Anderson Cooper’s recent decision not to renew his contract with “60 Minutes” came at the last minute and left execs at the struggling network flat-footed, a source with knowledge of the matter told The Post on Thursday.
The journo had been poised to become the face of “60 Minutes” under CBS News editor in chief Bari Weiss and president Tom Cibrowski, who privately lauded him as an important player at the struggling news network.
But Cooper’s decision to pull out came as the deal was in its final tages, the source said.
“They must be pissed,” the person said of Weiss and Cibrowski, who’d seen the CNN anchor as a prominent face of “60 Minutes.”
“They wanted to build the show around him,” the source added.
Both CBS News and a rep for Cooper declined to comment.
Cooper on Monday confirmeda scoop from Breaker Media that he was departing “60 Minutes,” saying he was exiting in part due to his hectic schedule of juggling his jobs at CNN and CBS with spending time with his two young sons.
But sources said a series of recent decisions by Weiss were what prompted Cooper to end his nearly 20-year run at “60 Minutes.”
Those include her revamp of“60 Minutes,” which will likely include pushing out veteran correspondents like Scott Pelley and Sharyn Alfonsi,as previously reported by The Post.
Sources also pointed toWeiss’ unwillingness to fire wellness contributor Peter Attia over his chummy, eyebrow-raising emails with late financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Recently surfaced emails showed Attia telling Epstein the “biggest problem [about] becoming friends” with him was having to keep quiet about his “outrageous lifestyle” — in an exchange with the chilling subject line, “Got a fresh shipment.”
Source: Drudge Report
