Jimmy Kimmel Has Scathing Reaction to “60 Minutes” 'Cowardly' Firing Scott Pelley

Jimmy Kimmel Has Scathing Reaction to “60 Minutes” 'Cowardly' Firing Scott Pelley https://ift.tt/agf0eVv

The longtime correspondent was terminated on June 2 and later alleged that network leadership was prioritizing political bias

Jimmy Kimmel; Scott Pelley
Credit: Jimmy Kimmel Live/Youtube;Michele Crowe/CBS News via Getty

NEED TO KNOW

• Jimmy Kimmel is sharing his perspective on Scott Pelley's 60 Minutes firing
• Kimmel called out the "Trump suck-ups at CBS" who terminated the longtime correspondent during his Wednesday, June 3 episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!
• Kimmel called the move a "cowardly decision"

Jimmy Kimmel isn't biting his tongue over Scott Pelley's termination from 60 Minutes.

During his Wednesday, June 3 monologue, the Jimmy Kimmel Live! host called out executives at CBS over the recent headline-making shakeups at the newsmagazine — including the sudden firing of the longtime correspondent.

One day prior, 60 Minutes' new executive producer, Nick Bilton, shared the news of Pelley's firing in a termination letter obtained by PEOPLE, in which he accused Pelley of "ambush" and "misconduct" following a staff meeting. In response, Pelley alleged that the program’s executives were prioritizing political bias and attempting to curry favor with President Donald Trump.

"Last night, the Trump suck-ups at CBS fired a great and deeply respected journalist, Scott Pelley, from his job at 60 Minutes because he stood up for truth and integrity at a show that's been the gold standard for broadcast journalism for 57 years," Kimmel, 58, told his audience.

Kimmel added that "Pelley had enough after the clowns who now run that show in the CBS News division" parted ways with several of his colleagues, including Cecilia Vega and Sharyn Alfonsi. Former executive producer Tanya Simon was also terminated by CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss and CBS News president Tom Cibrowski, before being replaced by Bilton.

Scott Pelley for '60 Minutes'
Credit: Michele Crowe/CBS via Getty

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The late-night host explained to his audience that Pelley himself was later fired, joking that 60 Minutes would be replaced with Reporters Unleashed, a nod to CBS moving Comics Unleashed into the time slot formerly held by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

"The president, of course, applauded this cowardly decision," Kimmel said. "He said Scott Pelley is part of a gang of crooked, stupid people — different from the gang of crooked, stupid people he's a part of. And that should make for an interesting situation at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, which is apparently back on."

Jimmy Kimmel on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!'
Credit: Disney/Randy Holmes

In a statement following his firing, Pelley wrote that when "stewardship of the program passed to my colleagues and me, our responsibility was to expand energetically into a new age of media technology while preserving the values our audience expects."

"Now, the new owner of our network is casting this legend aside, apparently to curry a moment of favor with the Trump administration. The waste is heartbreaking," he continued.

The veteran 60 Minutes correspondent later accused Weiss of intentionally misleading the newsroom about the details of his dismissal. Weiss, who has faced criticism from some critics and CBS alumni for being too sympathetic to the White House, addressed the firing in a Wednesday, June 3 staff meeting, according to Variety and The New York Times. Per both outlets, she said she attempted to "engage with Scott Pelley and to find a way back," which Pelley has denied happening. In a statement to The New York Times on Wednesday, June 3, Pelley disputed Weiss’ recollection of events and said he was “saddened to see the transcript of the CBS News morning editorial meeting.”

Following Pelley’s departure, just three full-time 60 Minutes correspondents remain: Lesley Stahl, Bill Whitaker and L. Jon Wertheim.

Jimmy Kimmel Live! airs weeknights at 11:35 p.m. ET on ABC.