>>> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. WELCOME TO THE SHOW.
I’M MEGYN KELLY.
HOPE YOU HAD A GREAT WEEKEND.
THERE WAS AN EARTHQUAKE IN THE
TELEVISION BUSINESS AT THE LAST
PART OF IT, LATE LAST NIGHT.
AS ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL
EXECUTIVES IN THIS BUSINESS
RESIGNED IN DISGRACE.
HERE TO DISCUSS IT IS STEPHANIE
GOSK AND JENNA BUSH HAGER AND
AMY HOLMES.
AMY HOLMES. WE’RE GOING TO START, TODAY,
WITH THE FALL OF LES MOONVES.
I DON’T KNOW IF MOST PEOPLE KNOW
WHO LES MOONVES IS.
HE RUNS CBS.
THE KING OF CBS.
AS HIGH AS YOU CAN GET ON CBS.
ABOUT SIX WEEKS AGO THERE WAS A
RONAN FARROW PIECE IN "THE
NEW YORKER" OF ACCUSATIONS OF
HARASSMENT.
HARASSMENT. THEY SAID THEY’RE GOING TO GET
OUTSIDE COUNSEL AND INVESTIGATE
IT.
IT. AND LAST NIGHT -- DID IT DROP
YESTERDAY OR SATURDAY?
>> SUNDAY.
>> SUNDAY. >> RONAN DROPS ANOTHER PIECE
WITH SIX MORE WOMEN.
AND THE ALLEGATIONS ARE
DISGUSTING.
DISGUSTING. THEY RANGE FROM FORCED ORAL SEX,
TO GROPING, TO HIM BEING PUT ON
A LIST AT THE MASSAGE THERAPIST
AT THE FOUR SEASONS.
ANNE THOMPSON HAS THE LATEST.
WE’RE GOING TO WATCH IT AND TALK
ABOUT IT.
ABOUT IT. >> Reporter: THIS MORNING, ONE
OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL RUNS IN
TELEVISION IS CANCELED,
EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY.
EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY. LES MOONVES OUT AT CBS.
HIS EXIT COMING AFTER NEW CLAIMS
OF SEXUAL ASSAULT WERE PUBLISHED
BY "THE NEW YORKER."
CBS NEWS WILL DONATE $20 MILLION
TO ORGANIZATIONS THAT SUPPORT
THE #METOO MOVEMENT AND EQUALITY
FOR WOMEN IN THE WORKPLACE.
THAT MONEY WILL BE DEDUCTED FROM
ANY SEVERANCE PACKAGE FOR THE
LONG
LONG LONG-TIME CHIEF EXECUTIVE.
HIS EXIT TRIGGERED AFTER SIX,
NEW WOMEN ON THE RECORD WITH
"THE NEW YORKER" SHARED A RANGE
OF ALLEGATIONS AGAINST MOONVES.
FROM FORCING ORAL SEX TO
EXPOSING HIMSELF.
EXPOSING HIMSELF. EVEN VIOLENCE AND RETALIATION.
TV EXECUTIVE PHYLLIS GOLDEN
GOTTLIEB SAID WHEN THEY WORKED
TOGETHER IN 1986, MOONVES FORCED
HER TO PERFORM ORAL SEX ON HIM.
SHE DIDN’T REPORT IT BECAUSE HE
WAS THE NEW GOLDEN BOY.
I JUST KEPT QUIET.
AFTER REJECTING ANOTHER ADVANCE,
HE GOT ANGRY AND THREW HER
AGAINST THE WALL.
LAST YEAR, SPURRED BY THE #METOO
MOVEMENT, SHE TOLD "THE
NEW YORKER" HE FILED
A CRIMINAL COMPLAINT AGAINST
MOONVES IN LOS ANGELES.
BUT THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS
HAD EXPIRED.
HAD EXPIRED. DEBORAH WAS A MASSAGE THERAPIST
IN THE LATE ’90s.
MOONVES WAS ONE OF HER CLIENTS.
BUT SHE SAYS HE WAS LOOKING FOR
MORE.
