For whatever it's worth during Kirk Minihane's last podcast he said he'd heard from two different sources that there was a big meeting with Fred, Rich, the program director and some other important people about the status of the show. Rich refused to speak and at one point put his wife on speakerphone who stated that Rich considered the show an unsafe work environment and doesn't want to return to the show. And of course has called out sick the two days that Fred's been back.