Sometimes comedy is the best medicine and a great coping mechanism. That seemed to be in play as some of Stephen Colbert’s fellow hosts reached out to him in the immediate aftermath of The Late Show’s cancellation. I write that because the host revealed the texts Jimmy Kimmel and Jon Stewart sent him right after he learned that his show would be ending, and the conversations are surprisingly funny.

In the months since Colbert’s cancellation, the other late-night hosts have been advocates and allies for him. Right after it was announced that his show would end on the 2026 TV schedule, Jon Stewart went on a heated rant on The Daily Show, and in the weeks following the news, Jimmy Kimmel called out claims about why The Late Show was canceled.

It turns out, those two also personally texted Colbert right after they learned about his program’s fate. After being asked about talking with “Seth Meyers and the Jimmys” about what happened during an interview with THR, Colbert recalled the text he got from Kimmel:

Well, that’s hilarious, and it turned out to be true. Stephen Colbert won his first Emmy in the wake of his cancellation, and Jimmy Kimmel wanted that to happen. In fact, the Jimmy Kimmel Live! host had a billboard made that said: “I’m voting for Stephen.” After that happened, Colbert promised to “pay him back next year” and do the same thing for Kimmel.

So, while the text Kimmel sent Colbert right when the cancellation happened could feel a bit morbid, it’s also funny, and it turned out to be accurate in a way.

Now, on to Jon Stewart. When Colbert announced that The Late Show would be ending, The Daily Show host texted a one-word question to his friend and former colleague. Here’s how that conversation went:

It’s not funny-funny, it’s more like sad-funny. However, overall, it was nice to hear how Colbert’s fellow hosts were reaching out right after this shocking news broke. I would assume that other hosts, as well as notable celebrities, reached out to him as well. However, as Colbert noted, after those two texts came through, he handed his phone over to his wife and didn’t look at it for a while.

This all happened in the immediate aftermath of the cancellation news, and now, sadly, we are approaching the final episode of The Late Show. The show is ending this month, but have no fear, Colbert has a stacked lineup of guests for his last episodes, including Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, John Oliver, Seth Meyers and David Letterman (and I wouldn’t be shocked if Stewart showed up at some point too).

The final episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert will air on Thursday, May 21, at 11:35 p.m. on CBS, and I can only imagine the texts (both funny and heartfelt) the host will receive after he says his last goodbye to late-night.

Just a few weeks ago, the future of Jimmy Kimmel as a late-night talk show host was in question. He had been suspended from his self-titled show, Jimmy Kimmel Live! And whether he would ever come back was unknown. It was certainly a wild few days for Kimmel, but potentially not as crazy as the story of how he got the job in the first place. A situation that apparently had him stealing the job away from Jon Stewart.

In an appearance on the Where Everybody Knows Your Name podcast, Kimmel told the story of how he got hired as the host of ABC’s first traditional late-night talk show. Kimmel credits producer Michael Davies, who had hired Kimmel to co-host Comedy Central game show Win Ben Stein’s Money, for suggesting him to ABC President Lloyd Braun. Kimmel added that Jon Stewart nearly had the job locked up when things changed. Kimmel said:

Jon Stewart had only been hosting The Daily Show for a couple of years at the point this would have been happening. Somewhat ironically, it was a job he got after the previous Daily Show host, Craig Kilborn, had been hired away to host the show following David Letterman's new show on CBS. ABC only moved forward with its late-night talk show that Kimmel ended up hosting after Letterman decided to go to CBS and not ABC.

Kimmel admits he had no idea he had even been suggested as the host, as it wasn’t public knowledge at the time that ABC was looking to replace Politically Incorrect or that "they wanted a traditional late-night talk show." The show would eventually be moved into the Nightline time slot to compete directly with other major late-night shows.

According to Kimmel, ABC brought him into a meeting under false pretenses to discuss hosting a Thursday night variety show. He apparently spent that meeting talking about David Letterman, Kimmel’s talk show idol, with the President of ABC, and the discussion of hosting any sort of a show never came up.

Kimmel says he first heard about the late-night show because the secretary to the President of ABC was married to his The Man Show co-host, Adam Carolla, who was also friends with Kimmel’s wife. Ultimately, he was hired, which put his manager in an awkward position. Kimmel continued:

Jon Stewart, of course, was fine without it. He transformed The Daily Show into a late-night heavyweight in its own right. He's now back hosting the show after a stint with Apple TV+. Although that does raise questions about why ABC decided to go with Kimmel, a relative unknown at the time, over the better-known Stewart. It turns out Kimmel himself asked Disney CEO Bob Iger that question once, and got a somewhat blunt answer:

Kimmel may have been cheaper at the time, but a quarter century later, it does appear that money was well spent.

If you thought that the only major shakeup in late night television before the end of the 2025 TV schedule would be The Late Show with Stephen Colbert being cancelled by CBS, ABC and Nexstar proved you wrong. Production on Jimmy Kimmel Live! was suspended "indefinitely" just hours before Kimmel's next new episode was set to film. A big question in the aftermath was how other late night hosts would react, especially after the strong reactions to Colbert's cancellation in July. Jon Stewart of The Daily Show and Jimmy Fallon of The Tonight Show were first up.

Their opening monologues were actually surprisingly similar, and not just because both hosts chose to wear red ties for the episodes that aired on September 18. Instead of sharing any hot takes on the situation like other celebs shared on social media about Kimmel's suspension, both took the approach of pretending to be – to quote Stewart – "administration compliant." The Daily Show episode was the first to air, so let's start there.

Jon Stewart On The Daily Show

Compared to Jon Stewart's rant when The Late Show was cancelled, he was downright restrained in his on-screen reaction to Jimmy Kimmel Live! getting suspended. In fact, he didn't even mention Jimmy Kimmel until about ten minutes in, and his approach was to deliver his monologue like he was in a hostage situation and forced to say what he was saying, to the mirth of the studio audience.

In fact, Stewart didn't even mention Jimmy Kimmel until about ten minutes in, but it was already clear that the Comedy Central was going to deliver something memorable by bringing Stewart in on a Thursday when he's usually the Monday host.

The broadcast largely used video clips of President Trump and other networks rather than Stewart making direct commentary. That's not to say that he leaned into the Daily Show style of comedy from start to finish, and he got more sincere when he noted that "it's not really about the specific words." He said instead that it's "about having a basic sense of humanity." Take a look for yourself:

New episodes of The Daily Show air Monday - Thursday on Comedy Central at 11 p.m. ET, with Stewart hosting on Mondays. As for The Tonight Show, Fallon's approach was similar to Stewart's in some key ways but quite different in others.

Jimmy Fallon On The Tonight Show

Jimmy Fallon wasted no time in explicitly addressing the late night TV elephant in the room, bringing up Jimmy Kimmel in the first moments of his monologue. His opening joke was:

Fallon went on to crack a joke about getting texts from his dad that was almost identical to a joke he cracked after The Late Show with Stephen Colbert got the axe. He clarified that The Tonight Show won't be censored and that he'd cover "the President's trip the U.K. like I normally would."

Somewhat similarly to The Daily Show, The Tonight Show's approach was to seemingly "let" Jimmy Fallon go off about the situation while dubbing over his words with gentler language. Based on the cheers from the audience, a crowd-favorite joke was when his joke about POTUS' hair was dubbed over with "–– better than Conrad's from The Summer I Turned Pretty."

Like Stewart, Fallon did have some very sincere moments, including what he said about the man who had been his ABC counterpart:

Most of the rest of the episode of The Tonight Show seemed set to go on as usual, but you can check out Jimmy Fallon's monologue below:

New episodes of The Tonight Show air on Monday - Thursday at 11:35 p.m. ET on NBC. It remains to been seen if there any major new developments regarding the future (or lack thereof) of Jimmy Kimmel Live! in the coming days to be addressed in late night TV monologues.

At the time of writing, Late Night with Seth Meyers has not yet aired to reveal how one NBC late night host's monologue compares to the other.

The late-night TV landscape has been a major topic of discussion, especially since the cancellation of Stephen Colbert’s The Late Show was announced. A number of people have been weighing in on the long-term viability of the medium, which some argue is in decline. Meanwhile, there are those who’ve weighed in what they perceive to be issues with some chat shows as it stands. On that note, veteran pundit Bill Maher just shared his thoughts on how Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel and others utilize political humor.

Bill Maher has been in the media industry for decades now and, as he explained during an episode of his Club Random podcast (as seen on YouTube), he’s seen some major changes. While talking to his guest, actress Drea de Matteo, Maher opined that people in the arts don’t analyze politics the way people used to. The longtime host went on to explain what he says as a “reverse” in how people perceive creative works:

Ultimately, the host of HBO’s Real Time (which is available to stream with an HBO Max subscription), applied the rationale above to late-night programs. He specifically named contemporary talk show hosts like John Oliver, Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart contrasting their approaches to political humor from those of the hosts of yesteryear. While Bill Maher said he wasn’t trying to “knock” his peers, he did explain his particular observations of how they present the news of the day when they’re on air:

Jay Leno actually spoke about political humor and its place with late-night TV earlier this summer. While weighing in, Leno said that he does “love” comedy that hits upon politics, but he also said that “people wind up cozying too much to one side or the other.” John Oliver responded to the sentiments, arguing that “comedy can’t be for everyone” and that it’s “inherently subjective.” Still, Bill Maher argues that not leaning towards one side is the way to go, and he shared his take on what happened when hosts leaned towards one side:

While this discussion about the merits of political humor continues, The Late Show’s cancellation is also still being talked about. Paramount, the parent company of CBS, said the show was canceled due to financial reasons, with reports suggesting the program was losing the company millions of dollars per year. However, some believe the cancellation was politically motivated, as it came after Paramount settled a $16 million suit with U.S. President Donald Trump – a move that Colbert openly criticized on air. At the same time, that lawsuit was a piece of business that had to be resolved before the aforementioned company could merge with Skydance.

Stephen Colbert continues to discuss politics on its show, which is set to end in May 2026. It is indeed true that politics have been present within late-night TV, though whether that’s appropriate or not is up to people’s personal preferences. We’ll see if other industry veterans speak out and share thoughts that align with Bill Maher’s and Jay Leno’s.

Any surefire expectations one might have had for the back half of the 2025 TV schedule went out the stage set’s decorative window panels when CBS shockingly canceled The Late Show with Stephen Colbert ahead of what would have been the titular comedian’s 11th season behind the desk. Though the late night staple still has a year left, the decision has left many entertainers fuming and confused, with clashing reports about why the show is ending. Then along came Jon Stewart.

I’m sure wasn’t alone in expecting The Daily Show’s most celebrated host to have a pointed opinion about The Late Show’s confirmed demise, and Stewart did not disappoint during his latest appearance. Although it should also surprise no one that he started his fevered speech off not with a bang or a whimper, but with a joke. Addressing the cancellation to a wall of audience jeers, Stewart said:

Cue Jon Stewart's cheeky mug:

The NYC native then offered a brief backstory that touched upon the high-quality pre-2016 era when they shared the screen and Daily Show stage on a nightly basis for years, and then gave Colbert lots of kudos for making the leap to succeed the iconic David Letterman’s Late Show mastery. But then the good vibes turn to sour grapes as the cancellation is once again addressed.

Sardonically pinning the decision to axe both Colbert’s run and the entirety of the Late Show franchise on “purely financial reasons,” Stewart said that within that model, everyone else is basically working a “Blockbuster kiosk inside a Tower Records.” Which is to say, putting a failing hat on a failing hat. The host continued drilling down on CBS' financial choices tying into parent company Paramount Global nearing an $8 billion merger with Skydance Media, saying:

This element is indeed always the most baffling thing about network mergers to me, although I'll be the first to concede that I am sorely lacking in background knowledge. But it does seem non-intuitive to eliminate any of the long-running brands that helped make a network or studio worth acquiring in the first place.

Stewart continued, saying that while he understands the Daily Show's limitations as a comedy-driven talk show, he still stands strongly by the idea that this show and others are meant to be there to entertain and inform without a financial overhead being a deciding factor. As he put it:

Naturally, Jon Stewart also strikes a political chord by addressing CBS and Paramount's legal dealings with Donald Trump, stemming largely from POTUS' recently settled lawsuit against 60 Minutes, as a major factor, with the idea being that the network is scrubbing content that could be skewed as politically subversive.

Then rather unnaturally, the frontman temporarily launches into a spoken-word rendition of Bob Seger's "We've Got Tonight" before revealing a six-piece choir behind the curtains. And I'd be viewers have never heard a more soulful rendition of the phrase "Go fuck yourself," that what played out.

If anyone manages to miscontrue Jon Stewart's message here, I don't want that person to be in charge of anything important.

The entire June 21 installment of The Daily Show can be streamed below, with the Late Show-related reactions happening around the 16:30 mark.

