*By Max Godnick* The Les Moonves era is over at CBS. Well ー sort of. The now-former chief's wife Julie Chen remains the host of both network series "Big Brother" and "The Talk." So even after his resignation as CEO on Sunday, Les Moonves still has a presence at CBS, if only in a spousal sense. While Chen skipped Monday's season nine premiere of "The Talk" to "be with my family," the veteran newswoman will resume her hosting duties on CBS's long-running "Big Brother" on Thursday evening. "She's really involved in a lot of the shows on CBS," associate editor of Vulture Jackson McHenry said Tuesday in an interview on Cheddar. "She's a recognizable face." Chen, who married Moonves in 2004, has hosted "Big Brother" since its U.S. debut in 2000; she is longest-tenured host of any of the show's global versions. She has moderated and co-hosted "The Talk" since its premiere in 2010 and helped the show eclipse its rival, ABC's "The View," in the ratings. Before launching the program, Chen anchored and co-hosted the "CBS Morning News," and "CBS This Morning," and "The Early Show." During Monday's premiere of "The Talk," Chen's co-hosts did address the news of Moonves's departure. Sharon Osbourne said on-air of her former boss: "Obviously the man has a problem." Sheryl Underwood and Sara Gilbert offered their encouragement to Chen during the program, but also urged viewers to take the matter seriously and support Moonves's accusers. "It feels like they are kind of hedging about how much Julie might know or where her position may fall," McHenry said of Chen's co-hosts. Did Chen know about her husband's transgressions? McHenry said it's unclear. "It's very hard to believe that someone as intimately connected both with Les Moonves and with CBS as a company wouldn't hear about this," he said. Since news broke in July that Moonves and CBS faced sexual harassment and intimidation [allegations](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/08/06/les-moonves-and-cbs-face-allegations-of-sexual-misconduct) from six women, Chen has only issued one brief [statement](https://twitter.com/JulieChen/status/1022968567728427012) about the claims against her husband. She said she supports his statement that he never abused his position to "harm or hinder anyone's career." The New Yorker on Sunday published a follow-up piece detailing the accusations of another six victims. Hours later, CBS announced Moonves would exit the company. The matter of his severance is still unresolved, but he stands to make up to $120 million, pending results of an investigation. As the entertainment community adjusts to handling prominent men accused in the #MeToo era, it must also grapple with the fate of their wives. Chen draws close parallels to Georgina Chapman, Harvey Weinstein's estranged wife and the co-founder of high-end fashion label Marchesa. Much like Chen, Chapman's success has been closely tied to her ex-husband. Marchesa established itself as a red carpet mainstay, frequently worn by actresses closely linked to Weinstein and his projects. For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/with-les-moonves-out-what-happens-to-julie-chen-at-cbs).

Share:
More In Culture
20-Year-Old Entrepreneur Tania Speaks on Emotional 'Shark Tank' Deal With Mark Cuban
Season 13 "Shark Tank" contestant Tania Speaks secured a $400,000 deal for her Speaks Organic Skincare brand with "Shark" Mark Cuban while also being named one of the best pitches in the history of the show — all at 19 years old. Now 20, Speaks joined Cheddar News to talk about the skincare line, the clean beauty industry, and the moment that host Cuban was moved by her pitch. "I couldn't believe that he got emotional. I'm surprised I held back my tears that long," the young entrepreneur revealed. "It's just amazing for someone else to be inspired by your story, especially Mark Cuban himself."
ViacomCBS Rebrands as Paramount Global, Puts Emphasis on Streaming
The media giant formerly known as ViacomCBS has officially rebranded itself as Paramount Global with a focus on its streaming service, Paramount Plus. Naveen Chopra, chief financial officer at Paramount, joined Cheddar to discuss the company’s name change and streaming wars. "There are components of content licensing that we continue to do, either historical arrangements or opportunities to license content that don't really impinge on what we're trying to do with our owned and operated services and that continues to be an important ingredient in our broader financial model," he said. "But our number one priority is putting our best assets on Paramount Plus." Chopra also discussed theatrical release windows before feature films hit its service and the platform's subscription goals.
ULTA Beauty To Spend $50 Million On Diversity Initatives
In efforts to help support black-owned brands. Ulta Beauty says it will make a commitment to not only give these brand shelf space but also help them navigate the ins and outs of growing a business. Last week, the beauty retailer announced in order to reach those goals, the company will spend $50 million on diversity and inclusion programs, including an accelerated program to mentor entrepreneurs of color. CEO of Ulta Beauty, Dave Kimbell, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
Load More