You might expect this kind of language from Mötley Crüe on live television, but surely not Robert Novak.
In fact, of all the people one could expect to drop an "s-bomb" during a live broadcast, the stodgy columnist does not rank high on the list.
But, believe it or not, that's exactly what happened Thursday on CNN, when Novak swore and walked off the set of Inside Politics, prompting the news network to suspend the regular contributor indefinitely.
"We've asked Mr. Novak to take some time off," CNN spokeswoman Edie Emery told the Associated Press.
The flack called Novak's behavior "inexcusable and unacceptable" in a statement and said CNN was apologizing to viewers and that Novak had apologized to the network.
At the time of his outburst, the prickly politico was sitting opposite frequent democratic sparring partner James Carville, tearing through the topic of discussion at hand: Florida makeup maven and GOP Senate hopeful Katherine Harris.
"Let me just finish, James, please," Novak said as Carville started to break in on his point. "I know you hate to hear me, but you have to."
Carville turned to CNN cameras and said, "He's got to show these right wingers that he's got a backbone, you know. It's why the Wall Street Journal editorial page is watching you. Show 'em that you're tough."
In response, Novak uncharacteristically stood up and left--but not before having the last word, naturally.
"Well, I think that's bull----, and I hate that," Novak said. "Just let it go." As the cameras rolled, he then removed his microphone and walked calmly off the set to the surprise of Carville and Inside Politics moderator Ed Henry.
While the exchange with Carville was nothing new for Novak, who certainly took part in his fair share of severe verbal jousts on CNN's recently canceled Crossfire, something pushed the 74-year-old columnist over the edge Thursday.
Speculation exists that it wasn't Carville's jabs that prompted the right-wing hero's live walk-off, but rather Henry's plans to question him regarding his role in the investigation of the leak of a CIA officer's identity later in the broadcast.
"Bob Novak obviously left the set a little early," Henry said towards the end of the segment. "I had told him in advance that we were going to ask him about the CIA leak case. He was not here for me to be able to ask him about that. Hopefully we'll be able to ask him about that in the future."
Novak, who apologized for the outburst Friday by saying, "I'm sorry I did it," has found himself increasingly in the spotlight lately with regard to his role in the leak of former CIA operative Valerie Plame's name. He revealed the previously covert government employee's name in his syndicated column two years ago.
As a result of the public outing, Judith Miller of The New York Times has since been jailed for refusing to cooperate with prosecutors who are investigating the source of the leak.
Novak has long refused to comment on his role in the federal investigation, citing the ongoing probe. However, he finally touched on it this week in his column for the Chicago Sun-Times when he spoke up in his own defense, calling a statement by a former CIA spokesman claiming that Novak had disregarded advice not to reveal Plame's identity "just plain wrong."
Novak isn't the only CNN commentator to draw heat recently.
Last year, another Crossfire conservative, Tucker Carlson, had a well-publicized live war of words with Comedy Central's Daily Show anchor Jon Stewart.
Carlson has since scored his own show, The Situation, on MSNBC.