As the Sumner Turns

Over the past few weeks Sumner Redstone has overhauled the board at Viacom, essentially freezing out the former CEO Philippe Dauman. As you might expect, Dauman hasn't taken kindly to this for many reasons, but the biggest reason is that he knows that Sumner Redstone is in no condition to make these moves himself. He's now alleging that Redstone is essentially a 90-something-year-old vegetable. Dauman has found a judge that agrees. That judge just ordered a medical exam.

Before you go thinking that Dauman is the good guy in this story, however, you should remember that Dauman had previously argued the opposite when he was in charge of being a medical spokesperson for Redstone. Don't believe me? Ask Sumner's "girlfriend" who filed a lawsuit. It's all in the public record.

There isn't a good guy in this story. Not Daumann. Not Redstone's daughter (who appears to be behind the recent moves). Not Redstone's "girlfriend" who was looking for cash. Not Redstone himself, who even if he is being played by his daughter, his girlfriend, or his former CEO, spent a lifetime playing others to aggrandize himself.

To me, this is what Karma looks like.