The Daily Show airs weeknights on Comedy Central at 11:00 p.m. ET, with Jon Stewart popping in every Monday. Past episodes can be streamed with a Paramount+ subscription.

While the podcasting market continues to expand, with everyone and their mom seeming to have one, there truly are some gems on the airwaves. Regardless of your familiarity and regularity in dabbling, where does one start? As someone who dabbles in a few series and loves a good pop culture injection of any form, a celebrity-hosted show can offer a lot! These stars’ pods cover plenty of ground from BTS on favorite sets to politics to emotionally forward conversations. If you’re lost, in a rut or just looking for another stellar title to add to your audio arsenal, you’ve come to the right place. Let’s dive in!

Oprah’s Super Soul - Oprah Winfrey

We know her, we love her, and the dynamic Oprah Winfrey continues to evolve and push interviewing bounds. Super Soul is more or less an adaptation of her inspiration and often a spiritual talk show that ran through the early 2020s. Be prepared to hear some deep conversations if you aren’t already, though we all know it tends to come with the unmistakable Hollywood giant.

Literally! With Rob Lowe - Rob Lowe

The 61-year-old Hollywood vet has wide-ranging conversations with plenty of well-known professionals. Whether it's well-established or rising stars in movies and TV, music or sports, Lowe jumps right in with them. And as a member of The Brat Pack, the pull he has with landing guests is pretty impressive and diverse.

Renegades: Born In The USA - Barak Obama, Bruce Springsteen

Though it only ran for one season and has 8 episodes to its name, the former president and The Boss’ collab rocked. Their conversations consisted of the changing dynamics of the USA through the lens of music, personal happenings, fatherhood and future revitalization. They also share their backstory on how the friendship and pod came to be.

Goop - Gwyneth Paltrow

Paltrow and Goop’s virality continues to regularly break the internet (especially those body-forward scented candles). But the Hollywood A-lister and her empire went to new heights with the addition of their own podcast, which she hosts. Naturally, it dives in holistically to grander topics with today’s ‘brightest thinkers and culture changers’ to dissect the conversation at hand.

Wiser Than Me - Julia Louis-Dreyfus

As always, when Louis-Dreyfus commits to a project, she knocks a role out of the park. One of her most recent titles as host of Wiser Than Me is no different; her interviewing women who are expert veterans in their given career is a true delight. She’s had everyone from Jane Goodall to Jane Fonda, and she’s just getting going.

Good Hang - Amy Poehler

Don’t overlook the Parks & Rec star’s Good Hang, even though it may be one of the newest entries on the list. Poehler’s sunshine bright vibes radiate through the show while she chats with A-list Hollywood names. But the most signature part shines through when she has a mini cameo from a friend of the guest who praises them ahead of the main convo. (If you haven’t seen or know where the viral clip of Rachel Dratch fumbling with headphones on a Zoom, now you do.)

Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend - Conan O’Brien

In the comedian’s corner of the interview world, you can certainly expect his signature smart silliness he has brought to the masses over the decades. But why did he jump into the world? As the title implies, and per his summary, O’Brien realized after years of interviewing celebs, ‘the only people at his holiday party are the men and women who work for him,’ and wanted to change that.

Fly On The Wall - David Spade, Dana Carvey

While not an outright Saturday Night Live podcast, two huge alums, Spade and Carvey, lead this industry-leaning show. The pair has their fair share of guests and covers plenty of Studio 8H lore depending on who’s with them that week. Beyond the sketch show conversations, they often jump into current pop culture, current events and even fan-submitted fare.

Bill Gates And Rashida Jones Ask Big Questions - Bill Gates, Rashida Jones

Gates and Jones came together at the beginning of the pandemic in search of musing about some big questions. Though there are only five episodes, nothing seems off the table, from climate change to the psychology behind lying. But the unexpected co-hosts tackle these larger sociological and worldly topics with intentionality and ease.

The Big Podcast With Shaq - Shaquille O'Neal

The dynamic retired basketball player continues to surprise us with his plays (he just confirmed he was a Swiftie on the Kelces’ pod), and did just that when he kicked off his new podcast network by way of his own. Aptly named, Shaq and co-host Adam Lefkoe, of course, talk sports among themselves and alongside guests, but also hit a range of topics.

Minnie Questions - Minnie Driver

The Good Will Hunting actress’ offering sets up each interview through seven thoughtful questions. Though each question is relatively simple, it’s proven time and again that it unearths quite a conversation. Her therapy session meets fireside chat structure stands apart from other celebrity podcasts since its intention dives into a soulful exploration of life’s questions.

All There Is With Anderson Cooper - Anderson Cooper

While plenty of entries on the list cover an array of subjects from casual conversations, behind-the-scenes Hollywood magic and love and relationships, Cooper dives into loss (which he’s experienced multiple times over since childhood). What started as the beloved CNN news anchor processing the passing of his mother, Gloria Vanderbilt, and the ins and outs that go along with it, has blossomed into something much more. He’s built a safe ground for guests and listeners alike to reflect and process the big topic.

Red Table Talk - Jada Pinkett Smith, Willow Smith, Adrienne Banfield-Norris

The multi-generational, familial women-hosted show has gone viral a few times over since its inception on Facebook. Nothing, as we’ve seen, is off limits in this conversational style show and doesn’t shy away when things get nitty gritty. Though the OG got the axe in 2023, it got going again with no ties to Facebook, and its episode catalog continues to rank with some of the best Hollywood fodder out there today.

The Weekly Show With Jon Stewart - Jon Stewart

The beloved TV host has a podcast that pairs with his regularly scheduled show. The Weekly Show offers a more expansive look into our ever-developing world with notable minds in essential roles across the professional field. If you’re looking for even more Stewart material, he had a short-lived but excellent 2 season show called The Problem with Jon Stewart that dove into topics that were ‘too big for TV.’ With either, you can count on a laugh paired with some big, thought-provoking discussions.

SmartLess - Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, Sean Hayes

SmartLess is like an improv dinner party you weren’t invited to, but somehow snuck into. Each episode brings a surprise guest to the table, and with it comes comedy, curiosity, and the kind of bromantic chaos that three A-listers with zero filters can deliver. It’s part talk show, part therapy session, and all charm—who would’ve guessed the vibe would be achieved by the Michael and Gob Bluth actors with a dash of the Jack McFarland actor.

Armchair Expert - Dax Shepard

Maybe one of the most recognizable and longstanding on the list, Shepard started his series in 2018. Though the premise is relatively simple in terms of chatting with well-known faces, things can go deep quickly. The CHiPs alum has had ex-costars like Lauren Graham, incidentally spill about Parenthood peer, Mae Whitman’s baby daddy, and Oscar-nominated stars like Michelle Williams reflect about her late ex-partner, Heath Ledger. Needless to say, there’s a lot to work with here (and a 300+ episode backlog to sift through).

Office Ladies - Angela Kinsey and Jenna Fischer

Of course, there was bound to be at least one rewatch pod in the bunch, and with The Office ranking as one of the best sitcoms ever, it’s a natural pick to include. Kinsey (who played Angela Martin/Lipton/Schrute) and Fischer (who played Pam Beesly Halpert) recount excellent tidbits and memories as they rewatch the NBC classic while hosting Dunder Mifflin cast and crew members.

Life Is Short - Justin Long

First and foremost, I’ve got to give the Jeepers Creepers actor’s name for his show is A+ play on words (specifically short and long). But, behind the small chuckle the title of the pod offers is a surprisingly poignant base for Long and his brother, who co-hosts the show. The siblings jump in the deep end with their guests and discuss all there is about life, which includes everything from emojis to their perspective on life.

LeVar Burton Reads - LeVar Burton

Fiction lovers and previous PBS Kids unite! The beloved Reading Rainbow star’s pod is a modern-day take on the classic 26-year run show, but now catered toward adults. Short form stories are the main genre he dives into each week, and the whole thing feels just like a little bit of a time machine, for those who tuned in regularly to RR.

New Heights - Jason, Travis Kelce

No, I’m not talking about their mom, Donna Kelce, landing a spot on S4 of The Traitors US, but it’s worth mentioning. The NFL family show is full of BTS looks into being brothers while also playing football professionally. They also often go out of bounds of the shared ground and discuss everything from pop culture to UFOs.

The High Life - Ricki Lake

The former television host is getting back to her roots with The High Life. And while she still has plenty of Tinseltown names as guests, the focus with her offering is health and wellness. Nothing is off the table within the larger landscape; she hits everything from menopause to energy healing.

Las Culturistas - Bowen Yang, Matt Rogers

In case you’d like to know, this is my ride or die pick of the list. The college besties-turned-Hollywood-darling co-hosts have amassed a cult turned mainstream following thanks to culture catch-ups, regular bits they have A-list guests participate in (what sparked their interest in culture and their wry ‘I Don’t Think So Honey!’ critique of something) and their own award show. Clearly, I could go on about it, but if you need more proof, Tina Fey’s iconic advice to Yang speaks to why we, ‘readers, kayteighs, publicists, finalists and kyles,’ love it all.

WTF With Marc Maron - Marc Maron

The rough around the edges comedian and actor’s podcast is one of the most well-known celebrity series. As a blueprint of public figures' iterations to come, Maron got started in 2009 after his radio show got canned. In the decade-plus he’s been at it, he hosted writers, directors, comedians, actors and many more in the typical style that is commonplace today. But, heads up, he just announced his show will end this fall, so don’t miss out!

Podcrushed - Penn Badgley, Nava Kavelin, Sophie Ansari

The Gossip Girl alum’s shared show isn’t a far cry from the hit teen series fodder. They’ve just spun the clock a little further back to schoolyard drama and middle school crushes. Badgley, alongside Kavelin and Ansari, takes on listeners' stories, reads them and explores all the ins and outs of starting to grow up (and all the turmoil that tags along).

Broad Ideas - Rachel Bilson, Olivia Allen

While you may know of Bilson’s other pod, Beyond The O.C., involving ex-castmate Melinda Clarke, Broad Ideas includes her longtime bestie, Olivia Allen. The new duo essentially cover any ground two girlfriends would in any given conversation (mental health to ghosts are promised). But hosting a new guest to join in on the fun each week brings it to the next level.

The Mess Around With Hannah And Lamorne - Lamorne Morris, Hannah Simone

If you know anything about where these two co-hosts met, you can probably guess this is a New Girl rewatch series. And if you know that, you probably know they played CeCe and Winston (Bishop), respectively, and the title comes from a bit that the characters shared. Also, plenty of past cast and crew come through to reminisce about all the shenanigans that went down in 4D.

Films To Be Buried With With Brett Goldstein - Brett Goldstein

Though he’s still relatively new to the scene, the Ted Lasso star is hitting it big (and is now on Shrinking). With that success, his unique corner of the recording studio has only found more success. And while the title of Goldstein’s show is pretty straightforward and self-explanatory, it has me hooked. I think it’s safe to say he’s just getting started.

At Your Service - Dua Lipa

While I haven’t actually listened to the singer and actress’ show, it may be the hidden gem on the list. Heading into her third season, she continues to host a slew of knockout guests, and her collection of candid conversations runs the gamut of interesting fare. Everything from psychedelics to running Apple.

Getting Better With Jonathan Van Ness - Jonathan Van Ness

Ever since being introduced as the current generation’s hair & grooming lead on Queer Eye, JVN has been stealing the show as they help build up others. By natural curiosity and the drive to learn, the Getting Better podcast helps them grow and build spaces to learn even more. The weekly episodic content comes in all shapes and sizes–from finance lessons to discourse on culture, they’ve got it covered.

Why Won’t You Date Me? - Nicole Byer

The Nailed It! host is also a pro-podcaster. If you go looking for Byer’s love and relationship pod, you may find quite a slew aside from the aforementioned one (Best Friends!, 90 Day Bae and Newcomers). But this humorously titled one is the most well-known and long-standing one, where she has everyone from friends and experts to an occasional ex or two dish all about dating and love.

Lovett Or Leave It - Jon Lovett

While Jon Lovett’s beginnings aren’t traditional Hollywood standards material, the comedian was a former speech writer for Barack Obama. From there, he and fellow Obama peers (Dan Pfeiffer, Tommy Vietor and Jon Favreau–not to be confused with the A-lister) then co-hosted Pod Save America. His newest show is a hybrid of political news mixed with fun, well-known guests, and a bit of shenanigans all tied into one, always providing a laugh.

The Bald And The Beautiful - Trixie Mattel And Katya Zamolodchikova

One of RuPaul’s Drag Race’s biggest winners, Trixie and ride or die fellow queen, Katya, have taken the world by storm together. After meeting on season 7, they quickly went on their way to make creative projects together, starting with their viral cult followed series, UNHhhh, to their aptly titled pod. It’s a lot of the same banter, just funneled into discussing pop culture and Tinseltown-leaning topics.

