Julie Chen Remains A No-Show On ‘The Talk’
Julie Chen was still M.I.A. during Monday’s broadcast of The Talk, a prolonged break that is raising questions as to whether the co-host will return at all.
Chen announced September 10, she “was taking a few days off” from The Talk to be with her family, the day after her husband Les Moonves was ousted as chairman and CEO of CBS amid another wave of sexual misconduct allegations.
Chen, who also hosts Big Brother on CBS, closed out Thursday’s double-elimination episode of the reality competition series voicing support for her husband without addressing the situation directly by saying, “from outside the Big Brother House with Brent, I’m Julie Chen Moonves. Good night.”’
Chen’s Talk co-hosts previously discussed Chen’s absence on the September 10 premiere, with Sharon Osbourne revealing , “It’s very embarrassing and upsetting to have to talk about [Julie’s] husband, but… we feel it’s right.” Regarding Moonves, Osbourne maintained, “Obviously the man has a problem.” Sara Gilbert also weighed in, saying that while she loves and supports Chen “always,” this is “an important time in our culture. And just because this hits close to home, it doesn’t change this story. All women’s stories matter. This is very serious and the appropriate actions need to take place.”
Panelists on competing daytime talker The View also have addressed Chen’s absence as well as her return to Big Brother four days after her husband’s CEO ouster. The View‘s Behar and her fellow panelists concluded last week that Chen will have a tough time returning to The Talk, what with that show being a topical talk show and #MeToo movement being such a big cultural story.
“What topics can they do?” Behar asked, suggesting #MeToo would be off limits “unless Julie Chen-Moonves comes clean.”
Deadline has reached out to CBS for comment on Chen’s status.
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