Les Moonves

Leslie Roy Moonves{{cite news |title=CBS CEO Les Moonves Walks Out After A Settlement Agreement |url=https://www.valuewalk.com/2018/09/cbsv-leslie-roy-moonvesv/ |access-date=January 4, 2019 |work=Valuewalk.com |date=September 12, 2018}} was born in Brooklyn, New York City to a Jewish family,{{cite web|url=https://money.cnn.com/2006/04/07/magazines/fortune/cbs_f500_fortune_041706/index.htm|website=CNN Money|title=Leslie Moonves's Role of a Lifetime. The former actor excels at spotting talent and picking shows. Now he has to sell Wall Street on CBS stock.|first=Devin|last=Leonard|date=April 10, 2006|quote=Moonves joked afterward, 'You know, this is my tenth time playing Carnegie Hall. I believe that is a new record for a Jew without an instrument.'}}{{cite web|url=http://business.financialpost.com/fp-comment/lawrence-solomon-the-jewish-press-and-israel |website=Financial Post|title=Lawrence Solomon: The Jewish press and Israel|first=Lawrence |last=Solomon|date=November 30, 2012}} the son of Josephine (Schleifer) and Herman Moonves,{{cite web|url=https://www.scribd.com/doc/98514394/Biography%7ctitle=Biography%7cwork=scribd.com|title=Biography|work=Scribd}}{{cite book|url=http://docs.lib.purdue.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1003&context=purduepress_previews|first=Vincent|last=Brook|title=From Shtetl to Stardom: Jews and Hollywood: Chapter 1: Still an Empire of Their Own: How Jews Remain Atop a Reinvented Hollywood|pages=15 |publisher=Purdue University Press|location=West Lafeyette, Indiana}} and grew up in Valley Stream, New York. His mother was a nurse.{{cite magazine|first=Mike|last=Barnes|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/josephine-moonves-dead-leslie-moonves-912094|magazine=The Hollywood Reporter|title=Josephine Moonves, Mother of CBS' Leslie Moonves, Dies at 92|date=July 18, 2016}} He has one sister, Melissa Moonves Colon, and two brothers, including entertainment attorney Jonathan Moonves. He attended Valley Stream Central High School and went to Bucknell University, graduating in 1971.[http://www.bucknell.edu/news-and-media/2016/may/leslie-moonves-71-to-receive-honorary-degree-at-commencement.html Leslie Moonves '71 to Receive Honorary Degree at Commencement] from the Bucknell University website In his sophomore year, he decided that his science courses were unfulfilling and switched his major from pre-medical to the Spanish language (a subject he found vastly more enjoyable) and acted in a few plays; following graduation in 1971 he moved to Manhattan to pursue an acting career where he eventually graduated from the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre. He landed a few parts, playing tough guys on Cannon and The Six Million Dollar Man,{{IMDb name|id=0600800}}{{Unreliable source?|date=April 2019}} which he described as "forgettable" TV roles before deciding on the career change. He also worked as one of casting director Caro Jones' first office assistants early in her career.{{Cite news|first=Mike |last=Barnes |title=Casting director Caro Jones dies |url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/television/news/e3ia3f2289d03ed2216bd37db0541b79990 |work=The Hollywood Reporter |date=September 10, 2009|access-date=September 20, 2009|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090918002303/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/television/news/e3ia3f2289d03ed2216bd37db0541b79990 |archive-date=September 18, 2009}}

Moonves was in charge of first-run syndication and pay/cable programming at 20th Century Fox Television. Also at 20th Century Fox Television, he was vice president of movies and mini-series. Other positions included vice president of development at Saul Ilson Productions (in association with Columbia Pictures Television) and development executive for Catalina Productions.{{Cite web|url= http://www.cbscorporation.com/our_company/executives/index.php?id=61|title= Biography from CBS Corporation website|url-status= dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080226063406/http://www.cbscorporation.com/our_company/executives/index.php?id=61|archive-date=February 26, 2008}}

Moonves joined Lorimar Television in 1985 as executive in charge of its movies and mini-series, and in 1988, became head of creative affairs. From 1990 to 1993, he was president at Lorimar.{{cite news| url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-10-11-fi-2655-story.html|title= Moonves Takes Over Helm of Lorimar|first=John|last=Lippman|newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date =October 11, 1990}} In July 1993, he became president/CEO of Warner Bros. Television, when Warner Bros. and Lorimar Television combined operations. In this phase of his career, he green-lighted the shows Friends and ER, among many others.[https://money.cnn.com/2006/04/07/magazines/fortune/cbs_f500_fortune_041706/index.htm Leslie Moonves's Role of a Lifetime] Money via CNN.com. Retrieved April 10, 2006.

