Regarding today's The Early Show item, where Rick Kaplan's famous temper was matched by anecdote, commenter Melissa Weisberg, of CBS, responds:

Claire did not work “through the night” but left at 7:30 for an 8p haircut and then went out to dinner, although I’m sure she is flattered someone thinks she worked that hard. Rick called her at 6:30 when she is normally on her way into the studio for the show. I am the 5a booker so I heard him on the phone: he was warm, funny, and just wanted to be sure she knew that CBS wanted her to stay, and that he would do whatever it took to keep her. When she decided to leave, despite an incredibly generous offer from CBS, she said it was a hard decision because CBS is her family and she did not want to leave great friends like me. Also, Rick never said he developed her and built her - Claire only worked with Rick for three weeks and had never met him before he came to the Early Show. “Nasty and abusive” are the last 2 words any of us would use to describe conversations with Rick. In fact jovial and larger than life are more accurate descriptions. Finally, Laurye Blackford has not distanced herself from the “lower-levels” in fact she has personally given me several assignments in the past few weeks. she has even shared cabs with me on the way from our studio to the broadcast center and purchased me a few chocolate chip muffins along the way. I just wanted to shoot you a note so you are aware of how inaccurate some of the tips you receive really are.