Now it’s Jon Stewart’s turn — and he certainly didn’t hold back. In fact, he may have set a new f-bomb record on The Daily Show. The host finally addressed CBS’s sudden announcement to end The Late Show — a move affecting his friend and former colleague, Stephen Colbert.
For context, both The Daily Show and The Late Show are under the same parent company, Paramount Global, which is grappling with financial difficulties as it attempts to finalize an $8 billion merger with Skydance Media. The surprising cancellation came shortly after Colbert publicly criticized Paramount for settling a lawsuit brought by President Donald Trump over a 60 Minutes interview with then–Vice President Kamala Harris.
Colbert previously referred to the $16 million settlement as a “big fat bribe,” with many viewing the lawsuit as baseless — and noting that the merger is still awaiting FCC approval. Stewart played multiple clips of corporations caving to Trump’s demands before addressing last week’s announcement, where Colbert was let go under what CBS cited as “financial reasons.”
Stephen exceeds all expectations in the role [as Late Show host] and became the number-one late-night show on network television has been an undeniable great pleasure for me as a viewer and as his friend. Now I acknowledge late-night TV is a struggling financial model. We are all basically operating a Blockbuster kiosk inside of a Tower Records. But when your industry is faced with changes, you don’t just call it a day. … The fact that CBS didn’t try to save their number-one rated late-night franchise that’s been on the air for over three decades is part of what’s making everybody wonder: Was this ‘purely financial’? Or maybe it’s the path of least resistance for your $8 billion merger to kill a show that you know rankled a fragile and vengeful president who’s so insecure that he’s suffering terribly from a case of chronic penis insufficiency.
said Stewart (video below), who worked with Colbert on The Daily Show from 1999 to 2005.
I believe CBS lost the benefit of the doubt two weeks prior when they sold out their flagship news program to pay an extortion fee to settle with the president. Look, I understand the corporate fear. 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 fucking shows. What made you that money are shows that say something, shows that take a stand, shows that are unafraid… If you believe — as corporations or as networks — that 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 would anyone watch you? And you are fucking wrong.
Stewart was just getting warmed up at this point. He continued
Stewart then highlighted that Trump recently filed a lawsuit against media mogul and Fox News owner Rupert Murdoch following The Wall Street Journal‘s report about a birthday card — allegedly written by Trump to Jeffrey Epstein — that was filled with innuendo.
[Murdoch] is the man who — other than Biden — may be the most responsible for getting Trump elected. Fox spends 24 hours a day blowing Trump, and it’s not enough. Imagine suing somebody mid-blow — ‘finish up down there, and I’ll see you in court.
Stewart snarked
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. To those corporations and advertisers and universities and law firms, all of them, if you still think that bending the knee to trunk will save you, I have one thing to say [breaking into song]: I know you’re scared, I know you’re weary, I know your plans don’t include me, but these are troubled times, so sack the fuck up!
Wrapped up Stewart
Stewart then led a chant urging corporations to “go fuck yourselves” if they choose to bow to Trump.
Just last week, ahead of the Colbert announcement, Stewart speculated on his The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart podcast about the future of The Daily Show amid the Skydance–Paramount merger.
Unfortunately, we haven’t heard anything from them. 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 shittier establishments than that. We’ll land on our feet. I honestly don’t know. I think we’re the only sort of life that exists on a current basis other than South Park. But 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. But that may not be their consideration. I don’t know, they may sell the whole fucking place for parts. I just don’t know.
Stewart said
Source: HollywoodReporter