David Letterman criticizes ‘fools’ at CBS News, claims integrity is ‘destroyed’

Letterman Criticizes CBS News on His Podcast

David Letterman, the comedian and former host of “Late Show,” took aim at CBS News during his podcast on Friday, expressing his frustration with the network. He referred to the staff as “idiots” and claimed that CBS is in a state of disarray.

On “The Barbara Gaines Show,” Letterman expressed disbelief at the decline of CBS News, a longstanding presence in journalism. “What’s going on with the idiots at CBS?” he questioned. “CBS News is basically gone. It’s a shadow of its former self. This was a network that, well, let’s remember, Ed Murrow would have been reporting from the London Blitz for CBS Radio back in the day.”

He lamented that the foundational values of CBS News have suffered greatly. “I think the integrity that once defined CBS News has been trampled and, honestly, it’s pretty disgusting to see. People keep saying, ‘Oh, just wait for the midterm elections.’ But, you know, we’re impacting things long before that,” he remarked.

Bari Weiss, known for founding the Free Press, was recently appointed as the editor-in-chief of CBS News.

Letterman also discussed popular late-night hosts like Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers, and Stephen Colbert. He mentioned Kimmel’s short suspension over comments related to a murder suspect, praising him for standing up to network pressures. “Kimmel really made the network executives feel it,” he stated.

Continuing, Letterman remarked on the significance of these late-night platforms, expressing concern over the narrowing space for diverse opinions. He noted, “With news as it is, we’re losing venues for these critical voices. And as for Colbert, well, that’s heading south, too.”

Letterman argued that if a Democratic president were to act similarly to the current Republican one, Kimmel’s criticisms would still be directed at him, asserting that Kimmel’s motivations aren’t strictly political but rather stem from leadership failures.

Previously, in July, Letterman criticized CBS for its decision to cancel Colbert’s show, labeling that move as an act of “utter cowardice.” He voiced his discontent, saying, “They didn’t treat Stephen Colbert, the face of that network, with the respect he deserves.”