Julie Chen has been accused of silencing her co-hosts on CBS chat show The Talk by threatening to have her network president husband fire anyone who steps out of line.Chen, 41, warned her co-hosts: 'My husband (CBS president) Les Moonves can fire your a**** any day,' leaving executives 'essentially neutered,' according to one report.
The news comes as Leah Remini and Holly Robinson Peete revealed they have not been asked to return for season two.
The Talk, which features a panel of hosts, discussing controversial maternal topics and current news, premiered in October, 2010 with co-hosts: creator and executive producer Sara Gilbert, 36, Chen as the moderator, Leah Remini, 41, Holly Robinson Peete, 46, Sharon Osbourne, 58, and Marissa Jaret Winokur, 38, as a special correspondent.
Winokur was asked to leave the show in January.
And a source told the New York Post Chen is wreaking havoc on the set with cast changes.
Contracts for show-creator Gilbert, Chen and Osbourne have all been extended while options for Remini and Peete were not renewed, with no direct reasoning for the dismissals, according to Deadline.com.
'It’s the Les Moonves show starring his annoying wife,' the insider said.
Remini, however, did break her silence about her departure on Twitter last Wednesday. 'It’s official: I am sorry to say that I have NOT been asked back on the show', she wrote.
A source told the New York Post Peete was told to 'clean out her dressing room' last week but had not been released from her CBS contract as of last night.
'They don’t want to look bad for firing her. But she can’t look for other work,' a source said.
Peete said through her representative: 'I’m under contract to The Talk and I am hoping to be back for Season 2.'
Sharon Osbourne is taking a requested break from the show to spend time with her husband, Ozzy Osbourne.
Meanwhile CBS executives have wasted no time finding replacements for the fall season, which kicks off next month.
Comedian Sheryl Underwood will now be joining the cast; and Kardashian family matriarch Kris Jenner is filming a two-week stint on the show, according to The Hollywood Reporter, but she will not be a permanent fixture.
Jenner appeared on the chat show in July as a guest to talk about plastic surgery and her daughter Kim's then-upcoming wedding.
Chen's husband Les Moonves, 61, has been President and CEO of CBS since January, 2006, previously serving as co-president and co-COO of Viacom.
He is widely recognised as one of the most influential leaders in the entertainment industry.
Chen previously made reference to her husband during the premier episode last season. And he came on himself to deliver a clear message of his high-expectations to the all-female panel.
The hour began with pre-taped 'surprise messages' from the children of the host, except for Chen, whose son with Moonves, who turns two next month, was too young to talk. Instead, Moonves' recording came on the air.
'I love my wife so much,' he said. 'And if it doesn’t work, I’ll cancel you.'
A CBS spokesman had not responded to request for comment at press time.source
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