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The owner of the Los Angeles Times is reportedly considering launching a conservative version of the daytime talk show “The View,” with comedians and anti-vaxxers Rob Schneider and Robert F. He reportedly met with Junior’s wife, actor Cheryl Hines, to discuss the matter.
According to journalist Oliver Darcy, who reported the news in his Status newsletter, pharmaceutical tycoon Patrick Soon-Shiong met with two prominent figures known for their ties to conservatism last month.
The meeting came about after Schneider pitched the idea of creating an all-female talk show that would be the “opposite” to The View, a daytime talk show known for its political commentary.
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He told Fox News that his media company, No Apologies Media, “is going to compete with (The View).”
Schneider, a comedian best known for his role on Saturday Night Live in the 1990s, became a well-known figure in conservative media. He endorses anti-vaccine rhetoric and health-related content similar to that of RFK Jr., President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for U.S. Secretary of Health. He has also been criticized for making anti-LGBT+ comments in comedy and on social media.
Hines, known for her role in Curb Your Enthusiasm, recently rose to political prominence with her marriage to RFK Jr.
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Although nothing has been officially announced yet, the move to collaborate on more conservative forms of content is in line with Soon-Shiong’s recent calls for the LA Times to become less liberal.
Last year, Soon-Shiong caused controversy by blocking the editorial board from formally endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris. Several staff members resigned in protest and thousands of readers canceled their subscriptions.
In November, Soon-Shiong announced his intention to overhaul the paper’s editorial board to make it more balanced.
And in December, the LA Times announced it would begin implementing an AI-powered bias meter into its articles.
His decision sparked outrage at the paper, and Darcy said some staffers were “alarmed” when word got out that the LA Times might be working with Schneider.
The Independent has contacted Schneider and Hines for comment.
