NEW YORK (AP) — Stephen Colbert is laying claim to the $120 million in severance that CBS’ board of directors said wouldn’t be paid to ousted former CEO Leslie Moonves — at least half of it.
The late-night host joked, “the other half goes to Tom Selleck’s mustache.”
Colbert didn’t avoid his network’s big news in Tuesday-night’s monologue. Like many at CBS, Colbert owes his job to Moonves, who was forced out due to sexual misconduct allegations. CBS is denying him severance after an investigation backed up many of the charges and accused Moonves of trying to thwart the probe. Moonves has said the relationships he was involved in were consensual and denied misleading investigators.
Colbert jokingly wondered how Moonves thought he could get away with blocking a probe, given the network’s penchant for crime procedurals.
“Every show he’s greenlit for the last 20 years was about investigations,” he said.
Colbert wondered what future job might be available to a famous TV billionaire with sexual assault allegations. He paused, obviously thinking of President Donald Trump.
“He’d still be better,” he said.