MORE. >> EVERY TIME I WENT THERE, I
WON’T SAY NO.
OR I WOULD PRETEND LIKE I DIDN’T
KNOW WHAT I DIDN’T KNOW WHAT HE
WAS TALKING ABOUT.
>> Reporter: IN A STATEMENT
AFTER HIS OUSTER,
MOONVES SAID, UNTRUE ALLEGATIONS
FROM DECADES AGO ARE BEING MADE
AGAINST ME THAT IS NO WHO I AM.
IN AN EARLIER STATEMENT TO
"THE NEW YORKER," THREE OF THE
ENCOUNTERS WERE CONSENSUAL, BUT
NOT WHICH ONES.
>> NOW, HE’S OUT.
THEY WERE DEBATING IF HE WAS
GOING TO GET A $100 MILLION
GOLDEN PARACHUTE, BASICALLY.
>> IT SEEMS IF RONAN FARROW IS
SAYING THAT PRECIPITATED THE
WOMEN TO GO FORWARD BECAUSE THEY
WERE HEARING HE WAS GOING TO GET
THE MONEY.
THE MONEY. >> AND I ALWAYS RESPECTED THAT
NO MEANS NO.
AND THEY ARE SAYING, WRONG, SIR.
HE DENIES THEIR CLAIMS.
THERE’S A DISPUTE AMONG THEM.
NOW, WE HAVE 12 ACCUSERS OF LES
MOONVES.
MOONVES. >> YOU CAN BET THERE’S PROBABLY
MORE.
MORE. AND READING ALL OF THIS, WE’RE
NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT SEXUAL
COERCION WHEN IT COMES TO SEXUAL
HARASSMENT IN THE WORKPLACE.
WHAT IS DESCRIBED IS MONTHLY,
PREDATORY AND CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR.
AND HERE HE WAS, AT THE HEAD OF
CBS.
CBS. ONE OF HIS ACCUSERS SAID SHE
CONTACTED THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT
TO TALK ABOUT, SHOULD I COME
FORWARD?
FORWARD? AND THEY SAID, WHO IS GOING TO
BELIEVE YOU?
BELIEVE YOU? >> THAT, DEBORAH MORRIS WAS HIS
ACCUSER.
ACCUSER. THAT WAS THE PART OF RONAN’S
ARTICLE THAT WAS GREAT THAT
CAUGHT MY EYE.
SHE CAME FORWARD TO TWO WOMEN IN
THE H.R. LEGAL DEPARTMENT AND
SAID, THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME.
AND THEY SAID, WHO WOULD BELIEVE
YOU?
YOU? AND THIS IS HAPPENING TO WOMEN
ACROSS OUR COUNTRY.
NOW THAT THESE WOMEN ARE STAYING
IN THEIR STORIES, EVEN THOUGH
THEY HAPPENED A LONG TIME AGO,
WHO WOULD BELIEVE YOU ARE NOT
WORDS THAT WILL BE UTTERED
ANYMORE.
ANYMORE. >> THAT’S RIGHT.
THINK ABOUT GOLDEN GOTTLIEB, THE
WOMAN WHO CLAIMS HE FORCED HER
TO PERFORM ORAL SEX AND WAS
VIOLENT WITH HER, THREW HER
AGAINST THE WALL.
SHE’S IN HER 80s.
>> ISN’T THAT AMAZING?
>> SHE GOES DOWN TO LAPD IN HER
EARLY 80s TO FILE A CRIMINAL
COMPLAINT.
COMPLAINT. THAT GENERATION, THEY LIVED IN A
WAY WHEN THEY TOOK IT ALL.
TO GET AN 80-YEAR-OLD WOMAN TO
FILE A CRIMINAL COMPLAINT,
IMAGINE HOW ANGRY SHE MUST HAVE
BEEN.
BEEN. SHE WAS INSPIRED BY THE #METOO
MOVEMENT AND WHAT SHE SAW.
IT IS ALL LIES ACCORDING TO HIM.
THE MASSAGE THERAPISTS WITH
LIES.
