For TV Man, It’s Ready, Aim and Fired

A television sportscaster was fired after he pointed an unloaded rifle at the camera during a live commentary on his show, declaring “open season on crime.”

“There’s a line you don’t step over, and he stepped over it,” said KMPH news director Bill Rice, who apologized on the air Wednesday night for the incident, which drew angry complaints from viewers.

Officials of the Fresno TV station, Channel 26, said Thursday that sportscaster Mike Bryant, 28, was dismissed after he refused to show up for a meeting to discuss the unusual segment.

Bryant, known for offbeat stunts, delivered the commentary Tuesday night after two video stores that he owns in Fresno were robbed.

“It’s time we all joined together to fight together for the American dream,” Bryant said, while carrying an unloaded .22-caliber rifle. “Between you and me and the police, we can proclaim an open season on crime.”

He then slowly brought the gun barrel around and pointed it directly at the camera.

Rice said viewers began calling the station within seconds to complain about the incident.

Bryant, who hopes to find another sportscasting job, said he did not do the commentary because of the robberies at his store. He said he was just trying to be entertaining.

“Sports is a tune-out for a lot of people. I like to do things a little offbeat. I’m not a scores-and-highlights kinda guy.”

He claimed that the station used the incident to fire him because it wanted to get rid of one of its two sportscasters.