LoLo informs me this morning that CNBC had a meeting, and it went something like this:

Maria Bartiromo: I am CNBC.

Charlie Gasparino: I am CNBC.

Dylan Ratigan: I am CNBC.

Donny Deutsch: I am – (there is some clearing of throats, some rustling of papers, then he is cut off by the sound of someone alerting security and a guy arriving with a cardboard box)

From Portfolio:

Officially, the show’s not canceled, just on hold until a moment more favorable to its message — the theory being that “Anyone can start a Fortune 500 company” isn’t so credible in this economy. But the ratings haven’t been so hot: The Big Idea is down year-over-year — and this at a time when the network is generating record ratings…

We discussed CNBC’s record ratings and cost-cutting earlier this week, and this is apparently one of the changes being made to streamline the network. As Jason posted this morning, Don will have a lot of company in the unemployment line. Portfolio goes on to say it’s OK, he should be used to it:

But if Deutsch is feeling bummed about losing his show, reading some of his own prose might perk him up — particularly this nugget from page 116: “The biggest lesson I’ve learned over the years is that you have to make failure your friend.”