“Shari Redstone was diagnosed with thyroid cancer earlier this spring,” the spokesperson said in a statement (via CBS News). “While it has been a challenging period, she is maintaining all professional and philanthropic activities throughout her treatment, which is ongoing. She and her family are grateful that her prognosis is excellent.” According to The New York Times, Redstone “sought medical attention about two months ago after experiencing fatigue and other symptoms.” Following her diagnosis, she reportedly had surgery to remove her thyroid gland, but the doctors “were unable to remove all of the cancer cells because they had spread to her vocal cords.” She continues to be treated with radiation.
Redstone recused herself from negotiations for the Trump lawsuit because of her financial stake in the Skydance deal, but reports suggest she has privately pushed for a settlement of the suit, probably because of her financial stake in the Skydance deal. In the process of the deal, Skydance agreed to pay off many of the company’s debts, which the Redstone family will be on the hook for if the FCC doesn’t approve the merger. Larry Ellison, the billionaire father of Skydance CEO David Ellison (and a longtime Trump ally), loaned the family $186 million to make a debt payment, per The Los Angeles Times. Sources for that outlet also said that the Ellisons “agreed to help Redstone pay for her New York apartment and private jet after the deal closes.” If the merger doesn’t go through, Redstone and Paramount face serious financial peril. The New York Times reports that before Redstone’s diagnosis was made public, she shared the news of her condition with her close circle of family members, friends and advisers, as well as David Ellison.