As the 2025 movie schedule continues to unfold, Paul Rudd fans have reason to be excited. Currently, Death of a Unicorn has the comedian/MCU Avenger squaring off in a darkly comic creature feature, and his upcoming picture, Friendship, seems to be just as off-kilter. So we should all be preparing for the two most popular Rudd-tastic memes to resurface on the internet: that disgustingly viral Ant-Man vs. Thanos theory from Avengers: Endgame, and the fact that the man is apparently ageless, as recently mentioned by Jon Stewart.

When it comes to The Daily Show’s Paul Rudd interview, Jon Stewart makes the claim yet again that Rudd is older than he is. But that’s something I have to apologize for debunking up front, as that claim is 100% false. Unless of course there is some sort of Endgame style time travel involved, in which case anything can happen.

Before we get to the facts though, let’s not let them get in the way of a good joke. Here now, in pictorial form, is Stewart’s favorite joke involving Paul Rudd:

That’s not even the weirdest thing to come out of this Daily Show interview, as the clip’s title on YouTube is only a slight indication of just wild it truly gets. But, for those of you who got a good laugh at Jenna Ortega roasting Paul Rudd during a recent Death of a Unicorn interview, this sort of humor is definitely up your alley.

Which will make the facts I’m about to lay out all the easier to stomach. Those still poring over Rudd’s Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire appearance may be shook to learn that the New Jersey-born star will be turning 56 on his next birthday, which is in a few weeks. The November-born Jon Stewart, on the other hand, is 62 at the time of this publication.

Depending on who you ask, seven years may not be a huge age gap. At least, that’s what you’d probably hear if half of the pair you’re comparing wasn’t Paul “Ol’ Ageless” Rudd.

On the more serious side of things, Paul Rudd’s personal health routine is an actual key to keeping the Avengers: Doomsday star in fighting shape. Which will be very handy when it comes to facing off against Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom. Though I don’t care how fit the man is, without those Pym Particles it’ll be impossible to fit in that prank-sized directors chair shown off during Doomsday’s epic cast reveal.

Jon Stewart and other media personalities know how to play up a gag, and his joke inaccurately claiming Paul Rudd is older than he proves that point rather well. By the time the massive Marvel two-parter hits over 2026 and 2027, we’ll probably see at least two more interviews where Stewart and Rudd make each other laugh. I can imagine them trading fictional birthdays and dropping other wild punchlines involving Ant-Man's powers potentially maiming evil doers at a moment's notice.

The Daily Show viewers have gotten used to seeing Jon Stewart host the comedy program once a week on the 2024 TV schedule, usually on Mondays, but sometimes on other nights if there are special circumstances. Stewart’s return after nearly a decade away followed after a year of the Comedy Central series cycling through guests hosts and correspondents sitting behind the anchor desk, with the latter still happening. However, there was a time when Hasan Minhaj was being lined up to become The Daily Show’s next permanent host, and the comedian revealed what Stewart told him when the gig fell through.

Following his original tenure on The Daily Show as a correspondent from 2014 to 2018, word came in during summer 2023 that Minhaj was the frontrunner to take over as host from Trevor Noah, who departed in December 2022. However, following a controversy involving his standup routine, this plan was scrapped, and while Minhaj was obviously disappointed about this turn of events, he shared with Esquire that Stewart encouraged him to “make something hilarious” from this unfortunate professional experience:

In case you’re unfamiliar, a month it was reported that Comedy Central was courting Hasan Minhaj to be Trevor Noah’s successor on The Daily Show (and we later learned that the deal was “all but done by late summer”), a New Yorker article was published claiming that Minhaj had either embellished or simply made up stories for his standup act. Minhaj described the story as “needlessly misleading” and posted a video in late October responding to the publication’s allegations. By that point, though, Minhaj was reportedly “suddenly seen to be a liability,” and the search for Noah’s replacement widened again.

Jon Stewart was among a handful of comedians who Hasan Minhaj spoke to after all this went down, with others including Mike Birbiglia, Ray Youssef and John Mulaney. Here’s what he had to say about his phone call with Stewart:

Ironically, it ended up benefitting Jon Stewart since things falling through with Hasan Minhaj paved the way for him to return to his old Daily Show stomping grounds on a part-time basis. Minhaj even joked in May about how he ended up saving a “dying institution.” Although things didn’t work out for him on The Daily Show, he certainly isn’t struggling to same in the spotlight. Along with his continued comedy work, Minhaj most recently starred opposite Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni in It Ends With Us, and he’ll be seen playing a tech CEO as a member of the Tron: Ares cast, which opens October 10 on the 2025 movies schedule.

Meanwhile, The Daily Show continues to air Monday-Thursday at 11 pm ET on Comedy Central, with episodes becoming available to stream afterwards with a Paramount+ subscription. Jon Stewart will continue his part-time hosting for the rest of the year, but it remains to be seen if a new permanent host will finally be selected in 2025 or if the series will continue cycling through various people.

When Jon Stewart exited The Daily Show back in 2015, it was naturally assumed that we’d never see him behind that particular anchor desk ever again. But back in February, Stewart returned to the Comedy Central series to resume hosting on Monday nights on the 2024 TV schedule. This surprising move followed a few months after it had been reported that former Daily Show correspondent Hasan Minhaj was the frontrunner to become the new host. The comedian has now joked about him losing out on that gig led to Stewart returning, resulting in him saving “a dying institution.”

Hasan Minhaj hosted a showcase of various comedians at the Netflix is a Joke comedy festival on Thursday (via Variety), which included current Daily Show correspondent Ronny Chieng, who joked, “I’m surprised that Hasan’s able to do this show. I guess ‘cancelling’ is not what it used to be.” Minhaj stood in the audience and amusingly heckled Chieng, joking about him of planting the story that led to him failing to secure The Daily Show hosting job. He then said:

For context, in September 2023, a New Yorker article about Minhaj was published that accused him of embellishing stories he told in his standup acts. This article was published shortly after the report about Minhaj being seriously considered to become The Daily Show’s new host, and as was later shared, the deal for him to take the job had been “all but done by late summer.” However, the combination of the controversy from the article and both the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes sidelining plans to usher in the new Daily Show host by that September resulted in the plans to bring Minhaj aboard being scrapped.

Hasan Minhaj would later upload a video in October responding to The New Yorker’s allegations and breaking down what he found “needlessly misleading” from it, but by that point, he was reportedly “suddenly seen to be a liability.” Then by late January 2024, Jon Stewart was announced to return, and in a way, Minhaj is correct that he indirectly played a role in The Daily Show’s current success. Stewart’s first episode back, which aired on February 12, netted more than 3 million viewers in Nielsen’s Live+3 numbers, and was #1 across all cable. This was the show’s highest viewership since Stewart’s “last” episode in 2015, and in the weeks since, his Monday episodes have continued to perform well in viewership.

So while it’s a shame that Hasan Minhaj didn’t get to become The Daily Show’s new permanent host as expected, at least he can poke fun at what happened and boldly “claim” about how he paved the way for Jon Stewart to come back and breathe new life into the series. Episodes of The Daily Show can be streamed with a Paramount+ subscription following their Comedy Central airing, and after Stewart’s latest tenure finishes, we’ll let you know what the new hosting plan for the series ends up being.

While there was once a time when a new permanent host of The Daily Show was supposed to be sitting behind the anchor desk by this point (apparently Hasan Minhaj came close to landing the job), that obviously still hasn’t happened. Instead, Jon Stewart has returned to the Comedy Central program to host on Mondays through the election year, and the remainder of the week is hosted by one of the show’s correspondents. Stewart, of course, previously hosted The Daily Show from 1999 to 2015 to great success, and his return to his old stomping grounds comes following the end of his Apple TV+ series The Problem with Jon Stewart after just two seasons.

At the time of this writing, it’s been five weeks since Stewart’s new run on The Daily Show (which can be streamed with a Paramount+ subscription) began. So how are things going so far? That’s what we’re here to break down, both in terns of the public’s thoughts and hard numbers. Starting off, though, I need to give my two cents on the subject.

My Thoughts

I began watching The Daily Show with regularity in 2006, meaning Jon Stewart was a integral part of my TV-viewing life for nearly a decade. He was one of my favorite comedic talents in my high school and college years, with his brand of humor easily rubbing off on me, and I’ll fully admit that I got a little emotional watching the final episode of his original tenure back on August 6, 2015. So I was pretty excited to learn in January that Stewart was returning to host on a part-time basis, although I still think the show should finally hire a new, full-time host in 2025.

So far, I’ve been impressed with how Stewart’s been performing on Monday nights. Even after having been gone from The Daily Show almost a decade, it feels like old times, and he hasn’t missed a beat.  That’s not to say I agree with everything he has to say politically, but the man is still a maestro when it comes to mixing humor with insightful commentary on current events. I welcome seeing the correspondents continue to guest host, but I wouldn’t mind if Stewart decided he wanted to host an additional night each week.

What Fans Are Saying

Still, I’m just one person; what do others think about Jon Stewart’s return to The Daily Show? You’re welcome to look around online to see what various TV critics have written on the subject, but as far as general chatter on social media goes, well, that depends on where you align politically. There are certainly plenty of people who are enjoying Stewart being back too, whereas others aren’t too jazzed about it, whether it’s because they align more conservatively or they already disagree with one or more of his positions that he’s talked about over the last few weeks. Here are some examples:

• @nscarlet360: The only place where I can laugh about Trump now is the daily show. You Jon Stewart know how to please the audience! If I was to hear Trump‘s voice anywhere else…
• @omwfeeling: As lame as 'reboots' tend to be, Jon Stewart is absolutely killing it hosting The Daily Show again. I'm finding it hilarious, insightful and incredibly cathartic in this absurd election year.
• @awaisqazi95: So Jon Stewart really saw the pushback to his return to the Daily Show and fell in line. A whole monologue to say “the bad guys are bad” without any reflection on our current leadership…really fell off. Lost his courage.
• @keystonepolitic: I love the daily show what a great show Jon Stewart is a legend
• @MikeGibson83643: Who the F is Jon Stewart anyway….i thought that daily show guy retired years ago. Just go back away!

Comedy is subjective, especially when it’s politically-oriented, so it’s not like Jon Stewart’s Daily Show return was ever going to be welcomed across the spectrum. Still, overall it seems like there are more positive thoughts over him back back then negative ones, so it’s safe to say he’s off to a good start on the critical front.

The Ratings

Reception is one thing, but what about the stats about the people watching? Well, as far as being tuning into the main broadcasts go, Jon Stewart’s return on February 12 was quite strong, with Deadline reporting that the episode averaged more than 3 million viewers in Nielsen’s Live+3 numbers, and was #1 across all cable. For comparison, according to THR, Trevor Noah’s final episode of The Daily Show received 441,500 viewers. It’s also worth noting that accounting for three-day DVR playback, Jon Stewart’s final Daily Show episode from 2015 netted 5.1 million viewers, per Variety. But hey, that was arguably a bigger special occasion and from a time when streaming wasn’t as big a deal, so that bigger figure is to be expected.

Stewart is also looping more viewers to The Daily Show on Mondays compared to the rest of the week. For example, the March 4th episode was watched by roughly 918,000 viewers, as shared by SpoilerTV, whereas the rest of the week, which was hosted by correspondent Ronny Chieng, landed 420,000 on Tuesday, 479,000 on Wednesday and 423,000 on Thursday. Stewart’s latest episode, i.e. March 11, collected 970,000 viewers.

So overall, it’s fair to say that Jon Stewart second go-around at The Daily Show has gotten off to a strong start, and we have a lot more to look forward to from him. At the very least, we can expect him to stay behind the anchor desk until the week of Monday, November 4, though with Election Day happening the day after, I imagine Stewart will make an exception and appear on the Tuesday episode too. But given that The Daily Show takes off for the rest of the year in early-mid December, don’t be surprised if Stewart sticks around for the year’s final episodes too.

After that, Comedy Central will either have to renew its efforts to search for a new permanent Daily Show host or keep this long guest host run going longer without Jon Stewart involved. Either way, we’ll keep passing along updates on how things are going at The Daily Show amidst our coverage of other programming on the 2024 TV schedule.

The man who made The Daily Show a cultural phenomenon has returned. Jon Stewart, who left the political satire show in 2015, is now back hosting the Comedy Central show on Mondays until it nails down a permanent host. His return was welcomed with open arms, and now some of his peers are reflecting on what Jon Stewart’s Daily Show meant for their own projects. Among those peers is Seth Meyers who recently admitted to feeling indebted to the comedian due to the heavy amount of influence he had on Late Night with Seth Meyers.  

