There are reports that David Shuster taped a pilot for a new CNN program

It appears Shuster may be in the MSNBC doghouse again after reports he shot a CNN pilot recently, which apparently happened without his MSNBC bosses knowing.

On Friday Shuster didn’t host his 3:00 show, but did host the 10am show, highlighting that this story does have some legs. Today we find out Shuster won’t be hosting either show:

MSNBC bad boy David Shuster may be on his third strike.

Shuster won’t be on the air today for his 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. shows, according to MSNBC insiders. Whether he returns before his contract expires in December is up for debate.

Shuster’s last appearance was at 10 a.m. Friday. MSNBC boss Phil Griffin pulled him from his 3 p.m. gig after learning, via The New York Observer, that the anchor had recently shot a pilot for CNN without having informed his bosses.

And as the article reminds us, Shuster has been a constant scapegoat for MSNBC:

In February 2008, Shuster was suspended for two weeks and forced to apologize after a tasteless on-air crack about Chelsea Clinton‘s presidential politicking for her mother, then-Sen. Hillary Clinton.

Most recently, in January, MSNBC ordered Shuster to stop tweeting after his Twitter attack on conservative video producer James O’Keefe.

What Shuster said about Chelsea Clinton was inappropriate, but it was right up there with things Chris Matthews said, and Matthews just issued a half-assed apology. And that wasn’t the last time Matthews put his foot in his mouth. As matter of fact he seems to do it more than not, and yet he remains hosting his lowest rated show and doesn’t even have to apologize half the time.

Then the tweeting incident. It’s funny how Joe Scarborough can attack a co-worker and the host of MSNBC’s highest rated show, Keith Olbermann, on Twitter and nothing happens.

I really like David Shuster and actually hope he tells MSNBC to shove it. They don’t deserve a young talent like him. Instead he should move on to CNN and maybe help them get out of their ratings slump. It sounds like CNN has also realized the talent behind Shuster by trying him out for his own show.

So go for it David. Tell MSNBC to take a hike with their double standards and move on. Hell at least you won’t have to worry about getting bumped for things like Lock Up or the Olympics.