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LA Weekly columnist Nikki Finke is reporting that David Geffen called Viacom Chairman Sumner Redstone yesterday morning and suggested that Jeffrey Katzenberg be brought in to run Viacom, presumably to replace the guy who just replaced ousted CEO Tom Freston. Redstone supposedly told him to forget it, according to Finke. But wait, there's more. Writes Finke:
I hear Redstone even announced his AM conversation with Geffen. Jeez, ol' Sumner isn't going to be happy unless he publicly humiliates every last person in Hollywood. Personally, I think his arteries are clogged. The only other reason could be that Sumner wants to turn back control of Viacom under Freston back to Viacom under the Redstone Family.
In his conference call this week, Redstone noted that his daughter Shari, who is vice chairman, has expanded duties, most of which are board-related. Which, of course, begs the question: Why on earth would anyone even want to be Viacom CEO?
Mark Lacter created the LA Biz Observed blog in 2006. He posted
until the day before his death on Nov. 13, 2013.