He joined CBS in July 1995 as President of CBS Entertainment.{{cite news |first=Bill |last=Carter |title= CBS Fills President's Post At Entertainment Division |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/08/18/business/the-media-business-cbs-fills-president-s-post-at-entertainment-division.html |quote=CBS named Nancy Tellem president of the network's entertainment division yesterday, the position vacated in April by her longtime associate, Leslie Moonves, who is now the chief executive of CBS Television. |newspaper=The New York Times |date=August 18, 1998 |access-date=August 22, 2012}} From April 1998 until 2003, he was president and chief executive officer at CBS, then was promoted to chairman and CEO of CBS in 2003. CBS had six of the ten most-watched primetime shows in the final quarter of 2005: CSI, Without a Trace, CSI: Miami, Survivor: Guatemala, NCIS, and Cold Case.

In February 2005, Moonves was identified as the executive directly responsible for ordering the cancellation of UPN's Star Trek: Enterprise and the ending of the 18-year revival of the Star Trek television franchise.{{Cite web|url= http://www.trektoday.com/news/020205_04.shtml|title= UPN Cancels 'Star Trek: Enterprise'|publisher= Trektoday.com|date= February 2, 2005|access-date= November 21, 2007}} In January 2006, Moonves helped make the deal that brought together the CBS-owned United Paramount Network (UPN) with The WB Television Network to form The CW Television Network that fall.

Moonves was the second most highly-paid executive for 2012 and 2013: he received $58.8 million{{cite web|url=http://www.capital.fr/carriere-management/actualites/les-grands-patrons-de-mieux-en-mieux-payes-aux-etats-unis-843619|title=Les grands patrons de mieux en mieux payés aux Etats-Unis|author=Prisma Media|date=May 16, 2013|work=Capital.fr}} and $65.4 million.{{cite web|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/ceo-compensation-histogram-chart-2014-5|title=CEO Compensation Histogram Chart — Business Insider|date=May 28, 2014|work=Business Insider}} He is considered the second-highest paid CEO, having been paid $68.4 million in 2017.{{cite news |title=CBS investigating sexual misconduct claims against CEO Les Moonves |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/cbs-moonves-sexual-misconduct-1.4765291 |access-date=July 28, 2018 |work=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation |agency=The Associated Press |date=July 27, 2018 |quote=Moonves was the No. 2 highest paid CEO of a major public company in 2017, according to an analysis by The Associated Press and Equilar, an executive data firm. He made $68.4 million US last year}}

In 2013, Moonves was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame.{{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.com/awards/hall-of-fame-honorees|title=Television Hall of Fame Honorees: Complete List}} He became chairman of CBS in February 2016.

Of the tone of the 2016 Republican presidential campaign, and the advertising dollars it delivered, Moonves said, "It may not be good for America, but it's damn good for CBS ... Man, who would have expected the ride we're all having right now? ... The money's rolling in and this is fun ... I've never seen anything like this, and this [is] going to be a very good year for us. Sorry. It's a terrible thing to say. But, bring it on, Donald. Keep going."{{cite news |last=Collins |first=Eliza |title=Les Moonves: Trump's run is 'damn good for CBS' |url=https://www.politico.com/blogs/on-media/2016/02/les-moonves-trump-cbs-220001 |date=February 29, 2016 |work=Politico |access-date=August 15, 2020 }} He added, "Donald's place in this election is a good thing."{{cite web|last1=Bond|first1=Paul|title=Leslie Moonves on Donald Trump: "It May Not Be Good for America, but It's Damn Good for CBS"|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/leslie-moonves-donald-trump-may-871464|work=The Hollywood Reporter|access-date=March 17, 2016|date=February 29, 2016|quote=he likes the ad money Trump and his competitors are bringing to the network. "It may not be good for America, but it's damn good for CBS," he said of the presidential race.}}

Moonves was also open to acquiring smaller film production companies to expand the company's CBS Films division.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mesalliance.org/2016/09/16/cbs-ceo-companys-open-to-acquiring-small-film-production-companies-mesa/|title=CBS CEO: Company's Open to Acquiring Small Film Production Companies (MESA)|date=September 16, 2016}} At the end of July 2017, Moonves was a part of a first-look television production deal between CBS and Imagine Entertainment, a feature film, television programming and documentary production company run by filmmaker Ron Howard and film producer Brian Grazer.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2017/07/cbs-corp-imagine-television-partner-co-finance-co-produce-tv-digital-programming-1202139062/|title=Imagine Enters Co-Financing First-Look Deal With CBS Corp. For TV Programming|website=Deadline|date=July 31, 2017|accessdate=February 13, 2020|first=Nellie|last=Andreeva}}

