Since it began in 1968, 60 Minutes has been celebrated as one of the best, most unbiased news programs on television. It went through minor changes over the years, but nothing like what viewers have seen in the last year. Several former staffers opened up about the shocking change, with one referring to the situation as a “facelift with a f**king machete.” Keep reading for more reactions from former staffers.
CBS News’ Bari Weiss Faces Criticism Amid Firings
Since the start of the year, there has been major upheaval in the staffing at CBS. Tony Dokoupil took over as anchor of CBS Evening News after John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois resigned in late 2025. But 60 Minutes was hit hardest by the changes after Bari Weiss took over as editor-in-chief. Sharyn Alfonsi, Cecilia Vega, and Anderson Cooper were out. Tanya Simon was let go as executive producer. Nick Bilton replaced her, resulting in a blow-up with longtime anchor Scott Pelley.
Scott Pelley was fired after exploding during a staff meeting, where he accused Bari Weiss of “murdering” the beloved program. Three main correspondents remain for now – Lesley Stahl, Bill Whitaker, and Jon Wertheim. Several former staffers broke their silence about what’s going on behind the scenes.
Former 60 Minutes Staffer Blasts Changes As ‘Facelift With A F**king Machete’
Several former staffers spoke to Variety to share their thoughts on what’s happening at 60 Minutes. Former producer Rome Hartman described it as, “This last week has been, for me, like watching an arsonist burn down my professional home and not really having the means to do anything about it.”
Another former staffer who remained anonymous admitted that the show did need some overhaul but Bari Weiss took it too far. “We have to acknowledge that 60 Minutes needed a bit of a facelift, and there were potentially positive ways to improve the program, but it’s the way they have gone about it. You don’t give a facelift with a f**king machete,” they said.
Former Senior VP Slam Bari Weiss
Betsy West served as a senior vice president with CBS News from 1998 to 2005. She had harsh words for what she thinks Bari Weiss is doing to 60 Minutes. “It feels like she and the people she reports to are trying to check the independence of 60 Minutes and ultimately undermine the free press that undergirds our democracy,” she said.
The article traces the roots of 60 Minutes’ demise to the program’s 2024 interview with Kamala Harris, who was running for President at the time. Trump and his campaign took issue with the editing of the interview, filing a lawsuit against CBS. The lawsuit was eventually settled for $16 million.
“The Trump administration is concerned with the coverage of the Trump administration. And ‘60 Minutes’ has been tough on the first and second Trump administrations and are not afraid to call them out on things, and I don’t think this administration wants to tolerate it. That’s why you’ve seen this whole thing blow up,” retired 60 Minutes anchor Steve Kroft said.
Do you think Bari Weiss will stay much longer at 60 Minutes? Share your thoughts in the comments.
Jennifer Havener grew up in a small town in Upstate New York. She earned her B.A in Writing & Literature from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. She always knew watching reality TV shows and soap operas, particularly ‘Days of Our Lives’, would come in handy someday. When she’s not writing, she’s playing with her dogs, Lola and Ruger
