The controversial “60 Minutes” interview with firebrand Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, who shocked correspondent Lesley Stahl by referring to Democrats as “pedophiles,” was a disappointment in the ratings on Sunday.
The venerable CBS newsmagazine drew just 6.6 million viewers on Sunday evening — its second-lowest audience in its 55th season on the air.
Sunday’s interview also notched just a 0.3 rating in the advertiser-coveted 25-54 age demographic, according to TVLine.
The Post has sought comment from the Tiffany Network.
A source with knowledge of the situation told The Post that unlike prior weeks, “60 Minutes” did not have the luxury of sports programming to lead in to the 7 p.m. hour on Sunday.
Despite the slippage, “60 Minutes” still maintained its dominance in Sunday primetime — outdrawing offerings from network rivals including NBC’s Magnum P.I. as well as ABC’s American Idol.
“60 Minutes” did provide a solid lead-in for the CMT Music Awards, which notched an all-time high audience of 5.7 million people.
The country music awards show also recorded a 0.6 rating in the 25-54 demographic.
Stahl’s sit-down with Greene sparked outrage across social media — particularly after the legislator made several eyebrow-raising comments.
When asked whether she still believed that the Democrats were “the party of pedophiles,” Greene said: “I would definitely say so.”
“They support grooming children,” she said.
“Grooming” is a term used to describe the act of gaining the trust and friendship of children so that they can be abused and exploited sexually.
“Democrats support — even Joe Biden, the president himself — support children being sexualized and having transgender surgeries,” the congresswoman told Stahl during Sunday’s broadcast.
“Sexualizing children is what pedophiles do to children.”
Greene also criticized senior Republican lawmakers for “fail[ing] us” by not being sufficiently supportive of former President Donald Trump when he was in office.
She also reiterated her opposition to funding weapons and financial aid for Ukraine to help Kyiv resist Russia’s brutal invasion.
“What I have voted against is funding a war in Ukraine,” she said.
“The entire time I have been saying the United States needs to be pushing for peace in Ukraine, not funding a proxy war with Russia.”
Commentators on Twitter condemned Stahl and CBS for giving Greene a platform.
“Stahl interviewed Greene as if she were just another someone unusual member of Congress with some out-there ideas,” The Atlantic writer Tom Nichols tweeted.
“Showed MTG some of her worst stuff, and MTG just waved it away, and Stahl let it all slide.”
Victor Shi, an activist and speaker, called the interview “truly terrible.”
“Don’t get me wrong: I respect Leslie Stahl. But that interview she just did with Marjorie Taylor Greene was truly terrible,” Shi, who was a delegate for President Biden in 2020, tweeted.
“Little to no pushback. She let MTG get away with lie after lie.”