In September 2018, following allegations of sexual assault, it was reported that CBS was negotiating a $100 million exit package for Moonves and that CBS Chief Operating Officer Joe Ianniello would be his interim replacement.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/09/06/cbs-board-in-negotiations-for-ceo-moonves-exit-from-the-company-sources.html|title=CBS board offering CEO Moonves $100 million in stock as exit package: Sources|last=Faber|first=David|website=CNBC|date=September 6, 2018|access-date=September 7, 2018}} On September 9, 2018, CBS Corporation announced he had resigned and Joe Iannello would become interim CEO.{{Cite news|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/leslie-moonves-departs-cbs-ceo-chairman-financial-package-withheld-pending-investigation/|title=Leslie Moonves departs as chief of CBS, financial package to be withheld pending investigation|work=CBS News|access-date=September 10, 2018|language=en}} Moonves and CBS will donate $20 million to the #MeToo movement, money that will be deducted from any severance benefits Moonves may be owed, the company said. The donation to charities promoting women's equality in the workplace would come upon the conclusion of an independent investigation into the allegations, according to the statement.{{cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/cbs-les-moonves-out_us_5b5b4455e4b0de86f496be08|title=Les Moonves Leaves CBS, Will Make $20 Million Donation To Me Too Movement|date=September 9, 2018|access-date=September 11, 2018}} In May 2021, Moonves dropped his claim for $120 million in severance pay, which reverted to ViacomCBS (the result of the 2019 merger of CBS Corporation and the second Viacom, later Paramount Global in 2022), and law firm Covington & Burling paid an undisclosed settlement fee to Moonves.{{cite web |date=May 14, 2021 |last=Sherman |first=Alex |title=Former CBS CEO Les Moonves drops legal pursuit to get $120 million in severance pay |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2021/05/14/moonves-drops-legal-pursuit-to-recoup-120-million-cbs-severance-package.html |website=CNBC }}

Following his firing from CBS due to sexual harassment, Moonves was revealed to have been obsessed with ruining R&B singer-songwriter Janet Jackson's career. His actions had followed the February 1, 2004, Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy, also known as Nipplegate. Jackson's right breast, adorned with a pierced nipple shield (with a silver sun), had been exposed by ex-NSYNC member, vocalist Justin Timberlake, for 9/16ths of a second.{{cite web|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/les-moonves-janet-jackson-career_n_5b919b8ce4b0511db3e0a269|title=Exclusive: Les Moonves Was Obsessed With Ruining Janet Jackson’s Career, Sources Say|website=The Huffington Post|date=November 6, 2018|accessdate=December 11, 2021|first=Yashar|last=Ali|time=10:08pm EDT}}

The brief exposure became, what was at the time, the most rewatched moment in the history of TiVo.{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/ptech/02/03/television.tivo.reut/index.html|title=CNN|date=February 3, 2004|access-date=March 4, 2022|archive-date=January 25, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100125051747/http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/ptech/02/03/television.tivo.reut/index.html|url-status=live}}

According to the documentary Malfunction: The Dressing Down of Janet Jackson, Moonves wanted an apology from both Jackson and Timberlake. Moonves deemed Jackson's apology as "insufficient" and implemented a blacklist of her music and music videos on MTV, VH1 and Infinity Broadcasting radio stations, all of which were owned by the original incarnation of Viacom at the time. MTV also had produced the halftime show, and it was permanently disallowed from producing future halftime shows as a consequence.{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/janet-jackson-doc-malfunction-super-bowl-controversy-1235000791/|title=Janet Jackson Doc 'Malfunction' Explores Blacklisting Claims, Les Moonves Involvement in Super Bowl Controversy|website=Billboard.com|date=November 20, 2021|first=Abbey|last=White}} Jackson had been scheduled to attend the 46th Annual Grammy Awards where she was to perform a tribute to Luther Vandross, after collaborating with him on the #1 single "The Best Things in Life Are Free", which was created for the soundtrack to the 1992 film Mo' Money. She, along with Timberlake, however, were disinvited from attending{{cite web |last1=Kaplan |first1=Don |title=DUO CAUGHT IN BOOBY TRAP – JUSTIN AND JANET FACE GRAMMY BAN |url=https://nypost.com/2004/02/03/duo-caught-in-booby-trap-justin-and-janet-face-grammy-ban/ |website=NYPost |access-date=February 3, 2004}} unless they released on-air apologies for the "Nipplegate" incident.{{cite web |title=Timberlake apologizes for revealing Super Bowl |url=https://www.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/Music/02/08/timberlake.jackson/index.html |website=CNN |access-date=February 8, 2004}} Only Timberlake went to the ceremony after having approached Moonves in person at CBS's Los Angeles offices,{{cite web|url=https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/tv/a38308619/malfunction-dressing-down-janet-jackson-true-story/|title="Malfunction" Reveals New Information about Janet Jackson's Infamous Superbowl Halftime Performance|website=Esquire|first=Abigail|last=Covington|date=November 20, 2021|accessdate=December 11, 2021}} where he tearfully apologized to him.{{cite web|url=https://www.ibtimes.com/les-moonves-boycotted-janet-jackson-after-2004-super-bowl-wardrobe-malfunction-2714719|title=Les Moonves Boycotted Janet Jackson After 2004 Super Bowl Wardrobe Malfunction|website=International Business Times|first=Pritha|last=Paul|date=September 7, 2018}} The Vandross tribute was instead performed by Celine Dion, Alicia Keys and Richard Marx.{{cite web |last1=Aquilante |first1=Dan |title=GRAMMYS HIT ALL THE WRONG NOTES |url=https://nypost.com/2004/02/09/grammys-hit-all-the-wrong-notes/ |website=NYPost |access-date=February 9, 2004}} CBS was fined $27,500 for the incident.{{cite web|url=https://money.cnn.com/2004/09/22/news/fortune500/viacom_fcc/|title=CBS hit with $550K Super Bowl fine|website=CNN Money|date=September 22, 2004|time=2:35PM EDT}} In June 2006, that amount later was later increased to $325,000 by the Federal Communications Commission.{{cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/congress-ups-tv-indecency-fines//|title=Broadcast Indecency Fines Increased by the Federal Communications Comm.|website=cbsnews.com|date=June 7, 2006|time=7:26PM|accessdate=December 11, 2021}}) Moonves allegedly asked fellow CBS executives if the corporation could compel Jackson to pay the FCC fines following the investigation of the halftime show incident by Congress.

