Latest news with #DailyShow
New York Post
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Jon Stewart tears into CBS parent Paramount over canceling Stephen Colbert: ‘Sack the f–k up'
Jon Stewart delivered a scathing on-air rebuke of CBS and its parent company, Paramount Global, on Monday's episode of 'The Daily Show,' blasting the network's decision to cancel 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' and accusing executives of capitulating to political pressure from President Trump. Stewart, whose shows airs on the Comedy Central cable channel that is also owned by Paramount Global, cited the $8 billion merger between Paramount and Skydance Media as one of the factors that led to the decision to axe the show, which had been hemorrhaging tens of millions of dollars annually. Stewart, joined by NBC 'Tonight Show' host Jimmy Fallon, 'Late Night with Seth Meyers' host Seth Meyers, 'Daily Show' alum and HBO star John Oliver, and former 'Saturday Night Live' star Adam Sandler made a cameo at the Ed Sullivan Theater where Colbert's show is filmed and offered their support for the star. 6 Jon Stewart blasted parent company Paramount Global during his monologue on Comedy Central's 'Daily Show' on Monday. The Daily Show 6 Stewart delivered a scathing on-air rebuke of CBS over its decision to cancel 'Late Show With Stephen Colbert.' The Daily Show Stewart said that the merger, which is awaiting federal approval, would not have been possible without CBS programs like 'The Late Show' since it made the Tiffany Network valuable as a property. 'Shows that say something, shows that take a stand, shows that are unafraid — this is not a 'We speak truth to power.' We don't,' said Stewart, who last week addressed speculation that Colbert would be canceled. 'We speak opinions to television cameras. But we try. We f–king try, every night.' 'And if you believe, as corporations or as networks, you can make yourself so innocuous that you can serve a gruel so flavorless that you will never again be on the boy king's radar — a.) why will anyone watch you? And you are f–king wrong,' he added. His profanity-laden monologue culminated in a performance with a church choir chanting, 'sack the f–k up' or 'go f–k yourself.' Because Comedy Central airs on cable, the segment was uncensored and not subject to network profanity regulations. Paramount and Comedy Central did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Post has also sought comment from Skydance and CBS. Later that night, Colbert also responded during his own show, echoing Stewart's anger and directing his own 'go f–k yourself' at Trump, who had celebrated the program's cancellation. Colbert mocked the network's agreement with the president as a 'big fat bribe' and warned, 'They left me alive. And now for the next 10 months, the gloves are off.' 6 CBS has denied the decision was politically motivated, citing financial losses incurred by Colbert's show. CBS The backlash comes just days after CBS confirmed it would end 'The Late Show,' which Colbert has helmed since 2015. The network characterized the move as 'purely a financial decision' unrelated to 'performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount.' Despite CBS's claims, the cancellation ignited speculation that the show — known for its frequent critiques of Trump — was a casualty of Paramount's efforts to smooth regulatory approval for its merger with Skydance. The merger, which would create the new Paramount Skydance Corporation, is still awaiting clearance from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). That process has taken on political overtones, particularly after Skydance CEO David Ellison met with FCC Chairman Brendan Carr last week and pledged to reflect 'diverse viewpoints' that capture 'the varied ideological perspectives of American viewers.' Colbert's late-night career traces back to 'The Daily Show,' where he joined Stewart in 1997. The two have maintained a close relationship since. 6 The decision comes amid a pending merger between Paramount and Skydance Media. Shari Redstone, controlling shareholder of Paramount, is seen above. REUTERS In 2005, Colbert launched 'The Colbert Report,' which aired after 'The Daily Show' and catapulted him into late-night stardom. On Monday's 'Daily Show,' Stewart praised Colbert's bold decision to take on the CBS gig, calling it a leap into a world of 'intense scrutiny and a vastly larger audience.' 'Watching Stephen exceed all expectations in the role and become the No. 1 late-night show on network television has been an undeniable great pleasure for me — as a viewer and as his friend,' Stewart said. He also acknowledged the financial headwinds facing late-night TV. 'We're all basically operating a Blockbuster kiosk inside of a Tower Records,' Stewart said. But he added that industries shouldn't simply fold when formats change. 'When CDs stopped selling, they didn't just go, 'Oh, well, music, it's been a good run,'' he quipped. 6 The cancellation prompted protests outside the Ed Sullivan Theater in Manhattan on Monday. REUTERS Stewart noted that he had not heard from Paramount about the future of his own show amid the pending merger but closed with a defiant message: 'This is not the moment to give in. I'm not giving in. I'm not going anywhere — I think.' Ellison is the son of Oracle co-founder and Trump ally Larry Ellison. Though the younger Ellison donated to Joe Biden's campaign in early 2024, Trump has since expressed support for the merger and the combined company's extensive assets, including CBS, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, BET, MTV and blockbuster franchises like 'Sonic the Hedgehog' and 'Smurfs.' The late-night segment followed Paramount's recent $16 million settlement with Trump over a lawsuit alleging CBS's '60 Minutes' manipulated a 2024 interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris to favor Democrats. Trump had initially demanded as much as $20 billion in damages. The president also claimed that the settlement could be as high as $35 million, though Paramount has denied this. 6 Skydance is led by CEO David Ellison, son of Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, an ally of President Trump. AFP via Getty Images Although most legal experts dismissed the case as lacking merit, Paramount ultimately agreed to