On Friday morning, NBC’s Today show actually devoted a nearly four-minute report to criticism of hypocritical left-wing celebrities taking private jets and yachts to a climate change event in Italy hosted by Google. In the midst of covering “a bunch of billionaires and celebrities” attending the “mysterious” meeting, the network broadcast featured a photo of CBS This Morning co-host Gayle King showing up at the gathering of liberal elites.
“This morning, an inside look at that Google-hosted summit on climate change,” fill-in co-host Willie Geist announced at the top the segment in the 7:30 a.m. ET half hour. Fellow co-host Savannah Guthrie pointed out: “Yeah, it’s being held in Italy. Some of the celebrities in attendance, though, are being criticized for traveling there in some not-so-earth-friendly ways.”
Senior national correspondent Keir Simmons noted the secretive nature of summit:
It’s pretty ironic that the truth about this Google gathering turns out to be hard to be pin down. If you Google about this Google summit, what you find is lots of speculation and only some facts. It doesn’t help that Google itself wasn’t prepared to give us a comment this morning. But this does appear to be the seventh of this summit, where around 200 elite guests are invited in what Forbes calls the most secret gathering in the world.
As he referenced, Forbes also reported on the exclusive event and listed the numerous celebrities in attendance, including CBS’s King, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, and former President Obama.
On Today, Simmons highlighted accusations of hypocrisy against the prominent group of climate activists: “Google the event and reports say it’s focus was climate change....But a bunch of billionaires and celebrities arriving on a reported multiple private jets and staying on yachts to talk about global warming is hypocritical, some critics say.” As he spoke, a picture of King at the event appeared on screen.
The reporter continued by citing negative reactions on social media: “‘I wish rich people would stop pretending that they care about the environment while they fly in fleets of private jets,’ one person tweeted. Another, ‘Pretty disgusted at the hypocrisy of #GoogleCamp.’”
However, the coverage couldn’t end without attempting to defend the wealthy environmental crusaders. Simmons fretted: “Some climate change experts fear the criticism misses a crucial point. The real danger, they say, is a massive expansion in flying by millions around the world.” Guthrie followed up: “Well, a lot of people are having fun taking shots at the celebrities for this. I guess some people are coming to their defense though?” Simmons replied:
Yeah, there are some people just defending these celebrities over what I think is part, Savannah, of a backlash against this sense that, you know, every famous person needs to have a cause. But of course, if you have one of these huge followings, then maybe you should put the spotlight on something that you care about. And many of these celebrities have been putting the spotlight on folks who don't get so much attention.
As an example of this, Simmons touted radical teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg, who “will get on a boat and head to a climate change summit over there. She’s taking the boat because she doesn’t want to go by plane. And celebrities pointing to her.” If only those celebrities were as concerned about their own supposed carbon footprint.
Weatherman Al Roker chimed in to praise Thunberg: “That Greta Thunberg is really an impressive young lady. Sixteen years old and is really all in about – and is like a U.N. Ambassador, just about. And kind of the youth pushing this mission.”
Guthrie concluded: “Well, we’ll have to keep our eye on the issue. That’s what’s most important.”
Even though NBC tried to excuse the celebrity hypocrites, at least the network found time to report on the story. ABC and CBS completely avoided the topic Friday morning. It’s particularly interesting that King’s fellow CBS This Morning co-hosts never actually explained to viewers where she was all week, simply that she was “off.”
King’s numerous connections to liberal politics have been well documented, including her being a regular donor to the Democratic Party and even vacationing with the Obamas.
Here is a full transcript of the August 2 report on NBC’s Today show:
7:42 AM ET
WILLIE GEIST: We’re back with In-Depth Today. This morning, an inside look at that Google-hosted summit on climate change.
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: Yeah, it’s being held in Italy. Some of the celebrities in attendance, though, are being criticized for traveling there in some not-so-earth-friendly ways. Today’s senior national correspondent Keir Simmons joins us with that story. Hey, Keir, good morning.
KEIR SIMMONS: Hey, Savannah, hey, Willie, good morning to you. It’s pretty ironic that the truth about this Google gathering turns out to be hard to be pin down. If you Google about this Google summit, what you find is lots of speculation and only some facts. It doesn’t help that Google itself wasn’t prepared to give us a comment this morning. But this does appear to be the seventh of this summit, where around 200 elite guests are invited in what Forbes calls the most secret gathering in the world.
KATY PERRY: Let’s take a journey and see how man-made climate change –
SIMMONS: Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom, known for their climate change crusades...
ORLANDO BLOOM: And flipping water for climate change.
SIMMONS: ...joining an array of celebrities and billionaires, said to have gathered on the beautiful island of Sicily for this secret summit. Their host, Google, the search engine that tells you everything, desperate this morning not to reveal details of this mysterious event. Forbes Magazine reporting it included a live performance from Chris Martin. Others spotted on the island, Bradley Cooper, Harry Styles, Priyanka Chopra, Karlie Kloss, fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg, according to local photographers and Forbes. And the American billionaire, businessman, and record label founder David Geffen, who posted Instagram shots with Bloom and Perry. This is Orlando Bloom with Geffen’s super yacht, Rising Sun, in the background.
Google the event and reports say it’s focus was climate change, with Prince Harry speaking about saving the planet, as he did back in 2018.
PRINCE HARRY: One of the greatest challenges is undoubtedly climate change.
SIMMONS: But a bunch of billionaires and celebrities [picture shown of Gayle King at the event] arriving on a reported multiple private jets and staying on yachts to talk about global warming is hypocritical, some critics say. “I wish rich people would stop pretending that they care about the environment while they fly in fleets of private jets,” one person tweeted. Another, “Pretty disgusted at the hypocrisy of #GoogleCamp.”
Some climate change experts fear the criticism misses a crucial point. The real danger, they say, is a massive expansion in flying by millions around the world.
JASON BORDOFF [CENTER ON GLOBAL ENERGY POLICY AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY]: The fact that a few hundred celebrities have taken private jets to get to this Google camp is really dwarfed by the fact that 80% of the world’s population has never been on an airplane before.
SIMMONS: But this morning, celebrities, critical of our excessive use of energy, themselves facing criticism, accused of a “Do as I say, not as I do” approach.
GUTHRIE: Well, a lot of people are having fun taking shots at the celebrities for this.
SIMMONS: Yeah.
GUTHRIE: I guess some people are coming to their defense though?
SIMMONS: Yeah, there are some people just defending these celebrities over what I think is part, Savannah, of a backlash against this sense that, you know, every famous person needs to have a cause. But of course, if you have one of these huge followings, then maybe you should put the spotlight on something that you care about. And many of these celebrities have been putting the spotlight on folks who don't get so much attention.
So, for example, very soon, a 16-year-old, Greta Thunberg, will get on a boat and head to a climate change summit over there. She’s taking the boat because she doesn’t want to go by plane. And celebrities pointing to her. Of course, her example, though, does raise a question about the climate, about how much we should change our behavior, Savannah. Because if we all took airplanes, well, that would be pretty, pretty tricky – I mean, if we all took boats, I’m sorry.
GUTHRIE: Yeah.
AL ROKER: That Greta Thunberg is really an impressive young lady.
GUTHRIE: Yeah.
ROKER: Sixteen years old and is really all in about – and is like a U.N. Ambassador, just about. And kind of the youth pushing this mission.
GUTHRIE: Alright, cool. Well, we’ll have to keep our eye on the issue. That’s what’s most important. Keir, thank you so much.
GEIST: Thanks, Keir.
