Julie Chen Moonves Alleged That Her Exit From 'The Talk' Wasn't Her Idea Amid Her Husband's Sexual Misconduct Allegations

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In 2018, Julie Chen Moonves departed the daytime show, The Talk, amid husband Les Moonves’ sexual misconduct allegations while he was chairman and CEO of CBS. At the time, she declared that she wanted “to spend more time at home with my husband and young son,” but in 2023, she revealed that the real reason for her exit.

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Chen appeared on Good Morning America on Monday to promote her new audiobook, But First, God, and that’s when she shared the astonishing news — she was forced to resign. “Yeah, I never revealed that until But First, God. That was a hard time,” she admitted. “I felt stabbed in the back. I was, you know?” She didn’t name anyone when she felt double-crossed, but her co-hosts during that era were Sara Gilbert, Sharon Osbourne, Aisha Tyler, and Sheryl Underwood. She was allowed to remain as the host of Big Brother, which she still helms today.

The only thing that got her through the crisis was her family and her faith, she claimed. “Julie Chen before she found God was a self-absorbed, career-minded, vain, gossipy, fun to be with, but probably kind of a shallow person,” she continued. “Julie Chen Moonves, who now knows the Lord, is someone who wants to help others, who wants to look at everyone with a soft heart.”

‘But First, God’

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Chen stood by her husband throughout the tumultuous time and looked visibly uncomfortable when Good Morning America‘s Juju Chang asked if she discussed the accusations with her husband. “That’s not what we’re here to talk about. But of course. Yeah. I know my husband. You know? I know my husband,” as she abruptly redirected the conversation.

Moonves was accused by more than a dozen women of sexual harassment claims that included pressuring them for sex and exposing himself. He denied all of the allegations but was ousted from his position in September 2018 and fined $30.5 million, along with CBS, by New York Attorney General Letitia James for their “attempts to silence victims, lie to the public, and mislead investors.”

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