do with it."
Again, Buzz has sympathy and, having been there, advice: Scott, dude, we know management is playa-hatin'. That's what management do. But you can't take it out on those around you. At least that's what our lawyer says.
