Talk About Falling on the Grenade (Updated)

Update: As expected Pelley was fired

It was supposed to be a standard, run-of-the-mill introductory meeting for the new boss at "60 Minutes," but it quickly turned into an absolute bloodbath.

Longtime correspondent Scott Pelley did not hold back when he went toe-to-toe with newly installed executive producer Nick Bilton on Monday morning. The corporate suits at CBS News wanted a smooth transition after last week’s "Black Thursday" purge—which saw the firings of EP Tanya Simon and top-tier correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega—but Pelley had other plans.

With his famous newscaster's baritone reportedly shaking with anger, Pelley interrupted Bilton's opening remarks to completely dismantle the new regime being pushed by CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss. Pelley didn't just question the new direction of television's most prestigious newsmagazine; he went directly after the qualifications of the people running it.

Pelley openly grilled Bilton about his lack of traditional broadcast news or managerial experience, bluntly telling the former tech reporter that his qualifications for the job were "slender" and warning him that he would "never be welcome here."

When Bilton tried to play peacemaker and defend the big boss, telling the room that "Bari loves this institution" and "she loves '60 Minutes,'" Pelley cut him off immediately with a line that is now echoing through every newsroom in America.

"She’s murdering '60 Minutes,'" Pelley fired back. "She does not love this place. She was brought in to kill it—and she’s doing exactly that."

Bilton tried to stand his ground, attempting to shut down format rumors and making it clear to the veteran journalist that he wasn't going to back down. Bilton drew a line in the sand, firing back with, "I have been a journalist for 25 years, Scott. I have sat and talked with incredibly powerful people like you have. None of it intimidates me, OK? So you are not going to intimidate me in front of this group of people."

Managing Editor Charles Forelle chimed in to defend the management team, scolding Pelley for being rude and unprofessional. But Pelley countered right back, pointing out that the network was the one being rude by how it cruelly discarded longtime veterans like Tanya Simon.

While the suits inside the executive suites were left reeling, the rest of the "60 Minutes" staff made it very clear whose side they were on. Sources say Pelley’s fierce defense of the broadcast was met with roaring applause and a standing ovation from the staffers in the room.

Management claims they tried to reach out to Pelley last week to assure him he is an integral part of the broadcast's future, but after an explosive confrontation like this, everyone in TV news is asking the same question: How much longer will Scott Pelley stay at CBS?

Stay tuned.