Pratt and Hilton Closer to Runoff, and CBS News WAR Between Pelley and Bari Weiss, with Adam Carolla | Ep. 1331

Episode of The Megyn Kelly Show · June 3, 2026 · 1 h 44 min

Megyn Kelly and Adam Carolla discuss California's primary results, Pride Month, the Scott Pelley–Bari Weiss feud at CBS News, and the killing of Henry Nowak.

Summary

Megyn Kelly opened by criticizing the slow vote count in California's June 2026 primaries, reporting that Republican Steve Hilton led the gubernatorial field ahead of Xavier Becerra and Tom Steyer, and that Karen Bass was projected to advance in the Los Angeles mayoral race with Spencer Pratt in second place ahead of Nithya Raman. She then previewed turmoil at CBS News following the firing of 60 Minutes correspondent Scott Pelley.

Guest Adam Carolla, fresh from receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, reflected on his friendship with Jimmy Kimmel and his habit of calling himself a millionaire. Carolla argued that Los Angeles Democrats vote emotionally rather than pragmatically, criticized Bass's and Raman's approaches to homelessness, called for in-person voting, and described meeting many Pratt supporters, including wives of prominent entertainers, at Pratt's election-night party. The two mocked Tom Steyer's closing campaign message and criticized Scott Wiener's advance in the race for Nancy Pelosi's seat, then discussed Pride Month messaging from Good Morning America and Jennifer Lopez.

Kelly argued that CBS News's decline stemmed from mismanagement by Bari Weiss and new 60 Minutes executive producer Nick Bilton, whom she said lacked broadcast experience, while also calling Pelley arrogant and noting she had predicted his firing. She contrasted their handling with Roger Ailes's talent management at Fox News. Carolla said Weiss should have cleaned house on day one.

The conversation turned to the UK killing of Henry Nowak and the police response, with Kelly contrasting Nigel Farage's call for rage with Keir Starmer's and Shabana Mahmood's statements; Carolla linked the case to sanctuary-city politics and media coverage. The episode closed with criticism of Jill Biden's comments on The View about Joe Biden's health and her omission of granddaughter Navy.

Chapters

  1. 0:00

    California primary results

    Kelly reviews the slow count and early results in the California governor and Los Angeles mayor races.

  2. 8:33

    Carolla's Walk of Fame star and Jimmy Kimmel

    Carolla discusses Kimmel's tribute at his star ceremony and his long-running 'literally a millionaire' bit.

  3. 14:48

    Tom Steyer and mail-in ballots

    The pair mock Steyer's closing ad and criticize California's mail-in ballot deadlines.

  4. 20:53

    Why L.A. might re-elect Karen Bass

    Carolla argues L.A. voters are emotional and criticizes Bass and Raman on homelessness, while clips from Doug Ellin and Bass are played.

  5. 28:47

    Secret Pratt voters and race politics

    Carolla describes Pratt's party and they discuss a Bass interview about race and law enforcement.

  6. 36:09

    Scott Wiener and Pride Month

    Kelly and Carolla criticize Scott Wiener, GMA's Pride coverage and Jennifer Lopez's Pride message.

  7. 53:07

    CBS News turmoil and Scott Pelley's firing

    Kelly critiques management by Bari Weiss and Nick Bilton, Pelley's tenure, and the public war of statements.

  8. 1:19:10

    Killing of Henry Nowak

    Kelly and Carolla discuss the UK killing, the police response, protests, and statements by Farage, Starmer and Mahmood.

  9. 1:37:49

    Jill Biden on The View

    The hosts criticize Jill Biden's remarks on Joe Biden's health and her exclusion of granddaughter Navy.

Key points

What was said, by whom, with the exact words. Timestamps jump to the moment.

  • Megyn Kelly

    Kelly argued it is embarrassing that California takes days to count election results and should learn from Florida.

    “Why in 2026 America does it take a state three days to figure out who won an election?”

    Listen from 0:25 · 2026 California gubernatorial election

  • Adam Carolla

    Carolla said he repeatedly called himself a millionaire on radio to push back against what he saw as an attack on success.

