Jon Stewart questions fate of 'The Daily Show' amid merger as Colbert's 'Late Show' axed
The part-time "Daily Show" host, who appears behind the desk on Mondays, pondered a listener's prescient question about whether media company Skydance "would get rid of 'The Daily Show'" if its proposed merger with Paramount Global receives approval from the Federal Communications Commission.
"Unfortunately, we haven't heard anything from them," Stewart said on the July 17 episode of "The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart" podcast.
"They haven't called me and said, 'Don't get too comfortable in that office, Stewart.' But let me tell you something. I've been kicked out of" worse "establishments than that. We'll land on our feet," he continued.
Paramount Global, the parent company of both Colbert and Stewart's respective TV homes at CBS and Comedy Central, announced the evening of July 17 that the company "will retire 'The Late Show' franchise at that time," calling the move "purely a financial decision." Paramount is seeking the FCC's approval for an $8.4 billion merger with Skydance Media.
Days before it was announced "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" would be sunsetted in May 2026, Colbert criticized Paramount for settling President Donald Trump's defamation lawsuit, calling the $16 million donation to Trump's future presidential library "a big fat bribe" to his administration that could help earn FCC approval for the merger.
On his podcast, Stewart said he's uncertain about the future of "The Daily Show" but knows it brings "value."
"No, but I honestly don't know. ... Without 'The Daily Show,' Comedy Central's kind of like Muzak at this point," Stewart said. "I think we're the only sort of life that exists on a current basis, other than 'South Park.' I'd like to think we bring enough value to the property, like if they're looking at it as purely a real estate transaction, I think we bring a lot of value."
He first took over as host of Comedy Central's longest-running program in 1999, succeeding Craig Kilborn. Under Stewart, "The Daily Show" won 24 Emmys in his 16-year tenure.
"But that may not be their consideration," Stewart said on his podcast about the "value" of "The Daily Show." "I don't know. They may sell the whole … place for parts. I just don't know. We'll deal with it when we do."
Stewart finished answering the question on a positive note.
"I'm so happy and proud of everyone that works over there. If they (Skydance) want to do that, knock themselves out. As Jay Leno would say about Doritos: Go ahead. Crunch all you want. We'll make more. So we'll figure it out when the time comes and where we have to do it."
Following his departure in 2015, which resulted in Trevor Noah helming the comedy news show for seven years, Stewart hosted the Apple TV+ show "The Problem with Jon Stewart" for two seasons. He returned to "The Daily Show" in a limited capacity in 2024 to cover the presidential election and continues to share hosting duties with correspondents Ronny Chieng, Desi Lydic, Jordan Klepper and Michael Kosta.
Contributing: Brendan Morrow, USA TODAY
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