Meyers recently sat down with The Hollywood Reporter to talk about Late Night as the show approaches its 10th anniversary. The talk show host reflected on how the show has evolved since its debut in 2014, and how he feels about his future behind the desk. He also doled out praise to his fellow hosts, including Jon Stewart, who the SNL vet feels set a precedent for late-night hosts that infused political satire into their shows. Speaking to this point, Meyers said:SNL alum said: 

Many have praised Jon Stewart for what he did on The Daily Show during his tenure, and the show is responsible in many ways for the careers of comedians like Stephen Colbert and John Oliver. Both have taken after Stewart with their scathing, but also very funny, commentary on politics and problems affecting our world today. Meyers has done the same, with segments like "A Closer Look," which have given the host an opportunity to take a deep dive into a particular issue and insert his own commentary. 

Meyers, as well as Oliver and Colbert, certainly have their own voices, but the Stewart influence can not be denied. 

Having Stewart return to The Daily Show reminded me of the razor-sharp wit that helped Americans process the most complex political and social issues, and his return has been met with praise. Some have expressed a desire for the show to find a permanent host, but it doesn’t seem like Comedy Central feels the need to officially replace Trevor Noah anytime soon. 

One can not deny that even in the short amount of time Stewart has been back on air, he has demonstrated why he is so beloved. Meyers is also happy to have him back, and he has seen the show since his return, saying:

Since the cancellation of The Problem with Jon Stewart on AppleTV+, it seems like the host has no reason to give up the Monday slot, so fans can look forward to seeing the host every week for a while. As for Seth Meyers, his late-night show will likely continue long past its ten-year anniversary celebration. His show remains unique, taking satirical influence from Stewart, and injecting some of the formal techniques Meyers learned from his time at SNL to make the traditional format his own. He may have been influenced by Jon Stewart, but many voices in the future will likely take their influence from Seth Meyers and his impact on the culture. 

You can check out Jon Stewart’s return to The Daily Show on Mondays at 11 p.m. ET on Comedy Central, with episodes being available the next day to stream for Paramount+ subscribers. Additionally, you can see Seth Meyers host Late Night on weekdays at 12:35 p.m. ET on NBC. If you miss an episode from the 2024 TV schedule, the talk show is also available to stream with a Peacock subscription. 

Hosting the Academy Awards is a tough gig, and it’s not for the faint of heart. However, these ten Oscar hosts stand out as some of the best to emcee one of the biggest nights in Hollywood. Spanning back over 90 years, many have hosted the iconic award show, but these are the top ten of the bunch.

10. Jimmy Kimmel

Hosting in 2017, 2018, 2023 and 2024, Jimmy Kimmel has proved himself as a formidable frontman for The Oscars. While the late-night host has called hosting “a fucking nightmare,” there’s no denying that he’s good at it, and he knows how to handle all the ups and downs of this ceremony. I mean, he is the man who had to deal with the La La Land and Moonlight fiasco. Now, Kimmel is hosting for the fourth time, emceeing the night for the 2024 Oscar nominees, and I’m sure this consistent king will kill it.  

9.  Jon Stewart 

While Jon Stewart hosted The Daily Show for 16 years (and recently came back to lead the Comedy Central hit), he also took a spin at hosting the Oscars in 2006 and 2008. During his first year leading the ceremony, they did a skethc where multiple of the hosts mentioned on this list turned down the job, and eventually they landed on Stewart.

Well, I’m happy they did, because he used his satirical humor, which is typically used to poke fun at politics, to make the Academy Awards audience laugh. Then he was asked back in 2008, where he used his talents to address the ‘08 writers’ strike in a funny, yet hard-hitting way while honoring that year's winners.

8. Chris Rock

Long before Will Smith slapped Chris Rock and that took over the internet, the stand-up comedian hosted the Academy Awards, and his work was met with love. Hosting in 2005 and 2016 – where he took on the #OscarsSoWhite controversy with lots of jokes and gusto – the actor brought his signature confident comedic style to the biggest stage in movies, calling out the people in Hollywood who hold the power while also making the crowd and viewers laugh.

7.  Steve Martin

We’re all aware of the fact that Steve Martin is one of the best to ever host Saturday Night Live. It turns out those skills are transferable, because he was also a fabulous Oscars host in 2001, 2003 and 2010 (when he co-hosted with Alec Baldwin). Beloved for his silly goofy movies and TV shows, Martin brought that energy to the Oscars stage as he helped lead the evening and make fun of the night’s nominees. 

6. Johnny Carson

Johnny Carson is undoubtedly one of, if not the best late-night host ever. However, he’s also a formidable Oscar host, unsurprisingly. The longtime host of The Tonight Show led the Academy Awards five times – in 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982 and 1984. Poking fun at the nominated movies and himself, Carson brought the charm we knew and loved from late-night, and he used it to emcee the ceremony mastefully.

5. Hugh Jackman

What else is there to say, he “is Hugh Jackman,” and he brought all his charm, wit, good looks and dancing shoes to the 2009 Oscars. Best known at the time for being Wolverine, Jackman reminded everyone that he’s also a wickedly talented song-and-dance man, and his homemade opening number (which featured Anne Hathaway!) was super fun, bubbly and very memorable. 

It’s also worth noting that this gig helped Jackman land The Greatest Showman, which is one of Jackman's most beloved movies. 

4.  Ellen DeGeneres 

While Ellen DeGeneres hosted The Oscars for the first time in 2007, she cemented herself as one of the best when she led the ceremony in 2014. Along with a solid monologue and great quips, the big reason why the former talk show host is known as a great Academy Awards host is because of that epic Oscars selfie she orchestrated that broke the internet. 

3. Bob Hope

The first televised Academy Awards aired in 1953, and it was hosted by comedy legend Bob Hope, who had emceed the evening six other times before that. To this day he holds the record for hosting the most, as he’s helmed the show a whopping 19 times (radio: 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1954 and 1956, and televised: 1953, 1955, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1975 and 1978). 

Throughout his run hosting the Oscars, Hope shared the job with other legends, including Frank Sinatra, Jerry Lewis, Jack Lemmon and more. He also led the show by himself 14 times. It can be argued that he set the precedent for what is expected from an Academy Awards host, and let’s just say he set the bar very high. 

2. Whoopi Goldberg

Hosting The Oscars four times in 1994, 1996, 1999 and 2002, Whoopi Goldberg won over audiences with her charm and wicked sense of humor. Along with some of Goldberg’s best movies making a splash at the ceremony – like The Color Purple and Ghost – the actress and comedian also made her mark by hosting. The Academy Award winner is remembered for her over-the-top outfits, like the Moulin Rouge! outfit she wore in 2002 or the Queen Elizabeth I costume from 1999, and that mixed with her incredibly smart comedic style made her a great choice for the hosting job. 

1. Billy Crystal

Billy Crystal hosted the Oscars nine times (1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2004 and 2012), and there’s a reason he was asked back over and over again. 

For example, in 1997, he interacted with Yoda, and in 1998, he entered on the Titanic, and then proceeded to introduce the night’s nominees through song. The year 2000 brought a bit about looking back at 100 years of film, and 2004’s ceremony featured parodies of movies like Something’s Gotta Give and Seabiscuit. 

All this is to say that Billy Crystal’s best moments hosting the Oscars are some of the best overall, and that’s why he is number one on our list.

Overall, there have been so many legends to lead us through the Academy Awards, and from Billy Crystal to Whoopi Goldberg to Jimmy Kimmel and more, they all deserve their flowers. 

In 2015, Jon Stewart departed The Daily Show after 16 years, but now he’s back in his old stomping grounds. It was announced in late January that Stewart will host the Comedy Central program on Mondays through the election year, as well as executive produce. Naturally this news excited many people who enjoyed the man’s original tenure, and in addition to reflecting on his return to The Daily Show, Stewart revealed the one thing that didn’t work out so well the first time around.

On the subject of if it’s fair to say he’s “hoping to have an influence on politics” during his second round hosting The Daily Show, Jon Stewart started off during this segment of his CBS Mornings interview by saying he’s hoping to have a “catharsis,” a way to “comment on things” and express these comments in a way that people hopefully “enjoy.” He continued:

While I don’t necessarily agree with Jon Stewart that The Daily Show wasn’t influential when he was sitting behind the anchor’s desk, he’s certainly correct he’s done more when it comes to spreading direct influence since leaving the show, including advocating for 9/11 first responders. So while Stewart’s second go-around at hosting comes during an especially important election year, he doesn’t expect that he’ll be more influential this time around given his past experience. Rather, his latest Daily Show hosting stint will continue with amplifying the voices of the people doing the hard work spreading awareness for their various causes… and, you know, do so in funny ways.

Jon Stewart’s return to The Daily Show comes several months after Apple TV+ cancelled The Problem with Jon Stewart, which reportedly stemmed from the host and his team getting into “creative disagreements” with the company over certain topics they wanted to cover. Regarding The Daily Show, following Trevor Noah’s departure in late 2022 after seven years of hosting, 2023 featured a rotating lineup of guests hosts, and originally the plan was to hire a new permanent host by the end of the year. Hasan Minhaj reportedly came close to landing the gig, but those plans fell through by autumn. So now with Jon Stewart hosting Mondays and correspondents/previous guests hosts holding down the fort for the rest of the week, it won’t be until 2025 that the search for a new permanent host resumes.

The Daily Show airs new episodes Monday through Thursday at 11 p.m. ET on Comedy Central. Revisit old episodes with your Paramount+ subscription, and remember to use the 2024 TV schedule to check out what others shows are currently on or arriving soon.

Earlier this week, it was announced that Jon Stewart is returning to The Daily Show to host on Monday nights through the election year, as well as executive produce. Between this and the Comedy Central program’s various correspondents hosting Tuesday through Thursday, this means that the search for a permanent host following Trevor Noah’s exit in December 2022 has been pushed back for roughly another year. That said, more details have now emerged about close Hasan Minhaj came to landing the host gig prior to Stewart’s recruitment. 

Minhaj, who was a correspondent on The Daily Show from 2014 to 2018, and guest hosted on the week of February 27, 2023, was reportedly the frontrunner to succeed Noah at the beginning of August 2023. According to THR, the deal for him to become the new host was “all but done by late summer,” and had the hiring gone through, this would have marked Minhaj’s return the TV talk show host space following the cancellation of his Netflix show Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj in 2020. So what went wrong?

Well, for one thing, both the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes sidelined plans to relaunch The Daily Show with a new host in September 2023. However, regarding Minhaj specifically, the comedian was hit with controversy that very month when a New Yorker article was published claiming that he’d embellished or simply made up stories for his standup act. Minhaj described the story “needlessly misleading” to THR shortly thereafter, and on October 26, 2023, he uploaded a detailed video response to The New Yorker’s allegations.

By that point though, Hasan Minhaj was “suddenly seen to be a liability,” resulting in the search for the new Daily Show host widening again. Kal Penn, another guest host from 2023, was also reportedly under heavy consideration for the job around the same time Minhaj’s was said to be the top choice, and Variety has said that “executives tried to interest” John Mulaney in becoming the new permanent host. Meanwhile, correspondent Roy Wood Jr. departed The Daily Show last October once it became clear he wouldn’t be offered the hosting job, and he was seen during the Emmys broadcast earlier this month mouthing, “Please hire a host.”

Which brings us to January 24, when Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios CEO Chris McCarthy brought Jon Stewart out to The Daily Show’s staff, and the public learned about this status quo change immediately afterwards. Even ahead of the Stewart news, it was reported that The Daily Show would “rely heavily” on its team of correspondents throughout 2024. Following the 2024 election, we’ll just have to wait and see how Comedy Central intends to handle the host situation in 2025. Who knows, maybe by that point they’ll be willing to consider Hasan Minhaj again if the controversy is no being talked about.

Jon Stewart’s new run on The Daily Show kicks off Monday, February 12. Revisit past episodes with a Paramount+ subscription, and scan through the 2024 TV schedule to learn what other programming is coming up.

The Daily Show still does not know who will take over for Trevor Noah full-time, which is a problem. However, fans of the Comedy Central series did get some great news when it was announced that Jon Stewart will be returning to the anchor's chair to lead the program on Mondays.

Now, this news about Stewart is fantastic, and I can't wait to see the longtime host of The Daily Show back behind the news desk. However, we seriously need to pick a full-time host people, we've been waiting for a very long time.

Jon Stewart Is Returning To Host The Monday Episodes Of The Daily Show 

Following months and months of searching and temporary hosts after Trevor Noah left The Daily Show in 2022, Comedy Central decided to bring back Jon Stewart to lead the series on Monday nights throughout the 2024 TV schedule, and he's set to executive produce too. According to Variety, along with leading the Monday episodes through the election year, there's also potential for him to extend his "oversight role" through 2025.

