Bari Weiss's Blunt Response to '60 Minutes' Producer: 'I Want to Win'

Bari Weiss, the executive producer of CBS News's "60 Minutes," reportedly responded to her top producer's expression of pride in their recent work with a blunt, "F**k that. I want to win." The exchange occurred during a Sunday night watch party at Weiss's Manhattan apartment as she and Executive Producer Nick Bilton, along with other CBS staffers, were viewing the show's season premiere, according to a report by Puck.

Bilton had reportedly told Weiss that regardless of future ratings or reception, they could take pride in the strides "60 Minutes" has made since he took over in the spring. Weiss, who was instrumental in hiring Bilton, is said to have delivered her forceful retort.

This rallying cry echoed a sentiment Weiss shared with CBS staff during her first editorial call as editor-in-chief in October, where she stated her desire to "win" and "do the f***ing news." However, some unnamed staffers at the time reportedly reacted with eye rolls, viewing her approach as "cosplaying as a broadcast journalist."

Weiss and Bilton, both former journalists without prior broadcast experience, were brought in as part of a significant overhaul of "60 Minutes." Paramount CEO David Ellison, whose father is billionaire Larry Ellison and who has ties to Donald Trump, hired Weiss shortly after a merger between Paramount and Skydance Media. The merger received federal approval shortly after CBS settled a $16 million lawsuit filed by Trump.

Despite some internal skepticism, the season premiere of "60 Minutes" received generally positive reviews from media publications. The New York Times lauded it as the start of "The Bari Weiss Era," while Variety noted the show was "put[ting] its most obvious foot forward." Deadline and The Wrap also complimented the producers for adhering to the show's established formula. The episode featured interviews with an Air Force pilot shot down over Iran, a hidden camera investigation by Lesley Stahl, and a brief interview with Los Angeles Rams Head Coach Sean McVay.

However, The Hollywood Reporter offered a more critical assessment, branding the premiere episode as "bland" and suggesting a limited impact from Weiss. The episode did experience low historical ratings, though analysts attributed this partly to recent changes in Nielsen's viewership measurement criteria.

The upcoming episode of "60 Minutes" is set to feature an interview with Patrick Clancy, the ex-husband of Lindsay Clancy, who will discuss his grief and the conspiracy theories surrounding his ex-wife's murder trial. His new wife, Dr. Rachel Danis, will also join him for the interview.

Weiss's tenure began with a series of firings within the newsmagazine, including longtime correspondent Scott Pelley, who reportedly accused Weiss of "murdering" "60 Minutes." Anderson Cooper also departed the show, adding to concerns about its future direction. The show has historically operated with a high degree of autonomy, making the recent changes particularly notable.