CBS correspondent Matt Gutman named in former producer's lawsuit alleging sexual harassment

A former ABC News field producer filed a wrongful-termination lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court on Friday, naming CBS News chief correspondent Matt Gutman as a defendant. The complaint alleges that Gutman, who worked at ABC for 17 years before joining CBS in January, made demeaning sexual comments toward a female colleague during two separate incidents.

According to court filings, one incident occurred while the pair waited in a public line, where Gutman allegedly began rating a female correspondent’s appearance and reduced her professional standing to a numerical score based on physical attributes. The filing says other male crew members joined the conversation, and the woman declined to participate, calling the remarks inappropriate.

A second incident cited in the suit took place at a movie-release press event. When the producer and Gutman disagreed about leaving the venue, the complaint states Gutman responded with a sexualized insinuation that she must have an after-hours date in the city, further reducing her professional judgment to a stereotype.

The lawsuit also claims the producer was wrongfully terminated by ABC in 2025 after taking a mental-health leave, alleging violations of California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act for refusing reasonable medical accommodations. She seeks compensatory and punitive damages, as well as attorney fees.

Neither Disney, CBS News nor Gutman have issued substantive comments on the allegations. The filing comes as Gutman’s profile at CBS has risen, including a recent stint anchoring the "CBS Evening News" and a reported ratings boost for the program.

"The comments made before co-workers were demeaning and reduced my professional judgment to a sexualized stereotype," the complaint states.

The case adds to ongoing scrutiny of workplace conduct at major news organizations.