    “I was feeling what's going on now, this, like, attack, the Bernie Sanders attack on success, attack on hard work, attack on millionaires”

    Listen from 12:54

  • Megyn Kelly

    Kelly argued mail-in ballots should have to be received by Election Day, citing Bass's late overtaking of Rick Caruso in 2022.

    “she did not overtake Caruso for several days as late-arriving mail-in ballots continued to pour in, which undermines faith in the elections”

    Listen from 18:27 · Postal voting in the United States

  • Adam Carolla

    Carolla argued voting should be in person except for cases like overseas military, and that COVID-era mail-in voting invites fraud.

    “You should have to go in in person and vote. End of subject”

    Listen from 18:54 · Postal voting in the United States

  • Adam Carolla

    Carolla argued Democrats and L.A. governance are driven by emotion rather than pragmatism.

    “Democrats are not pragmatic by nature. They're emotional. You know, they're really not pragmatists”

    Listen from 22:33 · 2026 Los Angeles mayoral election

  • Adam Carolla

    Carolla disputed Bass's view that sleeping on sidewalks drives people crazy, saying mental illness precedes street homelessness.

    “Sidewalk doesn't make you crazy. You have to be crazy to sleep outdoors on the sidewalk”

    Listen from 25:10 · Homelessness in Los Angeles

  • Adam Carolla

    Carolla said he met many women at Pratt's party, including wives of famous entertainers, who secretly support Pratt and voted for Trump.

    “I ran into multiple women whose husbands were very prominent comedians and entertainers and household names, legendary type names. And they were all in on Pratt”

    Listen from 29:25 · 2026 Los Angeles mayoral election

  • Megyn Kelly

    Kelly suggested there may be a hidden Pratt vote driven by mothers concerned about safety, akin to the secret Trump vote.

    “I think there's probably a secret... Pratt vote, same way there was a secret Trump vote or reluctant”

    Listen from 31:17 · 2026 Los Angeles mayoral election

  • Adam Carolla

    Carolla cited Tom Bradley's 20-year tenure as a Black mayor to reject claims that L.A. opposition to Bass is racially motivated.

    “Before you were born, we had a black mayor in 1973, over 50 years ago. And Tom Bradley was mayor from 73 to 93”

    Listen from 34:39 · 2026 Los Angeles mayoral election

  • Megyn Kelly

    Kelly observed that Target had scaled back Pride merchandising compared with 2023, while Disney-owned GMA had not.

    “So that's my evidence that Target has gotten the message since the days of the Tuckett bathing suit”

    Listen from 44:57 · Pride Month

  • Megyn Kelly

    Kelly argued Bari Weiss is the wrong person to fix CBS News because she has no broadcast television experience.

    “Barry Weiss knows nothing about broadcast journalism. She's never worked in television”

    Listen from 54:03 · CBS News

  • Megyn Kelly

    Kelly noted that in December 2025 she had predicted Weiss would fire Scott Pelley before mid-2026, and said the prediction came true.

    “he's fired before we are halfway through 2026. And Barry let him go. And I don't blame her one bit. It was the right call”

    Listen from 56:31 · 60 Minutes

  • Megyn Kelly

    Kelly said Roger Ailes rarely fired talent and instead eased demoted staff out with better titles and raises to avoid public feuds.

    “He would give them a better title and he would usually give them a raise even though they were getting a demotion. And you know what that did? It kept them quiet”

    Listen from 57:44 · Organizational culture

  • Adam Carolla

    Carolla argued CBS should have cleaned house entirely when Weiss arrived rather than fight internal battles with left-leaning staff.

    “They probably should have just shaken the whole thing like an etch-a-sketch and just went, we're starting right now”

    Listen from 1:04:32 · CBS News

  • Megyn Kelly

    Kelly criticized Pelley for never correcting his Moms for Liberty report after a Supreme Court ruling acknowledged explicit books in school libraries.

    “Did he acknowledge to his audience that he had misled them? No, he didn't”

    Listen from 1:10:51 · Moms for Liberty

  • Megyn Kelly

    Kelly said police handcuffed the dying Nowak and told him he had not been stabbed, and that no officer has been fired or charged.

