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Season 9 ofThe Talkpremiered on Monday, but without one of its regular faces: Julie Chen.
“I will be back soon and will see you Thursday night onBig Brother,” continued Chen, who also hostsBig Brother.
“It’s a bittersweet day for us. … We’re about to talk about something that affects everybody’s lives here at CBS,” co-host Sharon Osbourne said on the show, according toThe Hollywood Reporter. “And I’ve never been nervous in my life, but I’m kind of very nervous right now. As you all know, Julie’s husband is in the news and she’s taking off time to be with her family.”
The co-host’s absence comes one day after CBS announced Sunday that Chen’s husband, CBS Chairman andCEO Les Moonves, was out at the networkfollowing multiple allegations ofsexual misconduct. They have been married since 2004 and share one son together, 8-year-old Charlie.
CBS and Moonves, 68, “will donate $20 million to one or more organizations that support the #MeToo movement and equality for women in the workplace,” CBS said, adding that the donation will be made immediately.
“Moonves will not receive any severance benefits at this time (other than certain fully accrued and vested compensation and benefits),” the network said, explaining that any future payments are contingent upon investigations into the allegations against Moonves and the board’s approval.
“For the past 24 years it has been an incredible privilege to lead CBS’s renaissance and transformation into a leading global media company. The best part of this journey has been working alongside the dedicated and talented people in this company. Together, we built CBS into a destination where the best in the business come to work and succeed,” hesaid in a statementtoVariety. “Untrue allegations from decades ago are now being made against me that are not consistent with who I am. Effective immediately I will no longer be Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of CBS. I am deeply saddened to be leaving the company. I wish nothing but the best for the organization, the newly comprised board of directors and all of its employees.”
InFarrow’s first piece on Moonves, published July 27, six women — including actress Illeana Douglas and writer Janet Jones — who professionally dealt with Moonves between the 1980s and late aughts accused him of sexual misconduct.
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In a statement toThe New Yorkerin July, Moonves admitted to acting inappropriately in the past.
Chendefended her husbandon Twitter following the first round of allegations in July.
“I have known my husband, Leslie Moonves, since the late ’90s, and I have been married to him for almost 14 years. Leslie is a good man and a loving father, devoted husband and inspiring corporate leader,” she tweeted.
source: people.com