President and CEO of Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios Chris McCarthy commented on Stewart’s return, saying:

Along with this very formal statement, Jon Stewart took to X to share his on-brand and humorous thoughts about the news, writing:

Considering Stewart’s long history with The Daily Show – he started leading it in 1999 and left in 2015 with Trevor Noah taking over the hosting gig next – and the fact that his show The Problem with Jon Stewart ended last November, this is massive news. And I’m sure fans of the series are stoked to have him back; I know I am. 

However, hosting on Mondays, so who will be behind the desk the rest of the week, and when will we finally get a permanent host?

While This Is Exciting, The Daily Show Really Needs To Pick A Full-Time Host

Along with Jon Stewart returning for Monday episodes, it’s been reported that The Daily Show will also rely on its correspondents and previous guest hosts to make their episodes. Of course, it’s fun to see the longtime cast taking on a new challenge on the Comedy Central staple. However, for decades, this series has been led by one person, and it feels really odd that no one has been hired yet.

There have been whispers about Noah’s successor though. At one point it was alleged that Hasan Minhaj could take over The Daily Show. Then, it was reported that Kal Penn was in the running to take over. However, there’s been no serious movement when it comes to actually hiring a new face for the iconic series.

As a fan who was introduced to both Stewart and Noah through The Daily Show, I’d love to see a comedian get the chance to find the success they have. It’s nice to see a familiar face night after night on TV, and I’m truly stoked that we’ll get that on Mondays as the iconic Jon Stewart comes back. But, his comeback is not permanent. I would love them to find someone who will lead every episode of the series for the foreseeable future and bring us into a new era of The Daily Show.

Jon Stewart will begin hosting the Monday shows starting on February 12. While he does that, which is very exciting might I add, I'll be waiting for The Daily Show to pick a full-time host, and watching reruns of his and Trevor Noah’s episodes with a Paramount+ subscription.

Some of the best talk show hosts have been celebrities, and vice versa, throughout the history of this celebrated medium. However, that doesn’t mean just anyone can hold the desk equally. Keep that in mind as you take in this list of famous celebs who tried to make a talk show happen, but just couldn’t hold their own.

Regis Philbin - The Regis Philbin Show - 1981 - 1982

Throughout the history of Regis Philbin's best movie appearances, as well as his career as a legendary talk show host, the man made a name for himself as someone who knew how to talk to people. But even with his resume of success bookending The Regis Philbin Show's 1981-1982 run, there was still room to learn as this short-lived endeavor proved.

Alan Thicke - Thicke Of The Night - 1983 - 1984

Could Alan Thicke have made Thicke of the Night last under more ideal circumstances? Maybe, but then again, any show that tried to take on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson kind of deserved to be put through the wringer. On the plus side, Thicke wasn’t too far off from starring in Growing Pains, where he’d show us his smile again.

Joan Rivers - The Late Show - 1986 - 1988

Joan Rivers’ “permanent guest host” status on Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show was exactly why the comedy icon landed her own series, The Late Show. Directly competing with that NBC landmark in a live program for the Fox network, this albatross supposedly ended the long friendship between Rivers and Carson.

Pat Sajak - The Pat Sajak Show - 1989 - 1990

Being a game show host isn’t the same as being a talk show host. Just ask game show icon Pat Sajak, whose own attempts at crossover success with The Pat Sajak Show never landed. Low ratings took this show out of commission, with Sajak not even hosting the final episode of his own show. After which point the only gaffes Pat would witness were those made on Wheel of Fortune.

Dennis Miller - The Dennis Miller Show - 1992

Sometimes talk shows fail because of not playing to the right audience. In the case of SNL vet Dennis Miller, we would see him flourish through HBO’s Dennis Miller Live program between 1994 and 2002. However, the syndication market didn’t exactly pick up on the man’s unique vibe, which is more than likely why The Dennis Miller Show never made it out of 1992.

Chevy Chase - The Chevy Chase Show - 1993

One of the most infamous late-night flameouts of all time, The Chevy Chase Show saw the SNL comedy legend trying to compete in the late-night wars on behalf of the fledgling Fox network. Not only did Chase’s show fail, but it was the continuation of a long-standing curse that TV titan still encounters to this day.

Jon Stewart - The Jon Stewart Show - 1993 - 1995

"Cancellation should not be confused with failure." David Letterman imparted those words to Jon Stewart as The Jon Stewart Show was literally canceled the day of that very interview. An unsuccessful jump from MTV to syndication could be the major factor that was to blame, though Letterman’s words eventually rang true when Stewart went on to become The Daily Show’s longtime host in 1999. 

Charles Grodin - The Charles Grodin Show - 1995-1998

Charles Grodin’s expertise in playing a curmudgeon made him a popular guest on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. So one could think placing that energy behind the desk would be a recipe for success, and that’s what CNBC had hoped when debuting The Charles Grodin Show. Twenty-six episodes later, that assumption was tested, and proven false.

Keenen Ivory Wayans - The Keenen Ivory Wayans Show - 1997 - 1998

With the magnetism that propelled him to success in movies and with TV’s In Living Color, surely Keenen Ivory Wayans had the juice to turn late night on its head, right? Nope. Lasting only a few short months, The Keenen Ivory Wayans Show was out like a flash. Judging by Keenen’s claims that he wasn’t really given the free reign he’d expected with the series, it’s no surprise why.

Magic Johnson - The Magic Hour - 1998

Eight weeks was all it took for NBA legend Magic Johnson to flame out on the talk show circuit. The Magic Hour was anything but, with critics clearly not digging the man’s style when it came to holding court on TV. Save for an infamous episode with one of his staunchest critics, Howard Stern, there wasn’t much enchantment to be found here.

Martin Short - The Martin Short Show - 1999 - 2000

The bad news is that certified comedy legend Martin Short didn’t last very long as the host of The Martin Short Show. However, the silver lining to be had is the fact that this short engagement in the land of talk shows did give us one of his most memorable characters, as this was the launching pad for one Jiminy Glick. 

Queen Latifah - The Queen Latifah Show - 1999 - 2001/2013 - 2015

Sometimes it all comes down to timing and ratings, both of which seemed to be the death knell for The Queen Latifah Show in its two separate incarnations. The 1999-2001 run could be seen as ahead of its time, while the 2013-2015 run saw a promising start leading to declining ratings. 

Wayne Brady - The Wayne Brady Show - 2001 - 2004

It’s still hard to believe that the charming and quick-witted Wayne Brady couldn’t make it in daytime talk. Though the Let’s Make A Deal host is doing quite well for himself now, The Wayne Brady Show was a bit of a stumbling block on his career path. Luckily, right before the show went off the air, Wayne’s infamous Chappelle's Show sketch went to air, and it gave him a win that overshadowed the whole business.

Zach Galifianakis - Late World with Zach - 2002

Zach Galifianakis’ Late World with Zach on MTV is a particularly notable example of what happens when a talent like this Hangover star lands at the wrong time. All of the ingredients were there, as MTV let Zach be Zach; but people weren’t clued into the gag just yet, because many of Galifianakis' best movies weren't out yet. By the time Between Two Ferns kicked off though, the world was ready, and a confrontational legend was born.

Caroline Rhea - The Caroline Rhea Show - 2002 - 2003

When a notable talk show host leaves, there’s always the question of who carries on their legacy of schtick. As The Rosie O’Donnell Show came to a close, Caroline Rhea’s talk show, The Caroline Rhea Show, attempted to pass that torch to the Sabrina the Teenage Witch legend. The networks, and audiences, were not exactly supportive, and after 195 episodes, it was no more.

Sharon Osbourne - The Sharon Osbourne Show - 2003 - 2004

Before Sharon Osbourne's "embarrassing" departure from The Talk, she struck it out on her own to try and parlay some of her reality TV fame into a chat show. And yet, The Sharon Osbourne Show didn't last, as the show failed to land a following, leaving Sharon to let it die a quiet, un-renewed death. 

John McEnroe - McEnroe - 2004

Tennis is a grueling sport, but talk shows can be even more of a battlefield if you’re not careful. John McEnroe learned that the hard way during a handful of months in 2004, when his series McEnroe went from a critically panned debut to a critically panned finale. Even his most dedicated fans have probably overlooked it, with a mere mention of the series prompting many exclamations of, “You can’t be serious!”

Megan Mullally - The Megan Mullally Show - 2006 - 2007

Sometimes our preconceptions get the better of us, and shows like The Megan Mullally Show suffer as a result. As audiences were taken aback by Mullally failing to be her Will & Grace character in real life, there was nowhere to go but down for this daytime talk show.

George Lopez - Lopez Tonight - 2009 - 2011

If it wasn’t for Conan O’Brien, Lopez Tonight may have had a healthy run on TBS. Though it seemed his hiring could have boosted George Lopez’s show, the only shake-up it got was being moved into a later time slot, with weakened ratings. However, this all happened with O’Brien trying to avoid any sort of bad blood along the way, with the host even paying tribute to this slain series on its final night of air.

Wanda Sykes - The Wanda Sykes Show - 2009 - 2010

Following in the footsteps of Joan Rivers’ The Late Show and Chevy Chase’s The Chevy Chase Show, Fox really wanted to make late-night happen with comedian Wanda Sykes. Unfortunately for the network, The Wanda Sykes Show was such a disappointment that it hasn’t even tried to mount another original program in that later evening block since. 

Katie Couric - Katie - 2012 - 2014

A staple of NBC’s Today, seeing Katie Couric go to daytime talk felt like a lateral move. Moving to ABC to do so was certainly the most shocking turn of it all, at least until Katie was mutually canceled by its star and overseers. What started as a good run soon fell into a slump, leaving this enterprise grounded by 2014.

Bethenny Frankel - Bethenny - 2012 - 2014

How’s this for a story? The Real Housewives of New York alum Bethenny Frankel tried to kickstart her talk show Bethenny, only for it to initially get shelved. Fate seemed to smile on the entrepreneur as the show was revived for a run between 2012 and 2014. Only 170 episodes would be produced before the hammer came down, freeing Frankel up for appearances on shows like Shark Tank. 

Kris Jenner - Kris - 2013

It wasn’t cancellation that ended Kris’ brief 2013 run, as the talk show fronted by Kris Jenner was only being tested when it aired. Coincidentally the most notable episode was its finale, which saw Kanye West showing off the first photos of her granddaughter North. Ratings spiked, but it couldn’t save this ship from sinking. 

Khloé Kardashian - Kocktails With Khloé - 2016

A TV show where the host drinks with their guests? Not a bad move, especially when someone with clout like Khloé Kardashian could get the concept greenlit for cable. Unfortunately for Kocktails with Khloé, the show struck out after 14 episodes; more than likely due to the perfect storm of airing on cable and audience feedback sounding rather disappointed with the overall product.

Harry Connick Jr. - Harry - 2016 - 2018

For someone as adept at conversation and shenanigans as Harry Connick Jr., to fail in the talk show landscape always feels like a waste. Harry capitalized on the former American Idol judge’s star power and charisma, but even then audiences weren’t buying as heavily as when he was a part of Fox’s former reality show fixture.

Sarah Silverman - I Love You, America With Sarah Silverman - 2017 - 2018

There still isn’t a clear answer as to why Hulu canceled I Love You, America with Sarah Silverman. A mashup of talk show and sketch show, Silverman took on the tough issues of our modern times with her trademark sense of humor. Twenty-one episodes still don’t seem like a long enough run, but that’s sadly where things ended.

Lilly Singh - A Little Late With Lilly Singh - 2019 - 2021

With Carson Daly giving up the throne of Last Call with Carson Daly, NBC made what seemed like a smart move. By tapping famous YouTuber Lilly Singh for her show A Little Late with Lilly Singh, the network was clearly trying to get the younger generation to tune into this tested timeslot. It didn’t work, even with some changes to the format in the second season, and with this show’s demise also came that of the 1:35 A.M. slot at NBC.

Kathy Griffin - Kathy - 2012 - 2013

Giving Kathy Griffin her own talk show, after years of being banned from shows like Ellen and The View, was probably a bit of a surprise. In fact, the only thing that would have been more surprising is if Kathy had actually lasted past its short spell of 24 episodes on Bravo.

ALF - Alf’s Hit Talk Show - 2004

ALF’s Hit Talk Show tried pretty hard in its extremely brief run to make TV Land viewers stay up a bit later. Not even guests like Merv Griffin and Doris Roberts, not to mention professional sidekick/Tonight Show legend Ed McMahon could push this affair past seven episodes. 

Russell Brand - Brand X With Russell Brand - 2012 - 2013

You’d think a talk show with Russell Brand at the helm would be something so controversial you’d have at least heard of it. That appears to not be the case, as FX failed to crack the same molds it had broken with shows like The Shield with its two-season run of Brand X with Russell Brand. 