    “they handcuffed a dying man and told him he was fine”

    Listen from 1:19:10 · Killing of Henry Nowak

  • Adam Carolla

    Carolla argued the UK case mirrors how U.S. sanctuary-city politicians and progressive media downplay crimes by protected groups.

    “Europe is like a little foreshadowing of what we're asking for here in a lot of our major blue cities”

    Listen from 1:24:54 · Killing of Henry Nowak

  • Megyn Kelly

    Kelly argued the British public's anger stems from years of demonizing white men and a belief that authorities would react differently if races were reversed.

    “We're at a boiling point from how many years now of demonizing white men?”

    Listen from 1:28:07 · Killing of Henry Nowak

  • Adam Carolla

    Carolla said he had publicly questioned Joe Biden's fitness years ago on Bill Maher's show and accused Biden allies of covering for him.

    “is Joe Biden going to run for a second term? Do you think he's going to run? And I said, run, he can't walk”

    Listen from 1:38:36 · Biden family

People

In the conversation

  • Megyn KellyConservative broadcaster and podcaster
  • Adam CarollaAmerican comedian, radio personality, and host of The Adam Carolla Show

Discussed

  • Steve HiltonRepublican candidate for governor of California and former Fox News host
  • Xavier BecerraFormer U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary and California attorney general running for governor
  • Tom SteyerDemocratic candidate for governor of California and billionaire investor
  • Nithya RamanLos Angeles city councilmember and democratic socialist mayoral candidate
  • Bari WeissEditor-in-chief of CBS News, criticized by Wagner over ratings
  • Nick BiltonNew executive producer of 60 Minutes, formerly of The New York Times
  • Roger AilesLate Fox News founder credited with understanding televised visual medium
  • Scott WienerCalifornia state legislator running for Nancy Pelosi's seat
  • Nigel FarageBritish politician who criticized banning people for their speech
  • Keir StarmerPrime Minister of the United Kingdom
  • Vikram DigwaDefendant accused of murdering Henry Nowak in Southampton
  • Tom BradleyMayor of Los Angeles from 1973 to 1993
  • Bill OwensFormer executive producer of 60 Minutes
  • Joe BidenFormer president whose economic approval is compared to Trump's
  • George FloydMan killed by Minneapolis police in 2020, cited in comparisons

Topics

More from The Megyn Kelly Show

From the publisher

Megyn Kelly begins the show talking about the election results for California governor and Los Angeles mayor, the alarming delays in getting the final tally, Spencer Pratt and Steve Hilton seemingly making the runoffs, and more. Then Adam Carolla, host of The Adam Carolla Show, joins to discuss the emotional factors that influence Los Angeles voting behavior, how Karen Bass could possibly be re-elected, shifting political dynamics that could see Spencer Pratt actually win, California politician Scott Wiener and his bizarre campaign that won last night, Pride Month starting and some companies focusing on it more than others, Jennifer Lopez’s Pride Month message and announcing her daughter now becoming her son, the growing chaos inside CBS News, Scott Pelley getting fired and attacking his former boss Bari Weiss publicly, why every side is at fault, Pelley’s smug and biased tenure at 60 Minutes, the war of words between the two sides now, the public outrage and protests in the UK following the murder of Henry Nowak, Nigel Farage calling for "rage" in response to the shocking killing and treatment by the police, his longtime friendship with Jimmy Kimmel despite their political differences, Carolla’s path from working-class beginnings to becoming a millionaire, and more. More from Carolla- https://adamcarolla.com/ Supersure Insurance: Simplify your business insurance and get a free coverage report at https://Supersure.com/Megyn Quo: Make this the season where no opportunity slips away. Try QUO for free PLUS get 20% off your first 6 months when you go to https://www.Quo.com/MK SimpliSafe: Visit https://simplisafe.com/MEGYN to claim 50% off any new system! Pure Talk: Dial #250 and say keyword MEGYN KELLY to switch to PureTalk and get unlimited data for just $34.99 a month!

Summary, chapters and key points were generated from the episode transcript on September 28, 2026. Quotes are checked word for word against the transcript.

Categories: Politics·News Commentary·Entertainment News