Moonves's anger at Jackson over the occurrence continued well into 2011, when Jackson signed a book deal with publisher Simon & Schuster, owned by CBS Corporation, for the self-help book True You: A Journey to Finding and Loving Yourself. "How the f*** did she slip through?," he reportedly inquired. Moonves also said, according to one source, that "...heads were going to roll," as a result of the settlement to which Jackson had agreed.

In February 2006, Moonves led CBS to file a $500 million lawsuit against Howard Stern for allegedly breaching his contract by failing to disclose the details of his deal with Sirius Satellite Radio while still employed by Infinity Broadcasting. Stern vowed to fight the suit, and said on his radio program that Moonves and CBS were trying to "bully" him and his agent, Don Buchwald. Stern later appeared on CBS's own Late Show with David Letterman, wearing a shirt mocking Moonves and his wife. In June 2006, Stern announced that the lawsuit had been settled. As part of the settlement, Sirius acquired the exclusive rights to all of the WXRK tapes (over two decades' worth of shows) for $2 million.{{cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/stern-gets-old-tapes-cbs-gets-2m/|title=Stern Gets Old Tapes, CBS Gets $2M|website=CBS News|date=May 25, 2006|accessdate=January 25, 2023}}

Moonves was on the board of ZeniMax Media from its foundation in 1999 until 2021, alongside his friend and ZeniMax president Ernest Del.{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/09/24/arts/kick-starting-kapow-tv-series-cbs-broke-all-rules-fling-action-show-young-men.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm | work=The New York Times | first=James | last=Sterngold | title=Kick-Starting (Kapow!) a TV Series; CBS Broke All the Rules to Fling an Action Show at Young Men | date=September 24, 1998}} Moonves's personal investment{{cite web|url=https://venturebeat.com/2008/05/30/zenimax-media-raises-99-million-from-some-big-names/|title=ZeniMax Media raises $9.9 million from some big names|first=Dean|last=Takahashi|work=Venture Beat|date=May 30, 2008}} in the company has been noted, as well as his appearances at several launch parties, including for Bethesda Softworks' Fallout 3, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, and Rage.{{cite web|url=http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/rRCFcwbE50Z/Rage+Video+Game+Launch/reua5-El2QE/Leslie+Moonves|title=Leslie Moonves Pictures — "Rage" Video Game Launch|work=Zimbio}}

