CBS late-night host Stephen Colbert roasted his network’s corporate bosses on Tuesday night over concerns that they could be breaking anti-bribery laws by looking to settle a meritless lawsuit with Donald Trump to get his administration’s approval for a merger.
The Late Show star even did an actual spit-take after pointing out that Paramount is looking to pay the president what he called a $50 million “bribe” as the company looks to complete a multi-billion-dollar deal with Skydance Media.
Earlier this week, CBS News chief Wendy McMahon was forced out amid tensions over Paramount’s settlement talks with Trump, who is suing the network for $20 billion over a 60 Minutes interview with Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris last fall. The president claims that CBS News engaged in election interference by deceitfully editing the interview to make Harris look better.
While the network has called Trump’s allegations “completely without merit,” legal experts have said the lawsuit is baseless and Paramount’s legal team has pushed for the case to be tossed out of court, Paramount's chief shareholder Shari Redstone has urged the company to settle with the president.
With Paramount in the final stages of an $8 billion merger with Skydance, the deal needs the FCC’s approval to go through due to the CBS broadcast licenses. Brendan Carr, the Trump loyalist who chairs the FCC, has made it clear that the Trump lawsuit will be a deciding factor in “the context of the FCC review” of the merger.
Following the resignations of McMahon and 60 Minutes executive producer Bill Owens, who both said they would not apologize for the Harris interview as part of any settlement, a group of Democratic senators sent Redstone a letter this week warning her that Paramount may be guilty of bribery if it settles with Trump.
“Under the federal bribery statute, it is illegal to corruptly give anything of value to public officials to influence an official act,” the letter stated. “If Paramount officials make these concessions in a quid pro quo arrangement to influence President Trump or other Administration officials, they may be breaking the law.”
During his opening monologue on Tuesday night, Colbert referenced the lawmakers’ probe while trolling the executives at Paramount over the amount they are reportedly looking to pay Trump.
“At first, CBS said they’d fight this frivolous lawsuit,” he noted. “But here’s the rub: Paramount is in the process of being sold, right now, and they need the Trump administration’s FCC to approve transferring the CBS broadcast license to the new owners, which, for vague reasons, they just haven’t done yet.”
He then brought up CNN anchor Jake Tapper’s recent report that Paramount “could settle with President Trump for as much as $30-50 million,” prompting Colbert to reach off stage and grab a cup of water.
“30 to 50 million dollars,” he exclaimed after dramatically spitting water all over the place. “Holy bazingas!”
The comic went on to say that because it was “so shady” to just hand over a pile of cash to the president in order to get a broadcast license approved, Sens. Bernie Sanders, Ron Wyden and Elizabeth Warren sent an inquiry to Redstone about the legality of the move.
Launching fully into faux outrage mode, Colbert mockingly defended his Paramount bosses – before letting them know it would come at a price.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I am a proud company man. I love who I work for, and I will stand up against these scurrilous accusations that Paramount is engaged in corporate and political malfeasance,” he proclaimed before turning to the camera and adding: “For the low price of $50 million.”
At the same time, though, he let the president know that his loyalty was for sale if he could top Paramount’s bid.
“I’m joking, obviously. Satire, etc. I would never take a bribe from CBS,” he declared before again turning to the camera to exclaim: “If Donald Trump outbids them! Because, Mr. President, I am willing to testify on your side in this lawsuit for 50 million and one dollars.”
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