settle — covering Trump's legal fees and earmarking the remaining funds for his future presidential library. The settlement did not include any admission of wrongdoing or an apology, nor were any funds paid directly or indirectly to Trump or his co-plaintiff, Texas Rep. Ronny Jackson. As part of the deal, CBS also committed to releasing full written transcripts of future '60 Minutes' interviews with presidential candidates, barring legal or national security redactions. The settlement discussions and subsequent agreement caused turmoil inside CBS News. In April, longtime '60 Minutes' editor Bill Owens resigned, citing a loss of editorial independence. Wendy McMahon, president and CEO of CBS News & Stations, followed suit in May. In June, '60 Minutes' correspondent Scott Pelley warned that the settlement would be 'very damaging' to the network's credibility. During Monday's show, Colbert brought on Lin-Manuel Miranda and 'Weird Al' Yankovic to lighten the mood with a Coldplay cover. The show's kiss cam featured Anderson Cooper, Andy Cohen, Fallon, Meyers and a cartoon Trump dancing with the Paramount logo — an apparent nod to a recent viral incident at a Coldplay concert that resulted in a tech CEO's resignation.
USA Today
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Jon Stewart's 'Daily Show' rant turns ire to Paramount amid Colbert cancellation
Jon Stewart is coming to his old colleague's defense. The "Daily Show" host took a large chunk of his airtime Monday night to lament the cancellation of "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," a late-night comedy institution currently anchored by his longtime friend and political satire peer. Colbert got his big break on "The Daily Show" as a correspondent in the early aughts, working for Stewart before launching his own Comedy Central spinoff, "The Colbert Report." In 2015, Colbert took over CBS' "Late Show," replacing David Letterman and steering the show to ratings success. "Watching Stephen exceed all expectations in the role, and become the No. 1 late-night show on network television, has been an undeniable great pleasure for me as a viewer and as his friend," Stewart said during his July 21 monologue. Stephen Colbert's life and career, from 'Daily Show' to 'Late Show' cancellation He then turned his ire to CBS and its parent company, Paramount, which also owns Comedy Central. The decision to cancel the "Late Show," the company said in a statement, was "purely financial." Some in the industry have cast doubt on that claim, however, arguing instead that it may be the result of political kowtowing. Paramount is seeking the FCC's approval for a proposed $8.4 billion merger with Skydance Media. Stewart falls firmly in the camp of skeptics. "Now, I acknowledge losing money. Late-night TV is a struggling financial model. We are all basically operating a Blockbuster kiosk inside of a Tower Records," he joked. "But when your industry is faced with changes, you don't just call it a day. My God! When CDs stopped selling, they didn't just go, 'Oh, well, music, it's been a good run.' "I believe CBS lost the benefit of the doubt two weeks prior," Stewart added, "when they sold out their flagship news program to pay an extortion fee to said president." His comments reference a large settlement Paramount paid in response to a defamantion lawsuit from President Donald Trump. The company forked over $16 million in response to a suit that accused "60 Minutes" of editing an interview with then-presidential candidate Kamala Harris. USA TODAY has reached out to Paramount for comment. "If you're trying to figure out why Stephen's show is ending, I don't think the answer can be found in some smoking gun email or phone call from Trump to CBS executives, or in CBS' QuickBooks spreadsheets on the financial health of Late Night," Stewart said, crescendoing his monologue on a more serious note. "I think the answer is in the fear and pre-compliance that is gripping all of America's institutions at this very moment – institutions that have chosen not to fight the vengeful and vindictive actions of our pubic hair-doodling commander in chief," he said. "This is not the moment to give in. I'm not giving in! I'm not going anywhere – I think."
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Express Tribune
14 hours ago
- Business
- Express Tribune
Jon Stewart criticizes CBS over Colbert cancellation and questions network's motives amid Trump-linked merger
Jon Stewart used Monday's episode of The Daily Show to sharply criticize CBS's recent decision to cancel The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, calling out the network for not protecting its highest-rated late-night program. Stewart questioned whether the move was purely financial or a strategic decision linked to CBS's $8 billion merger with Skydance Media. 'Was this purely financial,' Stewart asked, 'or the path of least resistance for your $8 billion merger?' He accused CBS and its parent company Paramount Global of backing away from politically charged content to avoid angering Donald Trump. 'If you believe you can make yourselves so innocuous, so flavorless... you are f**king wrong,' Stewart said. CBS attributed the cancellation to financial difficulties, citing rising production costs and declining advertising revenue across late-night programming. However, critics have pointed to the recent $16 million settlement between Paramount Global and Trump over a "60 Minutes" interview, as well as a reported 'side deal' that would see CBS air PSAs tied to Trump's agenda. Stewart previously called the settlement 'shameful.' Several fellow hosts expressed public support for Colbert. Jimmy Kimmel responded with 'Love you Stephen. F**k you (…) CBS.' Seth Meyers and Jimmy Fallon posted reactions on Instagram, while John Oliver described the decision as 'terrible news for the world of comedy.' Stephen Colbert, who began hosting The Late Show in 2015 and first gained prominence as a correspondent on Stewart's Daily Show in 1995, has not publicly commented since the announcement. The show's cancellation is scheduled for May 2026, just months before Colbert's contract ends in December. Stewart's remarks reflect broader concerns within the entertainment industry about the future of politically pointed comedy under increasing corporate consolidation.