Bonnie Hunt - The Bonnie Hunt Show - 2008 - 2010

Bonnie Hunt not only had the comedic chops and kindness to host something like The Bonnie Hunt Show, but she infused it with a creative spin. Thanks to guests being able to enter the set through various methods of excitement, like a firepole, there seemed to be some magic in giving the Cheaper by the Dozen star a daytime talk slot. Two seasons, and even a couple of award nominations later, it was lights out.

Fran Drescher - The Fran Drescher Tawk Show - 2010

For six seasons and 146 episodes, Fran Drescher charmed the world as Fran Fine on CBS’ The Nanny. Sadly, that sort of effortless affability didn’t help The Fran Drescher Tawk Show make it past 16 episodes in 2010. And yes, that did include a humorous reunion with her co-star Charles Shaughnessy. 

Even with the most pleasing personality, the best time slot, and a pedigree in the business, talk shows are a concept that can still present a gamble. Many celebrities have tried, and many more probably will in the future; because when you can make it as a talk show host, you can pretty much write your own ticket from that point on.

In 2021, six years after his time on The Daily Show concluded, Jon Stewart returned to the TV space for The Problem with Jon Stewart, a current affairs show that streamed to Apple TV+ subscribers. Well, this hosting job unfortunately came nowhere close to lasting as long as his last one, as in October, The Problem with Jon Stewart ended after just two seasons due to “creative differences” with Apple. Now the U.S. government is pressing the company over what was reported to be one of the main reasons for the cancellation: China.

Supposedly when Stewart told his staff that the show was ending, he mentioned that “potential show topics related to China and artificial intelligence” prompted concern from Apple executives, and there was also said to be “potential for further creative disagreements” when it came to the 2024 presidential election. On the subject of China though THR has learned that the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party has sent a letter to Apple and its CEO, Tim Cook, about whether the company’s relationship with China. 

The letter, which was signed by committee chairman Mike Gallagher (R-Wisc.) and ranking member Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Illinois), noted that if the China-related information is accurate, it “potentially speaks to broader concerns about indirect Chinese Communist Party (CCP) influence over the creative expression of American artists and companies on CCP-related topics.” The politicians supported the ability for creative talent, studios and streaming services to “create content without fear of potential CCP retaliation and punishment,” then said the following:

The letter also delved into the worry that fear of “anticipated CCP objections” and “coercive behavior” is leading China to indirectly influence Hollywood in order to avoid “grave professional consequences.” Whether anything will come of this probe remains to be seen, though it’s doubtful that it will result in Apple doing a 180 and bringing back The Problem with Jon Stewart for Season 3. Still, if this can ultimately shed light on a bigger issue and lead to meaningful change, then at least some good will have come from the show’s cancellation.

There is a world where the Apple TV+ show could have gone on for much longer. Although The Problem with Jon Stewart’s first season had trouble grabbing viewers, things picked up in Season 2 thanks to various viral clips. It was even nominated for Outstanding Talk Series at the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards, which airs on January 15, 2024. Regarding Jon Stewart himself, it’s unclear if he’ll now seek to host another news-oriented TV show or if he’s content with leaving that corner of his professional career behind him.

Although this series has come to an end, you’re welcome to look over the other best Apple TV+ shows on the platform. Otherwise, our 2023 TV schedule and 2024 TV schedule can be perused to learn what other small screen entertainment is premiering in the near future.

In September 2021, six years after he left The Daily Show, Jon Stewart made his grand return to the TV realm with The Problem with Jon Stewart, a current affairs series available to Apple TV+ subscribers. Stewart and his team produced 20 episodes across two seasons, and a third season was supposed to begin shooting in the coming weeks. However, it’s been revealed that The Problem with Jon Stewart has come to an abrupt end, and this reportedly is due to major creative differences between the host and Apple.

Per sources who spoke with The New York Times, the two sides cut ties just days ago, and members of the show’s staff were informed about this just today. This unexpected move apparently stems from Stewart and Apple executives getting into “disagreements over some of the topics and guests” on the show. Stewart reportedly told the staff that “potential show topics related to China and artificial intelligence” prompted concern from these executives, and there was also “potential for further creative disagreements” concerning the 2024 presidential election.

So with that, Jon Stewart’s latest hosting gig has wrapped up after just two years, a far cry from the 16 years he was on The Daily Show. Although The Problem with Jon Stewart initially had trouble grabbing viewers, it started to pick up steam in Season 2 thanks to various viral clips. This second batch of episodes also led to the show being being nominated for Outstanding Talk Series at the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards, which will air on January 15, 2024.

In the end, though, apparently Apple wasn’t keen on some of the topics The Problem with Jon Stewart planned to explore in Season 3, so the company decided to part ways with Jon Stewart rather than risk potential controversies. It’s certainly not the only talk show to not stick around long, with some of the more recent cancellation examples being Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj and The Break with Michelle Wolf and  (both of which were viewable with a Netflix subscription), and A Little Late Night with Lilly Singh, which aired on NBC.

Judging by this report, it doesn’t sound like The Problem with Jon Stewart will be shopped around to other streaming services. As such, it’s unclear if Stewart will start looking for another hosting opportunity, or if he’s content with no longer continuing with this kind of professional endeavor. Shortly after he exited The Daily Show, Stewart signed a four-year deal with HBO to host a show and produce exclusive digital content, but by May 2017, those plans were scrapped.

Rest assured though, if/when it’s announced that Jon Stewart will host another TV show, or if he has some other kind of major project lined up, we’ll let you know. But for now, use our 2023 TV schedule to keep track of what programming is left to debut this year.

Even before he left the Saturday Night Live cast in 2022, Pete Davidson had already become one of the sketch comedy series’ biggest stars — not just because of his other acting projects, but also his personal life, including his dating history, especially. The actor and comedian’s personal life actually serves as the basis for Bupkis — a new Peacock original TV show that he created with Judah Miller and David Sirus. In addition to Davidson, there are many other celebrities playing themselves in guest roles in the Bupkis cast, but let’s begin our breakdown of the star-studded ensemble with its three series regulars. 

Pete Davidson (Pete Davidson)

Leading the Bupkis cast as Pete Davidson is...Pete Davidson, who acquired stardom on SNL before starring in movies and TV shows of an eclectic sort — such as his comic book movie debut in 2021’s The Suicide Squad, his voice acting parts in The Angry Birds Movie 2 and Marmaduke as the titular Great Dane, and his recurring role on The Rookie. 

The last time he played a fictionalized version of himself was in 2020’s The King of Staten Island (which he also co-wrote with director Judd Apatow), his last Peacock original project was the sci-fi rom-com Meet Cute, and one of his biggest upcoming titles is Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, in which he voices a robot named Mirage.

Edie Falco (Amy Davidson)

Starring as Pete’s mother, Amy, is Edie Falco, who is best known for her Emmy-winning performances in HBO’s The Sopranos cast as Carmela and in the title role of Showtime’s darkly comic medical drama, Nurse Jackie. The actor is also known for writer and director James Mangold’s acclaimed 1997 crime thriller, Cop Land, her role in the Oz cast as Officer Diane Whittlesey, playing Hilary Clinton on the third season of FX’s American Crime Story, and her role in the Avatar: The Way of Water cast, most recently.

Joe Pesci (Joe Larocca)

Surprisingly interrupting his retirement for the first time since he starred in Martin Scorsese’s 2019 true crime drama, The Irishman (which earned him an Academy Award nomination), is Joe Pesci, starring as Pete’s grandfather, Joe — also his first TV role since the short-lived NBC series, Half Nelson, in 1985, according to Variety. 

Before The Irishman, the 80-year-old actor starred in three Scorsese movies: Raging Bull, Casino, and Goodfellas — the last of which did earn him an Oscar. Some of Pesci’s other most iconic roles include Leo Getz in the Lethal Weapon movies, Harry from Home Alone (which turned out to be a truly painful experience for him), and the title role of, arguably, the funniest courtroom movie ever, My Cousin Vinny.

La La Anthony

Among the vast rotation of guest stars in the Bupkis cast, we have La La Anthony, who rose to fame as an MTV VJ before starring in movies like Think Like a Man and its sequel, and TV shows like the hit Starz original TV show, Power.

Colson "Machine Gun Kelly" Baker

Davidson’s real-life friend, Colson Baker (a.k.a. Machine Gun Kelly), also stars, marking their fifth on-screen collaboration following the rapper’s music video for “Loco,” Netflix’s Mötley Crüe biopic, The Dirt, Hulu’s coming-of-age dramedy, Big Time Adolescence, and the 2022 stoner comedy, Good Mourning, which Baker also co-wrote and co-directed. 

Steve Buscemi

Also starring in Bupkis is Emmy winner Steve Buscemi — star of Quentin Tarantino movies like Reservoir Dogs, Coen Brothers classics like Fargo and The Big Lebowski, and several Adam Sandler movies, too — who last acted opposite Davidson in The King of Staten Island.

Bobby Cannavale

Also on the guest list is Buscemi’s Boardwalk Empire co-star and Falco’s Nurse Jackie co-star, two-time Emmy winner Bobby Cannavale, whose impressive, lengthy resume also includes Marvel’s Ant-Man movies, Netflix’s The Watcher cast, and John Turturro’s The Big Lebowski spin-off, The Jesus Rolls, which also starred Davidson.

Charlamagne Tha God

While better known for hosting iHeartRadio’s The Breakfast Club and Comedy Central’s Tha God’s Honest Truth, as well as talking about his friend Pete Davidson’s penis on air, Lenard “Charlamagne Tha God” McKelvey has also delved into acting a few times (mostly as himself), such as on Empire, Dave, and Queens.

Charlie Day

Appearing as Pete’s therapist (according to the Bupkis trailer) is Charlie Day, whose career has taken some interesting turns since breaking out in FX’s It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia cast, such as starring in Guillermo del Toro’s Pacific Rim movies and playing Luigi in the Super Mario Bros. Movie voice cast more recently.

Philip Ettinger

Some of Phillip Ettinger’s most notable credits prior to Bupkis including the shocking 2012 psychological thriller, Compliance, Brawl in Cell Block 99, and First Reformed from 2017, and two other Peacock original TV shows: Angelyne and Friend of the Family.

Ray Romano

Also appearing is Joe Pesci’s The Irishman co-star and Bobby Cannavale’s Vinyl co-star, Ray Romano — an acclaimed stand-up comedian known best for his Emmy-winning sitcom, Everybody Loves Raymond, his role as Manny in the Ice Age movies, and the Oscar-nominated dramedy, The Big Sick.

Brad Garrett

Best known for playing Romano’s brother on Everybody Loves Raymond is three-time Emmy winner Brad Garrett, who has leant his distinct baritone voice to popular animated movies like the Pixar classic, Ratatouille, and recently played Eeyore in Disney’s live-action Winnie the Pooh reboot, Christopher Robin.

Al Gore

Former United States Vice President Al Gore — whose 2006 documentary, An Inconvenient Truth, won two Oscars — previously collaborated with Pete Davidson on a Climate Reality training presentation in 2019.

Paul Walter Hauser

While best known for dramas like I, Tonya, Cruella, or BlacKkKlansman, Paul Walter Hauser has shown his comedic side before in numerous titles, such as Reno 911! and Apple TV+’s inventive whodunnit, The Afterparty.

Sunita Mani

Audiences should recognize Sunita Mani from Netflix’s GLOW cast, her many notable supporting roles in movies like Apple TV+’s holiday musical, Spirited, her brief appearance in the Best Picture Oscar Winner Everything Everywhere All At Once, and her lead role in the sci-fi rom-com thriller, Save Yourselves!

John Mulaney

Another real-life buddy of Davidson’s with a role in Bupkis is former SNL writer John Mulaney — known for lending his voice to shows like Netflix’s Big Mouth and movies like Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and performing great stand-up specials like his most recent one, Baby J, in which he actually tells a funny anecdote about Davidson.

Simon Rex

Simon Rex was best known for starring in spoof movies like a couple of the Scary Movie installments and the Amanda Bynes-led sitcom, What I Like About You, before his acclaimed leading role in the A24-produced 2021 comedy, Red Rocket.

Oona Roche

Playing Pete’s sister (based on her line about the embarrassment her “brother” causes her) is Oona Roche, who previously appeared in a recurring role on Apple TV+’s The Morning Show and recently starred opposite Jude Law and Carrie Coon in the tense 2020 family drama, The Nest.

Cliff “Method Man” Smith

Another hip-hop artist appearing on Bupkis is Pete Davidson’s Trainwreck co-star and Wu-Tang Clan member, Cliff “Method Man” Smith, whose previous, most notable acting credits include HBO’s The Wire cast, the Key & Peele-led action-comedy, Keanu, and Starz’s Power Book II: Ghost.

