Jimmy Kimmel Criticizes CBS Over Scott Pelley’s Dismissal

Jimmy Kimmel spoke out against CBS News executives following the removal of Scott Pelley, a longtime correspondent on “60 Minutes.” During his “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” monologue, Kimmel accused CBS of penalizing Pelley for advocating for the program’s standards.

“Last night, the Trump supporters at CBS fired a great and 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 stated.

Pelley’s frustration came after several changes at “60 Minutes,” including the firing of Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega, and executive producer Tanya Simon. The new executive producer, Nick Bilton, took over the role after being appointed by CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss.

Kimmel alleged Pelley’s dissatisfaction stemmed from confrontations with Bilton during a staff meeting. Kimmel explained that Pelley addressed leadership changes, criticizing a decline in values.

“And that was it for Scott Pelley,” Kimmel remarked. “He said the collapse of values at the top has become untenable, and he let him have it in a staff meeting right to the new guy’s face.” The network subsequently fired Pelley.

Jimmy Kimmel also commented on President Donald Trump’s reaction to the firing. Trump criticized Pelley in an interview with Miranda Devine, referring to him as “terrible” and part of a “gang of stupid, crooked people.” Kimmel noted, “The president, of course, applauded this cowardly decision.”

Additionally, Kimmel joked about potential changes to “60 Minutes,” suggesting it could become akin to CBS’s new late-night lineup. “‘60 Minutes’ will be replaced by new episodes of ‘Reporters Unleashed,’” Kimmel quipped.

New executive producer Bilton defended the termination decision in a notice obtained by the Associated Press, stating Pelley “hijacked” his initial staff meeting with “remarkable incivility and contempt.” CBS News has not provided further comments.

In a statement post-dismissal, Pelley alleged “60 Minutes” had lost its essence under the new regime, accusing CBS of asking him to include falsehoods and bias in his reporting. He disputed any reconciling attempts, contrary to Weiss’s claims to the staff.