Hollywood icon George Clooney has launched a verbal missile at CBS News chief Bari Weiss, accusing her of gutting the network’s credibility.
From his new home in France, where he’s settled with his children as French citizens, Clooney didn’t hold back in a recent Variety interview, blasting Weiss for “dismantling” CBS News while airing broader grievances about media mergers, Trump’s policies, and the state of journalism.
For hardworking taxpayers across America, this saga isn’t just celebrity gossip—it’s a warning about the erosion of trustworthy news. When networks like CBS falter under controversial leadership, the ripple effect hits small business owners who depend on clear information to avoid costly missteps. Let’s not let this slide without a thorough investigation into how editorial decisions are made.
Clooney’s sharpest jab was aimed directly at Weiss, whom he claims is unraveling decades of journalistic integrity at CBS. “Bari Weiss is dismantling CBS News as we speak,” he told Variety, a statement that raises eyebrows given Weiss’s recent decision to yank a biased “60 Minutes” report for failing to meet balanced coverage standards. If anything, that move suggests a push for fairness, not destruction—perhaps Clooney’s looking through a Hollywood lens rather than a newsroom one.
Still, Clooney’s not just swinging at CBS; he’s worried about the bigger picture, including the merger between Skydance Media and Paramount, CBS’s parent company. He sees this consolidation as a threat to the diversity of voices in media, a concern that resonates with conservatives who value independent thought over corporate echo chambers.
Then there’s Hollywood itself, which Clooney laments is losing its unique studio identities to massive conglomerates. “I liked having separate studios, and I liked them for what they were each good at, and that kind of specialization has gone away,” he told Variety, mourning a cultural shift many on the right also decry as big business steamrolling tradition. It’s a fair point—when everything’s rolled into one giant blob, where’s the room for originality?
Clooney also dragged former President Trump into the fray, referencing a lawsuit Trump filed against CBS for allegedly editing an interview with Vice President Kamala Harris to paint her in a better light. The suit was settled by CBS and Paramount for a reported $16 million, a hefty sum that suggests there’s more to the story than a simple misunderstanding.
From a conservative standpoint, this settlement smells like an admission of bias, and it’s no surprise Clooney’s upset—but shouldn’t the focus be on holding media accountable rather than just blaming Trump for pushing back? After all, a free press doesn’t mean a free pass to manipulate narratives.
On the economy, Clooney insisted costs are higher now than under Joe Biden, claiming, “Just straight up, it’s the economy, stupid.” But let’s check the numbers: gasoline, food, rent, and travel costs have actually dropped, wages and jobs are climbing, inflation is down, and economic growth sits at a robust 4.3% compared to 2.3% under Biden. Sounds like Clooney’s script needs a fact-check—economic reality isn’t matching his nostalgia.
Clooney didn’t stop at economics; he took a swipe at Trump’s standing with the public, asserting that Trump’s popularity remains low and won’t rebound. Yet, current data shows Trump’s approval rating holding steady or even ticking up, a detail that undercuts Clooney’s prediction with cold, hard evidence.
For those of us who prioritize results over rhetoric, this discrepancy is telling—celebrity opinions don’t always align with the pulse of everyday Americans. Clooney’s entitled to his view, but the numbers suggest a different story on Main Street.
Zooming out, Clooney’s broader concern about the press is worth a nod, especially for conservatives wary of centralized control over information. A functioning media is crucial to democracy, and if mergers and editorial missteps erode that, we’re all in trouble.
Despite his critiques, Clooney’s passion for the nation shines through, even if his perspective leans left of center. He’s vocal about prioritizing country over career, a sentiment many on the right can respect, even if we disagree on the details.
At the end of the day, this isn’t just about one actor’s rant—it’s a wake-up call to scrutinize who controls our news and how they wield that power. From CBS to Hollywood, consolidation and bias are real issues, and conservatives should lead the charge for transparency.
So, while Clooney’s barbs at Weiss and Trump might sting, they’re also a chance to refocus on what matters: a press that serves the people, not agendas. Let’s keep the pressure on for accountability, because a healthy democracy demands nothing less.
