Without the former CBS host, who has been out of the spotlight since allegations of sexual misconduct arose, the conference "benefited ... because there were these different voices offering fresh takes."

This year marked a major change for The Weekend, formerly The Weekend With Charlie Rose — most notably, no Charlie Rose. The CBS host has been out of the spotlight since The Washington Post's November 2017 story detailing allegations of his sexual misconduct.

For the Sept. 21 event, Rose abdicated his chair — which in the past had him seated across from the likes of Apple's Tim Cook — for such moderators as Ariel Investments' Mellody Hobson and journalist Andrew Ross Sorkin. The festival, co-hosted by Eric Schmidt and Eli Broad, among others, saw few people bemoaning Rose's absence.

Says one attendee: "In a weird way, it benefited the conference because there were these different voices offering fresh takes. People thought it was better. Nobody was missing Charlie Rose."

As for Rose, THR spoke with more than a dozen of his friends, neighbors and former associates earlier this year, some of whom relayed that he's keeping a routine schedule in the absence of work. "[Charlie] plays tennis most mornings, which I think keeps him in shape and together," said Daily Beast co-founder and author Tina Brown at the time.

A version of this story first appeared in the Oct. 3 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.