CBS Les Moonves Skewered on ‘The Daily Show’ for Cheering Donald Trump
Trump’s candidacy “may not be good for America, but it’s damn good for CBS,” Moonves said last month
Joan E. Solsman | March 23, 2016 @ 8:00 AM
Last Updated: March 23, 2016 @ 8:05 AM
CBS CEO and chairman Les Moonves got “The Daily Show” treatment, with host Trevor Noah criticizing the media mogul’s comments cheering Donald Trump for boosting advertising and viewership for the company’s networks.
Donald Trump’s candidacy “may not be good for America, but it’s damn good for CBS,” Moonves said last month at an investor and analyst conference in San Francisco.
Noah highlighted Moonves’ comments that “the money’s rolling in” as the Republican presidential candidates abandon discussion of issues for mudslinging. “The advertising reflects that…it’s a terrible thing to say, but ‘Bring it on, Donald.'”
Noah used the clip to critique American media outlets for putting news judgment on hold to chase the business boost from unnecessary Trump coverage in a segment Monday night.
“Why is it when people say, ‘This is a terrible thing to say,’ they don’t stop talking?” he said. “Whenever the media cover Donald Trump, they make a lot of money. It’s equally true whether they cover news events like debates or non-events that just contain the word Trump.”
Noah then showed a montage of news-network clips showing Trump arriving in cars and planes, and empty stages while waiting for Trump to appear.
CBS and Comedy Central’s parent company, Viacom, are both controlled by mogul Sumner Redstone’s National Amusements. Last month, Moonves was elected chairman of CBS after the 92-year-old Redstone stepped down from the position.
Super Tuesday: Watch 9 Key YouTube Clips for Trump, Clinton, Sanders and Cruz (Video)
The "Official Donald Trump Jam" spawned a viral hit you can't out of your head -- whether you like it or not. This clip of the "Freedom Girls" performance has more than 5 million views.
Hillary Clinton's official video announcing herself as a candidate for the first time has been watched 4.8 million times.
A tear-jerker montage of American families and workers is the Bernie Sanders campaign's most viewed clip, with 3.2 million views.
When Time picked Trump as its Person of the Year, they posed him with a bald eagle that rearranged Donald's "do" and staked a claim on his aspirin.
Without the name recognition of Clinton or Trump, one of Sanders most popular videos summarizes who he is him and why he's running in two minutes.
Ted Cruz took advantage of the holiday spirit to post a satirical story-time skit that has netted his official YouTube page 1.9 million views.
Get comfortable -- a 51-minute video officially launching Trump's campaign has been watched more than 1.8 million times. (How many people viewed the whole thing is something only YouTube parent Google knows.)
HBO talk host Bill Maher grilled Sanders on what socialism really means
Clinton joined Ellen DeGeneres in New York to talk about sexism, Kanye running for president and her granddaughter's first words.
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On the biggest day in the primary season, catch up on candidates’ key moments, including an eagle messing up Donald Trump’s hair and Hillary Clinton bonding with Ellen DeGeneres
The "Official Donald Trump Jam" spawned a viral hit you can't out of your head -- whether you like it or not. This clip of the "Freedom Girls" performance has more than 5 million views.
