Grammys Host Trevor Noah Takes Aim at CBS and Paramount During Live Broadcast
During Sunday's Grammy Awards ceremony, host Trevor Noah delivered pointed mockery directed at CBS and its parent company, Paramount Global. The comedian, known for his sharp political commentary from his time on The Daily Show, leveraged the live platform to highlight the network's controversial ties and legal entanglements with former President Donald Trump.
Noah's On-Air Digs Reference Trump Lawsuits and Settlements
In a notable segment, Noah quipped about the broadcast being completely live, stating, "Because if we edited any of this show, the president would sue CBS for $16 billion." This remark directly referenced Paramount's $16 million settlement of a lawsuit filed by Trump against CBS News' 60 Minutes program. The lawsuit, which many First Amendment advocates dismissed as frivolous, alleged deceptive editing in a 2024 interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris to portray her favorably.
The settlement occurred shortly before Paramount's merger with Skydance, a deal that required approval from the Trump administration, adding a layer of political context to the financial resolution. Noah's commentary extended his earlier critiques from the evening, where he had already targeted Trump's discussions about acquiring Greenland and his associations with figures like Jeffrey Epstein.
Broader Criticism of CBS News' Editorial Direction
Noah's jokes arrive amidst growing scrutiny of CBS News' editorial shifts under Paramount's leadership. The network has faced backlash for a perceived rightward tilt, influenced by Paramount CEO David Ellison, a known Trump ally, and the recent appointment of conservative journalist Bari Weiss as editor-in-chief of the news division. This change has sparked concerns about the network's commitment to balanced reporting and its historical standards.
This incident is not isolated in the entertainment industry's critique of CBS. Just weeks prior, Golden Globes host Nikki Glaser used the CBS broadcast of that ceremony to lambast the news division. Glaser joked about CBS News pulling a 60 Minutes segment critical of the Trump administration's mass deportation policies, awarding them "the award for most editing" and quipping, "CBS News: America's newest place to 'See B.S. News.'"
Implications for Media and Political Accountability
The repeated targeting of CBS and Paramount by high-profile hosts like Noah and Glaser underscores ongoing tensions between entertainment media and corporate news operations. It highlights how award shows are increasingly used as platforms to critique media ownership and political influences, reflecting broader societal debates about journalistic integrity and corporate accountability.
As these events unfold, they contribute to a larger conversation about the role of major networks in shaping public discourse and the challenges of maintaining editorial independence amidst political and commercial pressures. The Grammys broadcast, watched by millions, thus served not only as entertainment but as a pointed commentary on the intersections of media, politics, and corporate power in contemporary America.
