On Friday, while both NBC’s Today and ABC’s Good Morning America provided full reports on left-wing actor Johnny Depp joking about assassinating President Trump, CBS This Morning could only manage 45 seconds of air time out of its two-hour broadcast to mention the latest outrageous celebrity outburst.
Co-host Gayle King noted: “Johnny Depp is causing controversy this morning for comments he made about assassinating President Trump.” A clip played of Depp remarking: “When was the last time an actor assassinated a president?...it’s been a while, and maybe it’s time.” Fellow co-host Norah O’Donnell labeled the incident “inappropriate” and explained that the Secret Service was “aware of the comment.”
King added: “I think it’s just never funny to joke about assassinating a president. I don’t care who you are or what you do. Not funny.” That was the extent of the coverage.
The hosts devoted nearly the same amount of time (41 seconds) to Trump driving his golf cart on the green at his golf course in New Jersey as on Depp’s offensive rant.
In sharp contrast, the Today show featured a 2 min 44 second report on Depp, while Good Morning America included a 2 minute 15 second segment on the topic. By providing more coverage, the NBC and ABC morning shows were able to remind viewers of the attempted assassination of Republican House Majority Whip Steve Scalise just one week ago and refer back to other hateful celebrity displays, such as Katyh Griffin’s mock beheading of the President.
Speaking of Griffin, when that story broke at the end of May, CBS This Morning could only afford 36 seconds of coverage. Again, that was in comparison to full reports on Today and GMA.
Here is a full transcript of the June 23 news brief on CBS:
7:31 AM ET
GAYLE KING: Johnny Depp is causing controversy this morning for comments he made about assassinating President Trump.
JOHNNY DEPP: When was the last time an actor assassinated a president?
[CHEERS]
I want to clarify, I’m not an actor, I lie for a living. However, it’s been a while, and maybe it’s time.
NORAH O’DONNELL: That’s inappropriate. Depp may have been joking yesterday at an arts festival in England, but the Secret Service did take note and they tell us they are aware of the comment.
KING: Talking about the golf cart sin, I think it’s just never funny to joke about assassinating a president. I don’t care who you are or what you do.
O’DONNELL: Yeah.
KING: Not funny.
