Key facts
- Jimmy Kimmel criticized CBS News executives for firing Scott Pelley.
- Kimmel accused CBS of punishing Pelley for defending journalistic standards.
- Kimmel called CBS executives 'Trump suck-ups' and cowardly.
- Pelley was fired after confronting new executive producer Nick Bilton and editor Bari Weiss.
- Kimmel suggested the firings were politically motivated.
Jimmy Kimmel strongly criticized CBS News executives on his show 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' following the firing of '60 Minutes' correspondent Scott Pelley. Kimmel accused the network of being 'Trump suck-ups' and cowardly for dismissing Pelley after he reportedly confronted new executive producer Nick Bilton and CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss during a staff meeting. Kimmel suggested Pelley was fired for defending the show's journalistic integrity and that the changes were politically motivated. He also mentioned the prior dismissals of correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega, and executive producer Tanya Simon. Kimmel referenced Donald Trump's positive reaction to Pelley's firing, calling Trump a 'son of a b----' for his comments. Bilton reportedly accused Pelley of an 'ambush' in a termination notice, while Pelley stated '60 Minutes' had 'lost its DNA' and accused CBS leaders of asking him to 'inject falsehoods and bias.' Weiss stated trust had been broken and CBS had tried to 'find a way back,' a claim Pelley disputed.