{{See also|Weinstein effect}}

Moonves voiced support for the #MeToo movement against sexual harassment in the workplace,{{cite news |first1=Jayme|last1=Deerwester |first2=Andrea|last2=Mandell |title=Leslie Moonves accused of sexually harassing six women in New Yorker piece |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/tv/2018/07/27/cbs-chief-les-moonves-ronan-farrow-sexual-misconduct-allegations/849596002/ |access-date=July 28, 2018 |work=USA Today |date=July 27, 2018 |quote=A public proponent of the #MeToo movement, Moonves}}{{cite news |first= Eric |last= Lutz |title=CBS exec Les Moonves accused of sexual misconduct in latest Ronan Farrow bombshell |url= https://mic.com/articles/190488/cbs-exec-les-moonves-accused-of-sexual-misconduct-in-latest-ronan-farrow-bombshell#.W5NeXvR5A |access-date=July 28, 2018 |work=Mic |date=July 28, 2018 |quote=Moonves has also been a vocal supporter of the #MeToo movement}} even describing it as a "watershed moment" during a November 2017 press conference,{{cite web|url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/08/06/les-moonves-and-cbs-face-allegations-of-sexual-misconduct|title=Les Moonves and CBS Face Allegations of Sexual Misconduct|date=July 27, 2018|access-date=September 11, 2018}} and was a founding member of the Commission on Sexual Harassment and Advancing Equality in the Workplace, formed in late 2017 to "tackle the broad culture of abuse and power disparity".{{cite news |last1=Wattles |first1=Jackie |title=Hollywood execs name Anita Hill to lead anti-harassment effort |url=https://money.cnn.com/2017/12/16/media/anita-hill-hollywood-commission-for-eliminating-sexual-harassment/index.html |access-date=July 30, 2018 |work=CNNMoney |publisher=Cable News Network |date=December 16, 2017 |quote=Among the list of the commission's members are:... -- Les Moonves, chairman/CEO of CBS Corp}}{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/15/movies/anita-hill-hollywood-commission-sexual-harassment.html|title=Anita Hill to Lead Hollywood Commission on Sexual Harassment| first=Cara |last= Buckley|date=December 15, 2017|work= The New York Times |access-date=July 28, 2018}} In January 2018, CBS Cares released public service announcements concerning how to combat sexual harassment.{{cite web|url=https://www.cbs.com/cbs_cares/topic/sexual-harassment/video/lgOSy1qaTG2Ghr565HOJgKHZH9TXBqr_/ThatsHarassment-The-Boss/ |title=Watch CBS Cares: #ThatsHarassment: The Boss - Full show on CBS All Access |website= CBS.com |access-date=September 11, 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.msn.com/en-gb/video/other/cbs-cares-recognizing-sexual-harassment/vp-BBHVmOC|title=CBS Cares - Recognizing Sexual Harassment |website= msn.com|access-date=September 11, 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.cbs.com/cbs_cares/topic/sexual-harassment/video/quwWDPqKYDxNSl7nIyMP_M4hXfZ25KAs/-thatsharassment-the-coworker/|title=Watch CBS Cares: #ThatsHarassment: The Coworker - Full show on CBS All Access| website= CBS.com|access-date=September 11, 2018}}

In July 2018, The New Yorker published an article by Ronan Farrow saying that six women accused Moonves of harassment and intimidation, and dozens have described abuse at CBS.{{Cite magazine |last=Farrow |first=Ronan |date=August 6, 2018|title=Les Moonves and CBS Face Allegations of Sexual Misconduct |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/08/06/les-moonves-and-cbs-face-allegations-of-sexual-misconduct |magazine=The New Yorker |language=en |access-date=July 30, 2018}} Moonves was subsequently placed under investigation by the CBS board.{{cite news |last1=Flint |first1=Joe |last2=Hagey |first2=Keach |title=CBS to Investigate Allegations of Sexual Harassment Against CEO Moonves |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/cbs-board-to-investigate-allegations-of-misconduct-by-ceo-leslie-moonves-1532708699 |access-date=July 30, 2018 |work=Wall Street Journal |date=July 28, 2018}} In August 2018, Bucknell University removed references to Moonves on its website, and University of Southern California suspended Moonves's name from its Media Center.{{cite news |title=USC Annenberg suspends use of Les Moonves' name on media center |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/usc-annenberg-suspends-use-of-cbs-ceo-les-moonves-name-on-media-center/ |access-date=August 2, 2018 |work=CBS News |agency=The Associated Press |date=August 2, 2018 |quote=Moonves' alma mater, Bucknell University, has also removed some references to him from its website.}} In September 2018, The New Yorker reported that six more women (in addition to the six original women reported in July) had raised accusations against Moonves, going back to the 1980s.{{cite news | first= Ronan |last= Farrow |title=As Leslie Moonves Negotiates His Exit from CBS, Women Raise New Assault and Harassment Claims |url= https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/as-leslie-moonves-negotiates-his-exit-from-cbs-women-raise-new-assault-and-harassment-claims |access-date=September 9, 2018 |work=The New Yorker |quote=Six additional women are now accusing Moonves of sexual harassment or assault in incidents that took place between the nineteen-eighties and the early aughts. They include claims that Moonves forced them to perform oral sex on him, that he exposed himself to them without their consent, and that he used physical violence and intimidation against them. A number of the women also said that Moonves retaliated after they rebuffed him, damaging their careers.}} Shortly after resigning as CEO of CBS that month, Moonves released a statement denying all of the sexual misconduct allegations.{{cite web|url=https://www.yahoo.com/news/latest-cbs-leslie-moonves-resigns-amid-allegations-000714973.html|title=The Latest: CBS' Leslie Moonves denies wrongdoing|access-date=September 11, 2018}}

