CBS continues to be a total disaster. Last year they brought in former MSNBC president Rick Kaplan to save Katie Couric's Evening News (without asking Katie's opinion). We all know how that went! Not that Kaplan stayed there long—soon he was dispatched to take control of the constantly failing Early Show, where he replaced the scary, tequila-swigging Shelley Ross. Ross left, but her "mean girl" staff remained. So far, Kaplan has not righted the sunk ship. Now we hear it's curtains for Kaplan. Or at least he's taking a suspicious two-week vacation during sweeps. The kind of vacation you don't come back from. Speculation from a leaky CBSer, below.

Word is that he's going on vacation next week for two weeks — DURING SWEEPS — this is a show that under Shelley Ross you couldn't take off even if you died — and that he won't be returning to the network after his vacation.

Yes — he has been pushed out of the Evening News and the Early Show.

Word is that a senior producer Shelley hired from Canada will be the next EP — but that could be a tough sell b/c well he has NO news experience. He was the EP of a program in Canada titled "Gay TV."

Things are still tough at the morning show — in fact a senior producer David Shenfeld — who has lost all his power to Laurye Blackford — in fact just didn't come to work starting last Sunday — just didn't bother to call or e-mail anyone. Apparently he was so fed up and frustrated he just decided to come to work. Really professional.

Btw — Rick is having a staff meeting on Friday — I'm sure no one over there will admit that he's leaving — but what a shame — he really tried to get the show to a better place after the Shelley debacle...and now he's being pushed out. You gotta wonder what the execs are really doing there except reading staffers' e-mails.