LIES. AND A FEMALE DOCTOR -- SHE SPOKE
OUT TO "VANITY FAIR" ABOUT AN
ENCOUNTER THEY HAD.
>> HE ADMITS.
>> HE ADMITS IT WAS BEING
SEXIST.
SEXIST. >> SHE SAID -- SHE SAYS -- SHE
WROTE AN ANONYMOUS PIECE SAYING
A VERY IMPORTANT MAN, A V.I.P.,
CAME INTO MY OFFICE THIS
MORNING.
MORNING. I WAS TOLD V.I.P.
AND HE STARTED PRESSING HIMSELF
UP AGAINST ME.
SHE’S DOING HIM A FAVOR OF
GIVING HIM AN EARLY MORNING
APARTMENT.
APARTMENT. HE STARTS PRESSING UP AGAINST
HER.
HER. SHE PUSHES HIM OFF AND HE
PLEASURED HIMSELF.
PLEASURED HIMSELF. HE SAID, I ADMIT I TRIED TO KISS
THAT DOCTOR.
THAT DOCTOR. THAT’S IT.
THAT’S IT. IT WAS IN A MEDICAL JOURNAL
WHERE SHE WROTE IT UP, WHAT IT’S
LIKE TO BE A PHYSICIAN IN THE
#METOO ERA.
#METOO ERA. SHE PUT A NOTE IN THE FILE
SAYING, BEWARE OF THIS GUY.
SAME THING THAT THE THERAPISTS
AT THE FOUR SEASONS SAY THEY HAD
TO DO.
TO DO. THIS GUY IS RUNNING A NEWS
ORGANIZATION.
ORGANIZATION. >> I’M THINKING, HOW CAN IT BE,
IN THIS DAY AND AGE, THERE’S
PEOPLE WITH THIS MEDIEVAL
ATTITUDE THAT’S LORD OF THE
MANNER?
MANNER? THEY GET TO EXPLOIT AND ASSAULT
AND HARASS WOMEN OF THE REALM.
I’M SORRY.
I’M SORRY. I THINK PEOPLE DID KNOW.
THEY DIDN’T CARE BECAUSE HE’S
MAKING THEM TOO MUCH MONEY.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> THAT’S THE QUESTION, RIGHT?
HE’S NOT JUST RUNNING CBS NEWS.
HE’S RUNNING ALL OF CBS.
CBS TELEVISION GROUP,
EVERYTHING.
EVERYTHING. AND KATIE COURIC CAME OUT AFTER
THE FIRST RONAN PIECE.
SHE WENT TO CBS AS THE EVENING
ANCHOR.
ANCHOR. SHE SAID, THAT PLACE FELT LIKE
AN OLD BOYS’ CLUB, WHERE
TALENTED WOMEN WERE UNDERVALUED
AND MARGINALIZED.
AND MARGINALIZED. AND PEOPLE ASKED FOR SO LONG,
AFTER CHARLIE ROSE FELL, HOW
COULD IT GO ON?
>> YOU THINK ABOUT IT AND THINK
ABOUT ALL OF THE STORIES THAT
HAVE COME OUT OF OUR INDUSTRY.
FOX NEWS.
FOX NEWS. ROGER AILES.
ROGER AILES. BILL O’REILLY.
BILL O’REILLY. YOU HAVE HERE AT NBC, WITH MATT
LAUER.
LAUER. YOU HAVE WHAT’S GONE ON AT CBS.
>> MARK HALPERIN WENT DOWN.
BUT HE DID HIS MISDEEDS AT NBC.
>> YOU SIT BACK AND WONDER IF
THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT THIS
PARTICULAR INDUSTRY.
PARTICULAR INDUSTRY. >> I THINK THERE IS.
>> THAT HAS FAST ROSTERED IT OR
PROTECTED IT OR CREATED THAT
CULTURE.
CULTURE. WE HAVE TO ASK, DID IT HAPPEN IN
OTHER INDUSTRIES THAT DON’T GET
AS MUCH ATTENTION AS OURS?
>> THAT’S IT.
WHERE THERE’S POWER, THIS
HAPPENS.
