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CBS News’ editor-in-chief, Bari Weiss, reportedly holds the decisive power over Peter Attia’s future at the network, as “60 Minutes” is set to postpone a scheduled repeat of an interview featuring the longevity influencer, who has links to Jeffrey Epstein, this coming Sunday.
According to the Status newsletter, the newly established Paramount Skydance, led by CEO David Ellison, is relying on Weiss to determine whether Attia should be dismissed, just days after he joined as a contributor. The ultimate decision, it appears, is hers to make.
Earlier reports from The Post suggested that Weiss is hesitant to terminate Attia, as she fears it might appear as though she is yielding to public pressure calling for his removal, following the emergence of emails showing inappropriate exchanges with the late convicted sex offender, Epstein.
This stance reportedly places Weiss at odds with senior human resources personnel at both Paramount Skydance and CBS News, who are advising to sever ties with Attia.
Attia, a bestselling author and media figure, has issued an apology for the emails and has resigned from his position as chief science officer at David, a company known for producing wellness and health products, as confirmed by the company’s head.
Meanwhile, “60 Minutes,” the long-running television newsmagazine, has reportedly cancelled plans to re-air an interview with Attia that was conducted late last year by Norah O’Donnell.
CBS News was set to rebroadcast O’Donnell’s sit-down with Attia this coming Sunday, when the show will air at the same time as the Super Bowl, which is television’s most watched event of the year.
But the network has decided to pull the plug on the rebroadcast, according to the Guardian.
The Attia controversy centers on a series of newly surfaced emails showing unusually friendly — and at times crude — correspondence with convicted sex offender Epstein years after Epstein’s 2008 plea deal.
The messages, released as part of a Justice Department document dump, include Attia joking in one 2016 exchange that “P—y is, indeed, low carb. Still awaiting results on gluten content, though,” and writing in another that “the life you lead is so outrageous, and yet I can’t tell a soul.”
Attia sought to contain the fallout with a lengthy apology on X, insisting he had no involvement in Epstein’s crimes while acknowledging that some of his communications were indefensible.
“I was not involved in any criminal activity,” he wrote, adding that his interactions “had nothing to do with his sexual abuse or exploitation of anyone.”
He stressed: “I was never on his plane, never on his island, and never present at any sex parties,” but said he regretted allowing himself to be drawn into such exchanges.
The Post has sought comment from Attia, CBS News and Paramount Skydance.