In November 2018, The New York Times published an article in which actress Bobbie Phillips alleged that Moonves sexually assaulted her during the mid-1990s, and was attempting to bury the allegations.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/28/business/les-moonves-bobbie-phillips-marv-dauer-cbs-severance.html|title='If Bobbie Talks, I'm Finished': How Les Moonves Tried to Silence an Accuser|access-date=November 28, 2018|language=en}} The next month, it was revealed Moonves had been involved in paying a $9.5 million settlement to actress Eliza Dushku, who claimed she was written out of her starring role on CBS drama Bull as retaliation for reporting sexual harassment by co-star Michael Weatherly; actress Cybill Shepherd alleged in a radio interview that Moonves cancelled her sitcom, Cybill, after she rejected his advances.{{cite web |url=https://screenrant.com/les-moonves-cbs-fired-investigation/ |title=CBS CEO Les Moonves Fired 'For Cause', Won't Get $120 Million Severance |last=Zinski |first=Dan |date=December 18, 2018 |website=Screen Rant |publisher=Valnet, Inc.|access-date=December 27, 2018 |quote=Later, it was revealed that Moonves was also involved in paying a settlement to actress Eliza Dushku after she made accusations of sexual misconduct while working on the CBS series Bull.}}{{cite web |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/tv/cybill-shepherd-says-les-moonves-had-her-cbs-show-canceled-n947696 |title=Cybill Shepherd says Les Moonves had her CBS show canceled after she rebuffed his advances |last=Burke |first=Minyvonne |date=December 13, 2018 |website= NBCNews.com |publisher=NBCUniversal |access-date=December 27, 2018}}

On December 18, 2018, CBS announced that the board would deny Moonves his $120 million severance pay, as their investigation had found Moonves violated his contract. According to investigators, claims made by the women were credible and led to more claims that were found to be credible during the course of the investigation. In addition, it was claimed that Moonves attempted to interfere with the investigation. Examples of allegations include Moonves refusing to cooperate with investigators, acting "evasive and untruthful" towards investigators, deleting hundreds of messages, and passing off his son's iPad as his own to investigators.{{cite news |last1=Izadi |first1=Elahe |last2=Andrews |first2=Travis M. |date=December 17, 2018 |title= Former CBS chairman Les Moonves fired for cause, will not receive severance in wake of sexual misconduct allegations|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2018/12/17/former-cbs-chairman-les-moonves-fired-cause-will-not-receive-severance-wake-sexual-misconduct-allegations |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=December 27, 2018}}{{cite news |last=Punete |first=Maria |date=December 17, 2018 |title=CBS: Ex-CEO Les Moonves will be denied $120 million severance package |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/2018/12/17/cbs-announces-les-moonves-denied-120-m-exit-package/2342128002/ |newspaper=USA Today |access-date=December 27, 2018}}{{cite news |last1=Lee |first1=Edmund |last2=Abrams |first2= Rachel |date=December 17, 2018 |title=CBS Says Les Moonves Will Not Receive $120 Million Severance |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/17/business/media/les-moonves-cbs-severance.html |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=December 27, 2018}}{{cite web |url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/17/media/cbs-ceo-les-moonves-no-severance/index.html |title=Ex-CBS chief Les Moonves will not get $120 million severance |last=Stelter |first=Brian |date=December 17, 2018 |website=CNN Business |publisher=CNN |access-date=December 27, 2018}}

On June 21, 2019, advice columnist E. Jean Carroll wrote in a first-person essay in New York that Moonves sexually assaulted her in an elevator in the mid-1990s after she interviewed him for a story. Moonves denied the allegation.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thecut.com/2019/06/donald-trump-assault-e-jean-carroll-other-hideous-men.html|title=Donald Trump Assaulted Me, But He's Not Alone on My List of Hideous Men|last=Carroll|first=E. Jean|date=June 21, 2019|website=The Cut| language= en|access-date=June 22, 2019}}

On May 14, 2021, CBS and Moonves agreed to settle their disputes over the latter's $120 million severance. A joint statement from Moonves and CBS explained that the $120 million would "revert" to CBS, that the cost of the settlement would be borne by CBS's law firm, and that Moonves would contribute the settlement money to various charities.{{cite web| url= https://deadline.com/2021/05/les-moonves-cbs-settlement-severance-viacom-shari-redstone-sexual-misconduct-1234756695/|title=Les Moonves Finally Strikes Deal With ViacomCBS Over Exit; Donating Big Bucks Settlement To Charity |website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Dominic|last=Patten|date=May 14, 2021|accessdate=September 13, 2021}}

On February 8, 2019, The New York Times reported that Moonves had founded his own company in West Hollywood, California named Moon Rise Unlimited after being fired from CBS.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/08/business/media/les-moonves-moonrise.html|title=Les Moonves, Fired by CBS, Sets Up Shop in Hollywood|website= The New York Times |first1=David|last1=Gelles|first2=Rachel|last2=Abrams|first3=Edmund|last3=Lee|date=February 8, 2019|access-date=July 23, 2020}}

On April 7, 2003, Moonves portrayed himself in an episode of The Practice. From early 2004 until its end in May 2015, Moonves made regular appearances on the Late Show with David Letterman. One of these came when Letterman declared outrage that CBS featured his late-night competitor Jay Leno in an ad for CBS's telecast of the People's Choice Awards. Letterman jokingly warned the "CBS stooge in the control room" to call his buddies "before things turn ugly"; Moonves obliged. Later appearances took the same format, with Letterman discussing current events and the CBS network with the company's CEO.