HAPPENS. I ALSO KNOW WE ALL KNOW, THAT
THERE ARE -- THIS IS HAPPENING
IN RESTAURANTS AND FACTORIES, ON
FARMS.
FARMS. AND THOSE WOMEN DON’T GET TO BE
ON THE COVER OF "THE
NEW YORKER."
NEW YORKER." [ APPLAUSE ]
IT IS HAPPENING.
>> THEY’RE ALL PART OF THE
MOVEMENT, TOO.
MOVEMENT, TOO. YOU HEAR STORIES OF, YOU KNOW, I
SAY THE WOMEN OF DENNY’S.
I’M JUST MAKING THAT UP.
>> YEAH.
>> YEAH. >> WHEN THE #METOO MOVEMENT
REACHES PLACES LIKE THAT, WE’RE
MAKING PROGRESS.
MAKING PROGRESS. AND YOU ARE HEARING MORE AND
MORE.
MORE. IT WAS A YEAR AGO.
I WENT ON ANDREA MITCHELL’S SHOW
TO TALK ABOUT -- THE HARVEY
WEINSTEIN THING JUST HAD BROKEN.
WE DIDN’T HAVE ANY NEWS PEOPLE
GO DOWN, EXCEPT FOR ROGER AILES.
THIS WAS IN OCTOBER OF LAST
YEAR.
YEAR. WATCH.
WATCH. >> IT ISN’T JUST FOX, EITHER.
YOU KNOW, I HOPE OUR INDUSTRY
LOOKS AT ITSELF AND DOES A
CLEANING OF HOUSE AND GETS
HONEST ABOUT ANYBODY IN THEIR
COMPANIES THEY HAD TO PAY OUT
REPEATED SETTLEMENTS FOR.
AT THIS POINT, IF THAT GETS
UNEARTHED, IF THERE IS AN
EXECUTIVE AT THE OTHER
COMPANIES, IT’S ON YOU.
>> YEAH.
>> YEAH. IT’S ON YOU.
IT’S ON CBS.
THEY OWE THE WOMEN OF THAT
COMPANY PROTECTION AND A SAFE
WORKING ENVIRONMENT.
WORKING ENVIRONMENT. A LOT OF THESE HAPPENED BEFORE
LES MOONVES GOT TO CBS.
BUT WHEN A CREDIBLE CLAIM IS
RAISED LIKE THAT.
A WOMAN HAD GONE TO THE COPS AND
THEY’RE TALKING ABOUT GIVING HIM
$100 MILLION PAYOFF, WHICH HE
MIGHT GET.
MIGHT GET. THE $100 MILLION HAS BEEN PLACED
ON HOLD WHILE THEY COMPLETE THE
INVESTIGATION.
INVESTIGATION. THESE COMPANIES OWE THE MALE AND
FEMALES EMPLOYEES BETTER.
THEY OWE THEM BETTER THAN TO
HAVE SOMEBODY LIKE THAT RUNNING
THEM.
THEM. >> THEY OWE THE NEXT GENERATION.
YOUR DAUGHTER, YOUR DAUGHTER,
YOUR DAUGHTERS.
YOUR DAUGHTERS. THEY OWE THE NEXT GENERATION OF
GIRLS A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN GO
AND WORK AND FEEL SAFE AND THEY
CAN RISE UP.
AND THEY DON’T NEED TO HEAR THE
WORDS, NOBODY WILL BELIEVE YOU.
>> AND ALSO, THEY DON’T HAVE TO
WAIT LIKE GOLDEN GOTTLIEB DID.
SHE WAS 80 YEARS OLD WHEN SHE
FINALLY GOT TO A SOCIETY THAT
SHE FELT WOULD LISTEN TO HER AND
LISTEN TO HER ALLEGATIONS.
>> IT’S IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT
THAT IN THE ALLEGATIONS WITH
MR. MOONVES, THESE ARE WOMEN
FROM ACROSS THE SPECTRUM IN THE
ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY.
ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY. FROM IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA TO
BEHIND THE CAMERA.
NO ONE WAS SAFE.
>> HE WAS ALLEGEDLY AN EQUAL