Jon Stewart’s uncertain future under his new MAGA-friendly boss may take a little longer to be clarified.
Speculation has swirled over whether Stewart will remain at The Daily Show once his contract expires at the end of the year, as his aversion to his new boss, David Ellison, is no secret.
But LateNighter reports that Paramount wants to keep Stewart on board, as his presence has renewed interest in the program both on television and online.
Company executives consider South Park and The Daily Show two Comedy Central assets that keep the cable channel relevant in the age of streaming, Semafor reports.
The lack of confirmation on whether Stewart will extend his contract at this point in the year is nothing new.
The outlet emphasized that the late-night host’s last two contract extensions weren’t announced until even later in the year: early November 2025 and late October 2024.
Regarding the question of The Daily Show host’s opposition to Ellison, who acquired Paramount last August, Stewart has already clarified his philosophy in working with someone he disagrees with.
“You don’t compromise on what you do, and you do it until they tell you to leave,” he told The New Yorker’s David Remnick last year, just days before extending his contract with Paramount.
“They’ve already done things that I’m upset about,” he added. “If I had integrity, maybe I would stand up and go, ‘I’m out.’ Or maybe the integrity thing to do would be to stay in it and keep fighting in the foxhole.”
Stewart inked his last contract extension after Ellison’s Paramount had announced the cancellation of Late Night with Stephen Colbert—a decision The Daily Show host has vehemently criticized.
Stewart had initially been skeptical that his own show would survive the merger, saying that “they may sell the whole f--king place for parts.” But as Stewart’s presence on the program has boosted ratings and increased viewership, it appears clear he’s OK to stay.
In March, he commented on Ellison’s likely acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, the parent company of CNN.
“I’d be astonished if they don’t walk in there and go like, ‘Eh, nice show you got here. It’d be a shame if something happened to it,’” Stewart said on his podcast, Weekly Show. “I think the kinds of changes that you’re seeing at CBS are in the offing, and he’s got a much more personal grudge against CNN than he does against CBS.”
President Donald Trump, 80, has frequently expressed his disdain for the news outlet, and his cozy relationship with Ellison makes major editorial changes at CNN a real possibility.