Business Insider
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
Why Nate Silver turned down a 'Daily Show' appearance
A few days after Paramount shocked the TV world by announcing the end of Stephen Colbert's late-night show, there's still plenty of debate about the why: Was it because the show was bleeding money — or was it a political sacrifice to appease Donald Trump? But there's no debate that late-night TV talk shows — once an important staple of the American media diet — are in permanent decline. Viewership on conventional TV is going, going gone. Those shows may still find audiences who watch clips on social media, but those eyeballs won't pay the bills. That's the dollars and cents argument. What about the shows' abilities to focus attention? Isn't that worth something, in a world where attention is constantly atomized? Not really, says Nate Silver. The writer and poll interpreter says he turned down an invitation to appear on Paramount's "Daily Show" last fall — in the midst of a book tour. That's partly because Silver and his publisher didn't think he'd be sitting for an interview where he could promote the book with Jon Stewart or one of the show's other hosts, he says. Instead, it was supposed to be some kind of stunt-y debate with Allan Lichtman, the historian-turned-election prognosticator Silver doesn't take seriously. But it's also because Silver thought he had better things to do than appear on late-night TV, he writes in an item about Colbert's cancellation: "The upside wasn't there the way it might have been a decade ago. The Daily Show — and even The Late Show — weren't necessarily a better use of my time than a niche podcast that might have a smaller audience but would convert more efficiently to book sales." This anecdote is very flattering for podcasters — as well as people who got an interview with Silver during his book tour but didn't publish it on a podcast. And it's yet another marker of Things That Used To Be A Big Deal And Aren't Anymore. In the old days, getting an author on TV was considered a real coup for publishers — particularly during Jon Stewart's first stint at "The Daily Show." (A Stewart interview is still important in the eyes of some authors.) And turning down a TV spot would be hard to fathom. Not anymore.
USA Today
a day ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
'The Daily Show' gets new host amid late-night upheaval
From Comedy Central's World News Headquarters in New York, it's "The Daily Show" with… wait, who is Josh Johnson? The award-winning news comedy show, which propelled Jon Stewart to fame and saw him return as a one-day-a-week anchor in 2024, is adding a new rotating host to its lineup. Johnson, who has been a writer on the show since 2017 and an onscreen presence since 2024, will take his first turn as a host this week, anchoring the July 22 show (11 p.m. ET/PT on Comedy Central). He will join the rotating cast of anchors who have helped to guide the program into a new format after host Trevor Noah (Stewart's first replacement) left the desk in 2022. Other anchors include Ronny Chieng, Jordan Klepper, Michael Kosta and Desi Lydic. Jon Stewart questions fate of 'The Daily Show' amid merger as Colbert's 'Late Show' axed Who is Josh Johnson? Johnson, a fresh face with a healthy social media following, represents a new wave of comedians who win fans beyond traditional stand-up gigs and performances on the late-night circuit, adding internet fame into the mix. He enters the hosting circuit at a perilous time for late-night programming, fresh off the heels of the cancellation of "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," which shares parent company Paramount with "The Daily Show." Colbert, an ex-"Daily Show" comic and Stewart disciple, announced Paramount's decision, which will axe not just his position but the entire CBS late-night show, during an episode last week. The decision, the company said in a statement, was "purely financial," while some in the industry have cast doubt on that claim, arguing instead that it may be the result of political kowtowing. Paramount is seeking the FCC's approval for a proposed $8.4 billion merger with Skydance Media. Days before "The Late Show's" sunsetting was announced, 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. Whether the ramifications of Colbert's cancellation will reach across channels to Comedy Central remains to be seen. "The Daily Show" caters to a slightly different, more politically wonky audience, while "The Late Show" was once known for its more entertainment-focused tone. Colbert brought a sharper, politically critical timbre. Before Colbert's cancellation was even announced, though, Stewart said his spidey senses were activated. During a July 17 episode of his podcast, the comedian said he's uncertain about the future of "The Daily Show" but knows it brings "value." "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. "Without 'The Daily Show,' Comedy Central's kind of like Muzak at this point," he 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." Contributing: KiMi Robinson