Jon Stewart

Davidson paid tribute to former The Daily Show host, Jon Stewart — also known for acting in movies like The Faculty and, more recently, returning to political satire for Apple TV+’s The Problem with Jon Stewart — when he received the Mark Twain Prize in 2022, and I assume his Bupkis appearance is a way of thanking him.

Kenan Thompson

In addition to Davidson’s return to SNL as the Season 48 finale host, Bupkis will serve as a reunion for him and Kenan Thompson, who is also known for movies like the latter two Mighty Ducks installments and Good Burger, which was inspired by a sketch from his All That tenure and is getting a sequel on Paramount+.

Marissa Jaret Winokur

Bupkis co-creator Judah Miller’s wife, Tony Award winner Marissa Jaret Wionkur, has starred in movies like the Drew Barrymore-led rom-com, Never Been Kissed, and appeared on TV shows like FX’s What We Do in the Shadows, to name a few.

Chase Sui Wonders

Since working together in the 2022 horror movie, Bodies Bodies Bodies, rumors have swirled about Davidson’s relationship with Chase Sui Wonders, who is now collaborating with him again on Bupkis.

If you have a Peacock subscription, go ahead and stream Bupkis on Peacock now to see Davidson and the rest of this large, star-studded ensemble on this exciting new comedy.

Updated with video.

When Pete Davidson isn’t  romancing Hollywood’s biggest actresses, he’s known to hang out with some of his famous friends. Two of the most notable individuals in that group are fellow comedians Jon Stewart and Chris Rock. The trio of buddies have had some great times together, and one occasion that seems to stand out in Davidson’s head the most is the time they took in a New York Knicks game in 2021. It was there that the group photobombed Stephen Curry during a major NBA moment, and Davidson had an A+ joke about the “horrible things” that subsequently happened to him and Rock.

The 29-year-old Saturday Night Live veteran opened up about the experience while performing a stand-up comedy set for Netflix Is A Joke Fest. While talking about December 2021, he shouted out Chris Rock and Jon Stewart, noting that he finds it “hilarious” that they choose to hang out with him. The star went on to recall how he and his friends were able to witness Golden State Warriors player Stephen Curry surpass Ray Allen to become the NBA’s all-time 3-point leader. They’d later learn that they were visible in the famous photo that captured the four-time NBA champion just moments after he broke the major record:

On the surface, it would seem cool to be a part of sports history in such a unique way, though Pete Davidson’s funny observation is dead-on. Davidson later became the target of Kanye West’s ire due to the fact that he was dating the rapper’s ex-wife, Kim Kardashian, at the time. Not only did West take a major shot at Davidson in one of his songs, but he also declared “civil war” on him via a social media post. 

As for Chris Rock, most probably know that he was slapped by Will Smith on stage at the Oscars months after the game. (Rock recently opened up about the slap in his latest Netflix special and did not mince words.) So yeah, with that trend in mind, one can’t help but be a tad concerned about Jon Stewart. See the King of Staten Island star's performance along with performances from other comics in the video down below: 

This isn’t the only time the Suicide Squad alum has made headlines due to his presence at a basketball game. In November 2022, he drew the attention of the Denver Nuggets when he was spotted alongside then-girlfriend Emily Ratajkowski at another Knicks game. Fans also caught a good glimpse of the actor’s shaved head when he and the former Daily Show host saw the team play the Lakers months later. 

Pete Davidson - like most of us – has experienced his share of highs and lows as of late. With the former, he’s dating Bodies Bodies Bodies co-star Chase Sui Wonders but, in regard to the latter category, they were recently in a car accident that saw Davidson ram into someone’s house. Thankfully, both emerged unscathed, though, so there’s, at the very least, that silver lining. Of course, if Davidson has proven anything, it’s that he can roll with the punches and approach an unfortunate situation with humor. I’m sure he, like Chris Rock, will continue to do just that. In the meantime, let’s all keep an eye on Jon Stewart, shall we?

Those angling to see more of Pete Davidson can check out his upcoming show, Bupkis, which debuts its first season for Peacock subscription holders on May 4 as part of the 2023 TV schedule.

Dave Chappelle’s Saturday Night Live monologue set the internet on fire upon his episode airing on November 12. Of course, like any Chappelle comedy routine, there was backlash over the comic’s subject matter as he was accused of pushing anti-semitism. While the backlash has been fierce, many fans and celebrities came to his defense. One of those who spoke on the polarizing comedian’s behalf was his friend and fellow comic Jon Stewart. Stewart took the time to defend the Grammy winner’s monologue against claims of anti-semitism.

The The Problem with Jon Stewart host took a moment to defend his good friend while visiting The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Colbert started the conversation by asking about the controversy surrounding the Jewish community following actions and statements from Kanye West and basketball star Kyrie Irving. Eventually, Stewart spoke about the backlash Chappelle is receiving following his latest comedy bit. The comedian broke down his response following the controversial SNL monologue, saying:

Anti-semitism has existed in corners of the internet for years. Social media alone has amplified voices against the Jewish community. Like most of Chappelle’s post-election monologue, the comic was seemingly trying to turn the mirror back on the U.S. and its prejudices. His track record of controversial comments about the transgender community already had some on edge, but Stewart had a point with his take on censorship and penalizing those for perceived hate speech rather than creating an open dialogue.

The conversation soon turned to Stewart addressing the tropes associated with the Jewish community. The former Daily Show host felt internet conspiracies and other small pockets have been spinning that Jewish people control banks, Hollywood, and the media. Stewart said that the backlash Chappelle faced is reductive, especially given that comedy reflects society:

Jon Stewart even shared that there was a specific point in Dave Chappelle's monologue that stood out to him, as he related to the comic’s frustration over not being able to talk about sensitive topics in today’s culture.

Even before last week’s episode aired, the comedian’s latest SNL appearance was sparking controversy. There were reports of the show’s staff writers boycotting Chapelle’s return to 30 Rockefeller Center over his recent material dealing with transgender issues in his comedy specials and stand-up tours. But the outspoken comic has come to SNL to host after after Election Day multiple times since 2016.  There was so much trepidation surrounding the Chappelle’s Show star’s jokes that he reportedly did a fake monologue during rehearsal to curb any censorship.

If you want to move beyond his polarizing routine, Dave Chappelle’s SNL episode is currently available with a Peacock subscription. Saturday Night Live is taking a break from airing new episodes until December 3 when Keke Palmer hosts with Grammy-winning singer SZA as the musical guest. In the meantime, check out our 2022 TV schedule.

On April 12, Gilbert Gottfried passed away at the age of 67, and the public has been honoring the man with all kinds of tributes and recollections. For instance, many have been revisiting a photo of Gottfried with Bob Saget and Louie Anderson, taking note of how bittersweet seeing the three of them together now since Saget died on January 9 and we lost Anderson on January 21. Many celebrities, including Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane and fellow comedian Jon Stewart, have also shared their own tributes to Gottfried over the last few days.

In Seth MacFarlane’s case, he had the opportunity to work with Gilbert Gottfried on several occasions, including the actor/comedian providing his vocal talents for a couple Family Guy episodes, as well as appearing as Abraham Lincoln in A Million Ways to Die in the West. MacFarlane specifically referenced the 2014 movie while commenting on Gottfried’s passing:

Jon Stewart also had the pleasure of knowing Gilbert Gottfried thanks to the former opening for the latter during his early days as a standup comedian. Here’s what The Problem with Jon Stewart’s eponymous host had to say about the late actor:

Marlee Matlin, one of the cast members in the Best Picture-winning CODA, expressed her sadness for Gilbert Gottfried’s passing, with the two of them having crossed paths on numerous occasions, including at the Comedy Central Roast of Donald Trump. Here’s what she had to say:

Of course, one of Gilbert Gottfried’s most beloved roles was Iago the Parrot, who he voiced in 1992’s Aladdin (where he frequently had to rerecord lines), its two direct-to-video sequels and various other pieces of media. Alan Menken, who composed Aladdin’s musical score, had this to say about Gottfried:

Finally, there’s a video of Gilbert Gottfried that’s been making the rounds after his death was announced showing his 1999 appearance on Hollywood Squares, where he repeatedly kept trolling the episode’s two contestants. Tom Bergeron, who hosted the game show back then, appeared on Gottfried’s Amazing Colossal Podcast back in 2017 to talk about the Hollywood Squares hijinks and other topics, and the former Dancing with the Stars host shared that episode for those who missed it the first time around.

These are just a handful of the celebrities who’ve shared tributes to Gilbert Gottfried on Twitter and other social media, so feel free to look elsewhere on the internet to see what others have said about him. We could spend all day talking about Gottfried’s work in the entertainment business, but some of his notable credits from recent years include Nickelodeon’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Justice League Action, three Sharknado movies, Historical Roasts and Smiling Friends. He was also the subject of the 2017 documentary Gilbert, which won the Special Jury Prize at the deadCENTER Film Festival.

CinemaBlend continues to offer its condolences to Gilbert Gottfried’s family and friends for their loss. Fortunately, future generations will have no trouble discovering his body of work that so many of us have already enjoyed for years.

The Harry Potter franchise has been entertaining audiences for decades, with entire generations brought up on the beloved books and accompanying movies. The Wizarding World has been making headlines thanks to the Return To Hogwarts reunion special on HBO Max, although Jon Stewart recently entered the mix thanks to a hot take he had about Gringotts’ Goblins. And now Stewart has responded after comments about J.K. Rowling and anti-semitism go viral.

Jon Stewart has had a long and celebrated career, and he’s also known for using his platform to speak on important issues. But that’s not what he had in mind when recording an episode of his podcast and joking about Harry Potter. His words were taken out of context and quickly went viral, with some outlets reporting that he was accusing J.K. Rowling of anti-semitism. Stewart set the record straight on a new episode (via Twitter), recalling:

That’s certainly some much-needed context when it comes to Jon Stewart’s viral comments about Gringotts bank in Harry Potter. He was merely riffing with some friends while recording a podcast, and recalled noticing how the Goblins who run the bank resemble negative Jewish stereotypes about moneylenders. That’s what eventually circulated all over the internet, and seemingly landed the former Daily Show host in some hot water. Stewart went on to clarify his feelings about the Wizarding World and J.K. Rowling, saying:

Well, there you have it. Jon Stewart really put his feelings in black and white here, highlighting that he doesn’t think Harry Potter or its author are anti-semitic in any way. He was simply joking, while also pointing out how certain tropes have managed to become intrinsically part of the culture. That includes major movie franchises.

Given just how massively popular the Harry Potter franchise continues to be, there are generations of hardcore fans that likely reacted to Jon Stewart’s (out of context) comments about Gringotts. And this month-old conversation only seemingly went viral as a result of Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts’ release. While addressing the controversy, Stewart continued to hammer the point home, including an F-bomb. 

This story likely also went viral so quickly because J.K. Rowling has been involved in some controversy for the past few years. She’s been in a long-standing battle with the public over comments deemed by many as transphobic. So a claim of anti-semitism understandably turned heads. But now Jon Stewart has cleared up the situation, and likely quelled the drama in the process. 

Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts is streaming now, and the magical franchise will return to theaters with Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore on April 15th, 2022. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

Ahead of ABC’s live event Live in Front of a Studio Audience: The Facts of Life and Diff’rent Strokes, a television comedy icon has signed on to join the already star-studded cast. Jon Stewart has joined The Facts of Life in an unknown role.

Stewart is joining Jennifer Aniston, Kathryn Hahn, Gabrielle Union and more in the Facts of Life segment of the hour-and-a-half-long episode that will see the series taped in front of a live audience. While Aniston, Hahn, and Union, as well as Allison Tolman and Ann Dowd, will play Blair, Jo, Tootie, Natalie and Mrs. Garrett, respectively, there is no word on who Stewart will portray. 

It’s possible that Jon Stewart could play George Brunett, played by George Clooney in the original series in the late ‘80s. The handyman-turned-roadie was a main character in Season 7 but was dropped after Season 8. It would make sense for Stewart to play George, since he could be fit for the role. Plus there aren’t any other big characters that haven’t been taken that he could play.

Even though Facts of Life is essentially being temporarily rebooted for a live special celebrating the series, along with Diff’rent Strokes, is it possible that Jon Stewart could instead be playing a whole new character created just for the special? It’s unlikely, especially since the series is such a classic. It’s likely that whoever Stewart is playing is a memorable one from the original series, and it will be interesting to see just who. 

ABC’s Live in Front of a Studio Audience specials began in 2019 and feature A-list casting for live recreations of sitcom episodes that aired in the 1970s and 1980s. The broadcasts are hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, and two specials have aired so far. Those two broadcasts included episodes from The Jeffersons, All in the Family and Good Times. The two airings drew in a combined 22.1 million total viewers in delayed viewing, reaching 36 million total viewers across linear and digital platforms.

