Stephen Colbert on Leslie Moonves’ ‘Ronan Farrow Double-Dip’

By Daniel Holloway

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Stephen Colbert wasted no time Monday getting to Leslie Moonves’ ouster as CBS Corp. CEO.

Before the opening title sequence for Colbert’s “The Late Show” began Monday night, a graphic appeared promoting CBS reality show “Undercover Boss.” Colbert announced in voiceover, “Tonight’s episode of ‘Undercover Boss’ featuring will not be seen. It was accidentally sealed in a stainless steel container and fired into the heart of the sun. We regret the error.”

Colbert then took the stage and kicked off his monologue with more about Moonves, who exited his chief executive role Sunday following the publication of a second article by journalist Ronan Farrow in the New Yorker detailing allegations against the executive of sexual harassment and assault.

“If you watch the news, you may have heard the head of this network, Leslie Moonves, was forced to step down yesterday,” Colbert said. “This after a second Ronan Farrow expose featured more women accusing him of sexual harassment and assault. It’s never a good sign when you’re the subject of a Ronan Farrow double-dip.”

Colbert called the allegations in the article “disturbing,” and joked about one story from the New Yorker piece in which a woman claimed that Moonves, in his office with a woman, told her that he was going to get a glass of wine and left, then returned pantless and aroused. “That is an impressive way to open a bottle of wine,” Colbert said.

The comic concluded his Moonves run, adding, “The article is extremely disturbing, and I’m not surprised, that’s it. Les Moonves is gone. At least for nine months until he does a set at the Comedy Cellar.