On the March 23, 2015, premiere episode of The Late Late Show with James Corden, Moonves portrayed himself as the head of CBS who sends out a golden ticket granting whoever finds it a chance to host The Late Late Show, in an homage to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Moonves also appeared on the September 8, 2015, premiere of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, operating a large switch he could use to switch back to reruns of The Mentalist if he was unhappy with the new program.{{cite web|url=https://time.com/4026215/stephen-colbert-les-moonves/|title=Watch Stephen Colbert Joke With CEO of CBS About Canceling His Show|first=Justin|last=Worland|work=Time.com|date=September 9, 2015|access-date=September 9, 2015}}

File:Julie Chen and Les Moonves at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival.jpg at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival]]

Moonves is a grand-nephew of Paula Ben-Gurion, born Paula Munweis, wife of David Ben-Gurion, the first Prime Minister of Israel.{{Cite web|url=http://www.forward.com/articles/3444|title=Throng Thrills to Thomashefsky's Titillating Tales}}[http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/all-in-the-family-les-moonves-is-grandnephew-of-ben-gurion/4900 JSpace: "All in the Family: Les Moonves is Grandnephew of Ben Gurion] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130411062511/http://www.jspace.com/news/articles/all-in-the-family-les-moonves-is-grandnephew-of-ben-gurion/4900 |date=April 11, 2013}} October 6, 2011

In 1978, Moonves married Nancy Wiesenfeld, with whom he has three children{{cite news |first1=George |last1=Rush |first2=Joanna |last2=Molloy |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/gossip/story/77644p-71622c.html |title=Moonves' marriage may get an airing |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030423201730/http://www.nydailynews.com/news/gossip/story/77644p-71622c.html |archive-date=April 23, 2003 |newspaper=New York Daily News |access-date=July 5, 2021}}[http://www.interfaithfamily.com/arts_and_entertainment/popular_culture/Interfaith_Celebrities_The_Talks_Hosts_and_David_Schwimmers_Bride.shtml Interfaith Family: "Interfaith Celebrities: The Talk's Hosts and David Schwimmers Bride"] By Nate Bloom. October 26, 2010 |"Moonves, who is Jewish, began an affair with Chen while still married to his first (Jewish) wife, who is the mother of his three older children" including W magazine editor in chief Sara Moonves.{{Cite news|url=https://www.adweek.com/digital/sara-moonves-katie-grand-wmagazine/|title=Les Moonves' Daughter Sara Is Headed to W Magazine|last=Horgan|first=Richard|date=July 20, 2017|work=AdWeek|access-date=July 28, 2018|language=en }} In April 2003, Nancy Moonves filed for divorce in Los Angeles Superior Court, citing irreconcilable differences. Nancy and Les Moonves were already living apart.{{Cite news|title=Moonves' Marriage May Get An Airing| url=http://articles.nydailynews.com/2003-04-23/gossip/18232986_1_audrey-hepburn-smoking-gun-sean-ferrer | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120730085447/http://articles.nydailynews.com/2003-04-23/gossip/18232986_1_audrey-hepburn-smoking-gun-sean-ferrer | url-status=dead | archive-date=July 30, 2012 | location=New York | work=Daily News}}

While still married to Nancy, Moonves began dating Julie Chen, CBS's The Early Show reporter and host of the reality series Big Brother and The Talk.{{Cite web|url= http://www.realitytvworld.com/news/big-brother-host-julie-chen-marries-cbs-president-les-moonves-3150.php|title= 'Big Brother' host Julie Chen marries CBS president Les Moonves|publisher= Realitytvworld.com| date = December 29, 2004|access-date= November 21, 2007}} On December 10, 2004, Moonves got a court to grant an early divorce,{{cite web|url=http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documents/crime/moonves-i-want-get-my-life|title=Moonves: "I Want To Get On With My Life"|work=The Smoking Gun|date=October 29, 2019}} on a motion citing a "desire to return to the status of being single". Thirteen days later in Mexico, he married Chen. In 2009, Chen gave birth to a son.{{Cite news|url = https://www.cbsnews.com/news/its-a-boy-for-julie-chen/|publisher = CBS News|date = September 24, 2009|title = It's a Boy for Julie Chen}}

Moonves resides in Beverly Hills, California, in a house he bought from Andy Heyward.{{cite web| url= http://losangeles.blockshopper.com/property/4358006046/210_ladera/|title=Los Angeles real estate news, data and statistics, home sales and real estate listings — Los Angeles |work=blockshopper.com}} He also owns residences in Malibu, California and New York City.{{Cite news| url =https://variety.com/2014/dirt/real-estalker/cbs-president-les-moonves-lists-malibu-starter-house-1201237774/|title=CBS President Les Moonves Lists Malibu Starter House|first=Mark|last=David|work=Variety |date =April 14, 2014}}

