As I’ve been reminded whenever I’m musing about people losing their jobs–which, unfortunately, has been an increasingly frequent occurrence in recent years–a little sensitivity needs to be in order. Sometimes I’ve been guilty of not showing it and I’ve been rightfully chided for it, often with a not-so-gentle reminder to think about how I felt when that fate befell me.
When I have, those memories are as bitter as the herbs on a Seder plate. I’ve mused about my recent one in the wake of the departure of the person who engineered it; I did my best to show some empathy. The one that preceded it that I referenced was a lot more difficult one to swallow. At the time, I was one of two global research executives who was jettisoned; we just happened to be the two oldest members of our team. My immediate reaction was that I was a victim of ageism. As you can read in that musing should you choose, I was given a second life, which also allowed me the opportunity to have access to the other people involved in that initial decision, and over time they were open to sharing what they really knew. As it turned out, my initial conclusions were unfounded–pure and simple, the guy in charge disliked ME, and once the person who overruled his first call was no longer in the picture and he could confirm that I was physically healthy enough to not die on his watch he couldn’t wait to pull the trigger again.
I dredge this up not out of self-pity but more of a cautionary tale, especially in the wake of this week’s long-anticipated purge of workers across Paramount, and in particular one very public expression of discontent which, among others, the NEW YORK POST’s Ariel Zilber brought to light yesterday:
A former CBS News producer accused the network of “race-based layoffs” after corporate parent Paramount Skydance introduced sweeping cuts, claiming in a viral TikTok that every producer laid off from his team was a person of color while white colleagues were reassigned.
Trey Sherman, who is black, served as an associate producer for “CBS Evening News+,” a streaming extension of the network’s flagship broadcast that was among the programs shuttered during the layoffs. He also worked for CBS’s Race and Culture Unit, which was dissolved in the same round of cuts that affected about 100 staffers across the division. Sherman said in a TikTok posted Wednesday: “I just got laid off from my job at CBS, and every producer on my team who got laid off is a person of color. Every person who gets to stay and will be relocated within the company is a white person.”
The former producer also alleged that the executive told him the layoffs were not based on merit but on familiarity — keeping employees he had previously worked with. He said the executive claimed to have done everything he could to relocate affected staffers but later admitted that those who kept their jobs were people he had “worked with before.” Sherman called that explanation “racist,” arguing that, regardless of intent, the outcome amounted to racial discrimination.
Unsurprisingly, Sherman’s tirade went viral enough to prompt a slew of supportive posts ranging from empathic to incendiary, many encouraging boycotts of anything associated with Paramount and some even urging a class action suit. Many cited a piece written by newly ensconched CBS NEWS czarina Bari Weiss for her FREE PRESS platform months earlier calling for an end to DEI. This was amplified further when news began to trickle out about one of Sherman’s far higher-profile colleagues also departing. Which certainly would have given Sherman’s slant some teeth–if only it were true. CNN’s Brian Stelter devoted a good deal of his Friday newsletter trying to clear that confusion up as best as possible:
Many of the reported changes at CBS have not happened yet and may never happen. But each story adds to the uncertainty and unease in the air. The latest one is about Gayle King, with Variety reporting that she is “expected to depart” her longtime TV home, “CBS Mornings,” next year. If that’s the case, it would be news to King, whose contract doesn’t expire for another six months. She told TMZ on Friday morning: “All I’ve been told by everybody in this building is that they want me here, they like the job I’ve been doing… What I’m hearing in the building is not what I’m reading in the press.”
It’s an easy leap to conflate as so many are attempting to do the situation of King, a four-decade veteran whose show is seen by millions each day with that of Sherman, who per his LinkedIn seems to have about ten years of overall experience as a staffer on his second tour of duty with CBS and contributed to a show that didn’t even provide its audience estimates publicly. We do know it wasn’t performing well enough to justify being continued, Sherman’s efforts notwithstanding.
We also know all too well how and why King got a lot of her jobs; indeed, we mused about that very fact earlier this week. Mmm hmm–a lot had to do with knowing people that worked with her–or some very influential besties–before. Based on the already busy CV that Sherman’s LinkedIn details, it’s kinda clear he hasn’t been around all that often at any one stop to have developed a deep enough relationship.
I’d like to know how Sherman got his jobs. Was it fully on merit? Or maybe it did have something to do with DEI policies where companies like Apple and BET were incentivized at various times to fill at least half of their open positions with POC candidates?
In fairness, maybe Mr. Sherman doesn’t actually know. But considering how many people were let go at the same time–way more than the small sample he used as anecdotal evidence for his claims–he likely could find people willing to provide that info to him. I’ve seen at least five former Paramount HR executives post “Open to Work” badges this week. I’m sure someone with his journalistic chops could find a way to them.
I’ve been receiving a lot of LinkedIn alerts in recent days because a lot of other Paramount peeps I personally have known have also been let go this week. DEADLINE’s intrepid Nellie Andreeva and her Sancho Panza Peter White have been keeping copious tabs. These are but a few of the faces that have experienced the exact same disruption that Sherman did this week. 
I’ve added a couple I know even more intimately, including an executive who I’m certain had at least two small children to care for, since at the time of my Sony dissing his very pregnant wife was an exceptionally supportive colleague of mine. 
Notice anything they have in common? I’m willing to wager Mr. Sherman and his newly discovered bloodthirsty zealots might hazard a guess. 
Unless that guess happens to be “they’re in the same exact boat I am”, it would be one that I’d contend needs a lot more receipts before any impartial judge would give it merit.
Look, it’s entirely possible there could be smoke with this fire. I’ve never been employed by Paramount and I certainly haven’t lived Mr. Sherman’s truth. It’s not my responsibility to respond.
But you know who should be asked to respond? Well, Bari Weiss, for one. Not to mention George Cheeks, the one survivor of the Redstone management team who can speak with even more detail on past hirings than the recently appointed Weiss. Incidentally, Mr. Cheeks ticks off more than a few diversity checkmarks in his own right. I’m sure Mr. Sherman already knew that. One would suspect that there might be a somewhat supportive ear than others for him to appeal to. It would certainly be a proactive measure to at least push Mr. Cheeks to offer some public statement. Hey, maybe Cheeks might be boxed in enough to actually disagree with Weiss–or offer some sort of extra consideration to avoid that from happening. That’s the kind of posturing that Gayle King has learned along the way.
But until if and when that summit actually occurs the very least Mr. Sherman might offer is at least some inclusion of the likes of those named by Andreeva, White and other reporters this week in his disingenuous thoughts and prayers. They’ve chosen a higher road despite their own realities. Just like the one I chose when the inevitable hit me twice in 18 months at a particularly vulnerable time.
Consider all this just a little sage advice from a slightly more grizzled veteran, Mr. Sherman. You never know who might want to give you a black eye if you keep this up.
Until next time…