The Daily Show’s Jon Stewart has weighed in on the controversial cancellation ofThe Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Stewart, who returned as host ofThe Daily Showin 2024 and is a producer on Colbert’s program, echoed, albeit in song, a similar sentiment expressed by Colbert on his show last night: “go f*** yourself.”
Paramount Global, CBS’ parent company in the midst of an acquisition by Skydance, came under fire over the past week for itsabrupt cancellation ofThe Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Although the company attributed its cancellation to a financial decision, detractors are focused on Paramount’s settlement of a lawsuit brought by President Donald Trump.
Jon Stewart’s Comments And What It Means Regarding The Decision To Cancel The Late Show
Stewart Didn’t Hold Back In Defense Of His Friend And Colleague
Jon Stewart, a frequent and vocal critic of President Trump, fired back at Paramount Global, the parent company of both CBS andThe Daily Show’s network, Comedy Central. Stewart said that while he understands “corporate fear” in the face of perceived censorship from the government, he doesn’t understand their need to control the narrative withThe Late Show’s cancellation.
I understand the fear that you and your advertisers have with $8 billion at stake, but understand this, truly, the shows that you now seek to cancel, censor and control, a not insignificant portion of that $8 billion value came from those f****** shows. That’s what made you that money. Shows that say something, shows that take a stand, shows that are unafraid.
Stewart continued his profanity-laced dressing down of Paramount Global and CBS, stating that he, Colbert, and others are not here to “speak truth to power”, but simply to try their best.
Believe me, this is not a ‘We speak truth to power’. We don’t; we speak opinions to television cameras, but we try. We f****** try every night. If you believe, as corporations or as networks, you can make yourselves so innocuous that you can serve a gruel so flavorless that you will never again be on the boy king’s radar, why will anyone watch you and you are f*cking wrong.
Stewart then questioned CBS and Paramount’s long-term goals of placating the President, currently embroiled in another lawsuit with Rupert Murdoch, owner of theWall Street Journal, regarding a recent report on Trump’s connections to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Stewart used a more colorful descriptor to get his point across: that attempting to stay on Trump’s good side is impossible.
You want to know how impossible it is to stay on Lord Farquaad’s good side? Donald Trump is suing Rupert Murdoch, the owner of Fox News, the man other than [Joe] Biden, maybe most responsible for getting Trump elected. Fox spends 24 hours a day blowing Trump, and it’s not enough.
Our Take On Jon Stewart’s Explosive Comments On The Late Show’s Cancellation
Stewart Is White Hot And Unlikely To Relent Anytime Soon
AsThe Daily Showmay also be a potential target of cancellationdue to the Paramount/Skydance acquisition, Jon Stewart did not hold back in his vicious attack on CBS’ decision to cancelThe Late Show. His defense of Stephen Colbert, who started his career onThe Daily Showin 1997, was equal parts frustration, anger, and confusion, sharing the consensus and thoughts of Colbert’s fans.
It’s uncertain whetherThe Late Showcancellation was truly a political hit job based on Colbert’s response to the lawsuit settlement, one he referred to as a “big, fat bribe,” as Paramount Global has been silent since its announcement this week.President Trump celebrated the show’s cancellation earlier this week, throwing more gas on the fire surrounding this question.
Stewart ended his comments with a reminder to the audience that they may never know the answer to this question. The only thing certain, to him, is the optics of acquiescence and knee-bending to a president intent on stifling opposition in the media.
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. 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. This is not the moment to give in.