Moonves practices Transcendental Meditation, and has said, "It puts me in a calm state, which I'm not always in."{{cite web|url=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-leslie-moonves-cbs-20160224-story.html|title=How Leslie Moonves continues to guide CBS to the top of the TV industry|date=February 24, 2016|website=Los Angeles Times|quote=Moonves cools down by practicing Transcendental Meditation several times a week. ... 'I do it right before I go to sleep,' he said. 'It puts me in a calm state, which I'm not always in.'|last1=Battaglio|first1=Stephen|access-date=March 17, 2016}}

In 2015, Moonves and Chen made a major donation to University of Southern California, resulting in a media center being named the Julie Chen/Leslie Moonves and CBS Media Center. Moonves was already a USC School of Cinematic Arts' board of councilors member.{{cite news |first= Brian| last= Lowry |title=USC Media Center Named For CBS' Leslie Moonves, Julie Chen |url=https://variety.com/2015/tv/news/usc-media-center-named-for-cbs-leslie-moonves-julie-chen-1201440766/#! |access-date=August 2, 2018 |work=Variety |date=February 25, 2015 |quote=Moonves attended Bucknell University and is a member of the USC School of Cinematic Arts’ Board of Councilors.}} Previously Moonves was a University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism board member.{{cite news |title=USC Annenberg Media Center Named for Julie Chen, Leslie Moonves |url=http://philanthropynewsdigest.org/news/usc-annenberg-media-center-named-for-julie-chen-leslie-moonves |access-date=August 2, 2018 |work=Philanthropy News Digest |date=March 2, 2015 |quote=Moonves is a member of the USC School of Cinematic Arts' board and a past member of the USC Annenberg board.}}

In August 2018, Moonves was "suspended" from the USC School of Cinematic Arts' board of councilors in the wake of sex abuse allegations.{{cite web |url= https://variety.com/2018/biz/news/usc-school-of-cinematic-arts-suspends-leslie-moonves-from-board-1202892517/|title=USC School of Cinematic Arts Suspends Leslie Moonves From Board |first=Tara|last=Bitran|date=August 1, 2018|website=variety.com|access-date=September 7, 2018}}

In September 2018, at the same time Moonves resigned, CBS announced that Moonves and the network would be donating $20 million to #MeToo-related organizations.{{cite news |title=Les Moonves resigns from CBS after sexual misconduct allegations |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-45467975 |access-date=September 10, 2018 |publisher=BBC News| date=September 10, 2018 |quote=CBS said the company and Mr Moonves would donate $20m (£15.4m) to groups supporting the #MeToo movement.}}{{cite news |first= Tom |last= McCarthy |title=Les Moonves resigns from CBS after six more women accuse him of sexual harassment |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2018/sep/09/les-moonves-cbs-accused-of-sexual-misconduct-new-ronan-farrow-report |access-date=September 10, 2018 |work=The Guardian |date=September 10, 2018 |quote=Moonves and CBS will donate $20m to one or more organisations that support the #MeToo movement and equality for women in the workplace. This donation will be deducted from any severance benefits that may be due Moonves following the investigation.}}

• Joseph Ianniello, former acting CEO at CBS
• Jim Lanzone, President and CEO of CBS Interactive
• Martha Minow, law professor and CBS board member
• Shari Redstone, vice-chairwoman of CBS and member of Redstone family which owns the majority share of CBS
• Sumner Redstone (1923–2020), former executive chairman of CBS and member of Redstone family which owns the majority share of CBS

{{Reflist}}

• {{Cite book |last1=Stewart |first1=James B. |author2=Rachel Abrams |year=2023 |title=Unscripted: The Epic Battle for a Media Empire and the Redstone Family Legacy |location=New York |publisher=Penguin Press |isbn=9781984879424 |oclc=1365390478}}

• {{The Interviews name|leslie-moonves}}
• {{IMDb name|0600800}}

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{{Succession box| title=President of CBS | before=Peter Tortorici | after=Nancy Tellem | years=1995–1998}}

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{{2013 Television Hall of Fame}}

{{Producers Guild of America Milestone Award}}

{{ZeniMax Media}}

{{Presidents of CBS Entertainment}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Moonves, Les}}

Category:1949 births

Category:20th-century American Jews

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Category:21st-century American businesspeople

Category:American television executives

Category:Bucknell University alumni

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Category:CBS chief executive officers

Category:CBS executives

Category:Living people

Category:Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre alumni

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Category:Presidents of CBS Entertainment

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Category:The CW executives

Category:Valley Stream Central High School alumni

Category:Paramount Global people