We may not hear who Jon Stewart will be playing, or what episode will be recreated, until cameras are rolling. Though I’m sure whoever he is playing will be a beloved character. If it's not George Clooney's George Burnett, maybe Clooney could make a short cameo and blast viewers back to his past before he even joined ER? We can always hope!

Don’t miss Live in Front of a Studio Audience: The Facts of Life and Diff’rent Strokes airing on Tuesday, December 7 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC! In the meantime, catch him on The Problem with Jon Stewart on Apple TV+. If you're ready to start planning ahead for the new year, take a look at our 2022 winter and spring premiere schedule for your upcoming viewing options.

It’s been over six years since The Daily Show veteran Jon Stewart passed the hosting reins over to Trevor Noah and, now, the long time comedian and political host is preparing to make his return to TV. Stewart has a new streaming show coming to Apple TV+, and it doesn't seem to be too far removed from the work he did on Comedy Central for so long. Just recently, the talented TV personality actually explained how his new show, The Problem With Jon Stewart, compares to to his original one.

Jon Stewart is known for taking political issues pretty seriously, even if he can make some pretty spectacular jokes about them in the process. When it comes to The Problem With Jon Stewart, it appears as though he is tackling some pretty substantial issues that are facing people today. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Stewart described the first two episodes of the show and went into detail about how such subject matter could be covered on The Daily Show. Here is how he puts it, exactly:

Despite this, The Problem With Jon Stewart isn’t The Daily Show and, during that same interview, Stewart made sure to make note of the differences. Stewart pretty much made a name for himself by injecting sharp humor into the political happenings of the day. However, it sounds like he's changed his approach in a significant way for this show In addition, the Emmy-winning host also discussed the massive expectations that come with this new project and shared how he's handling them. Here it is in his own words:

Jon Stewart seems completely conscious of the challenge that lies before him with this new show. The fact that he's drowning out the noise and not focusing on the expectations is also a smart way to approach things. For a taste of what you can expect, check out the trailer for The Problem With Jon Stewart down below:

Jon Stewart hosted The Daily Show for over 15 years and really managed to strike a chord with audiences during his time on the air. Needless to say, longtime fans have surely been missing him. It'll be interesting to see what the veteran TV presenter has in store for audiences when The Problem With Jon Stewart makes its debut on Apple TV+ on September 30.

The comedy world lost a legend this week with the death of Saturday Night Live star Norm Macdonald, who made a name for himself as a stand-up comedian as well as a TV and movie star. Macdonald passed away on September 14 after a nine-year battle with cancer, at the age of only 61. He cast a long shadow in the entertainment scene, so it's heartwarming but not surprising to see some of the biggest names in comedy sharing messages to honor him in the wake of his passing.

Among the comedians who took to social media with tributes to Norm Macdonald are those he shared the screen with as well as some who just wanted to credit him for inspiring them. And it's no shock that Macdonald was an inspiration within comedy, as he was notoriously unafraid to drop jokes about subjects that were otherwise considered taboo, often on the Weekend Update platform of Saturday Night Live. Adam Sandler, who worked with Macdonald on SNL, wasted no time in taking to Twitter with a message about the late comedian:

Adam Sandler crediting Norm MacDonald with some of "the hardest laughs" of his laugh is a big compliment, as Sandler has of course been incredibly successful in comedy in his own right. Sandler went for an image of MacDonald in his Weekend Update mode for Saturday Night Live as well as a shot of both of them sharing the screen in the fan-favorite comedy Billy Madison.

Seth Rogen also hit Twitter with a post that acknowledged Norm MacDonald as an all-time great in comedy, and credited him with delivering laughs as a talk show guest. MacDonald is most known for his work on stage as well as in a variety of TV shows and movies rather than talk shows, but his guest appearances there evidently affected Rogen. And considering Rogen's success, it's clear that MacDonald's influence was a positive one.

Jon Stewart, best known for his long run as host of The Daily Show, honored Norm Macdonald's ability to make others break their straight faces in a way unlike any other, and I think plenty of Macdonald's fans will second Stewart's sentiment of "Fuck Cancer." Patton Oswalt also took to Twitter with a message that plenty of people will undoubtedly be able to relate to, considering the suddenness of the news of MacDonald's death. Oswalt wrote:

Conan O'Brien, who hosted Norm Macdonald a number of times on his talk show, was another to make note of the late comedian's unique ability to deliver his own brand of comedy. He shared:

Sarah Silverman had a message that not only paid tribute to Norm Macdonald, but also included some advice to others when it comes to his material, much of which is available on YouTube. Silverman said:

Steve Martin had a message that was short, but no less sweet than what others posted in the overall sentiment. If anything, his Twitter post seemingly summed up the emotional responses that many comedians were trying to convey on social media:

Bob Odenkirk, who is arguably best known nowadays for his dramatic work on Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, has his showbiz roots in comedy, and even worked on Saturday Night Live for a time in the late '80s and '90s. He had nothing but good things to say about Norm Macdonald, including a specific compliment for his set during the roast of Bob Saget:

Stand-up comic Tim Dillon expressed his Twitter thoughts on Norm Macdonald that prove that Macdonald was held in very high estimation for some who rank him among the best of the best in comedy history:

Laurie Kilmartin, who is a stand-up comic who formerly wrote for Conan before that series wrapped, had her own sentiments in honor of Norm MacDonald. She even shared a personal story to prove that there were many layers to the late comedian, even beyond his legendary ability to deliver laughs.

Even Mark Hamill, who is a legend himself thanks to both Star Wars and his decades of voice acting work, hit social media to post about Norm Macdonald and admit to something that probably rings true for plenty of people: spending a lot of time watching Macdonald videos on YouTube. Here's how Hamill put it:

And Mark Hamill certainly isn't alone in admitting to sitting down for lengths of time and just watching Norm MacDonald videos, as Edgar Wright hit social media to say something similar while also expressing his sadness:

Norm Macdonald is certainly gone too soon at the age of only 61, but at least it's very clear that his legacy will live on with those who knew him, appreciated his comedy, and will continue to revisit his work even now that he has passed away. Our thoughts here at CinemaBlend are with the family, friends, and loved ones of Norm Macdonald.

This week is a big one for the world of late night talk shows. Audiences are sadly just over a week away from the end of Conan O'Brien's talk show run on TBS, but on the brighter side of the spectrum, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert has finally welcomed back its full live studio audience after more than 15 months of remote episodes and mostly empty studio tapings. And who better to celebrate the return to sub-normalcy than Stephen Colbert's former Comedy Central cohort Jon Stewart.

As the former host of The Daily Show, not to mention his own less political talk show on MTV back in the day, Jon Stewart is no stranger to late night TV, though it's been a whole six years since he vacated all hosting gigs. But seeing as how he's an executive producer for CBS' The Late Show, it definitely makes sense for him to be part of the welcome wagon for the studio audience's resurgence. Check it out in the video clip below!

You know who doesn't need a long and overdrawn introduction before being introduced to a Stephen Colbert-adoring crowd? Jon Stewart, boyeee. The politically minded comedian and filmmaker walked out to the highly missed sounds of audience cheers and applause and shared a hug with his former Daily Show colleague, and all seemed right with the world again, even if just for a few moments.

Even though Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert have remained legitimately good friends outside of their respective careers, the Late Show host revealed that the two entertainers hadn't seen each other in person in 15 months. And perhaps expectedly, the interview then fully veered into a heightened and sarcasm-laden conversation about COVID-19 and its origins. You can take the man out of politically hinged convos, but you can't take the politically hinged convos out of the man, apparently.

While it's almost always enjoyable to watch Jon Stewart's signature self-aware fluster, he did face some blowback online after the interview aired for his comments on the theory that COVID-19 was created in a lab in Wuhan, China, and didn't occur naturally. His views came as a surprise to many viewers, and even seemed to take Stephen Colbert aback a few times as the interview was happening.

But for anyone who wasn't looking for such serious conversation topics to populate The Late Show's first episode back with its full audience in the Ed Sullivan Theater, here's the hilarious clip of Stephen Colbert making the effort to finally put pants back on.

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert airs weeknights on CBS at 11:35 p.m. ET. Be sure to keep up with our 2021 Summer TV schedule and more to see when Jon Stewart's return to the small screen will finally arrive.

Jon Stewart hosted Comedy Central’s The Daily Show for 16 years before leaving the series in the capable hands of Trevor Noah in 2015. After a several-year absence from hosting and television in general, Stewart is returning to anchor a new TV show for Apple TV+, his first with the streaming service as part of a multiyear deal.

The untitled Apple TV+ series will see Jon Stewart focusing on current affairs, tackling individual subjects in hour-long episodes. Stewart will executive produce the series through his company Busboy Productions alongside manager James Dixon and former HBO chief Richard Plepler.

Jon Stewart’s new series won’t air weekly or daily and is more likely to follow The Oprah Conversation (also an Apple TV+ series) and its free-flowing format — as in, the show won’t have any distinct release date schedule (at least as far as we know so far). That said, the untitled series has already been picked up for multiple seasons despite it not being expected to premiere until next year.

It sounds like the folks at Apple TV+ have a lot of confidence in Jon Stewart and his abilities. I don’t think that’s surprising considering that The Daily Show alum has already proven himself a strong voice in the sphere of political commentary and satire. Stewart’s run on The Daily Show nabbed him multiple Emmy Award wins and plenty of acclaim.

In addition to Jon Stewart’s current affairs series, the writer and producer has signed a first-look deal with Apple TV+ that will see him developing and producing other projects at the streaming service. The untitled series is also expected to have an accompanying podcast. I think it’s clear that there is a lot of investment on the part of Apple TV+ and I have no doubt that signing Stewart is a huge deal that could potentially bring them to the forefront of streaming conversations moving forward.

In the years since he left The Daily Show, Jon Stewart has gone on to produce and direct politically-charged films like Rosewater and Irresistible, which starred The Morning Show and The Office vet Steve Carell. He has also made appearances on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and, most recently, John Krasinki’s Some Good News. Still, the untitled Apple TV+ series will mark his return to television in a full-time capacity.

Meanwhile, The Daily Show is still making waves over on Comedy Central. There was some concern that the beloved and long-running variety show was being cancelled following Comedy Central’s axing of Drunk History and Tosh.0 in a pivot to focus on more adult animated series instead. Luckily, The Daily Show remains as a centerpiece of the cable channel.

Jon Stewart’s new series does not yet have a scheduled premiere date for Apple TV+, but stay tuned to CinemaBlend for all the latest updates. In the meantime, be sure to check out our 2020 fall TV premiere guide for more on what to watch.

For the longest time, wrestling fans were treated like low-class, dim-witted fools who were believed to be the only ones not in on the act and didn't know that wrestling was "fake." Over the years, mainstream culture's acceptance and understanding of wrestling has only grown, which you could argue was partly due to a growing number of actors, musicians, and comedians who have let the world know that they love professional wrestling. I mean, when people find out that Timothée Chalamet, the dreamiest of today's leading men, grew up a diehard WWE fan or that Modern Family star Sofia Vergara attends independent wrestling shows, it's only a matter of time before they begin to accept the fact that professional wrestling is one of the most fulfilling forms of entertainment around.

There are countless celebrities who have voiced their love of the art of professional wrestling over the years and have even stepped into the ring on multiple occasions and found themselves standing face to face with some of the biggest and baddest names in the squared circle. Let's take a look at just 12 of those big-name Hollywood actors, music producers, and professional athletes who can't hide their love of wrestling.

Timothée Chalamet

Who knew that Timothée Chalamet, the star of modern classics like Call Me By Your Name, Lady Bird, and the Little Women was such a diehard wrestling fan? The Dune actor recently admitted to CinemaBlend that he was starstruck when he met one of his castmates from the upcoming Denis Villeneuve science-fiction epic, but it wasn't Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, or even Javier Bardem. No, it was none other than Dave Bautista, who Chalamet grew up loving for his work in WWE as Batista:

See, even the dreamiest of actors can have a love and appreciation of something that is often seen as basic as wrestling. Does this mean that Timothée Chalamet will follow in the footsteps of other celebrity wrestling fans and enter the ring at some point? Speaking of which…

Stephen Amell

While it's doubtful we'll ever see Timothée Chalamet step into the squared circle, one longtime celebrity wrestling fan has taken part in not one, but three different matches. That celebrity? None other than Arrow lead Stephen Amell. 

In May 2015, the TV action star was sitting front row at a WWE event when he was confronted by former WWE superstar Cody Rhodes (wrestling under the Stardust gimmick at the time), which ultimately led to two squaring off in opposite sides in a tag-team match at that year's SummerSlam event. Two years later, however, Amell and Rhodes found themselves on the same team in a 5-on-4 tag-team match at in the Ring of Honor promotion, and then the Arrow star saw himself step back into the ring in 2018 in a losing effort against Christopher Daniels at Cody Rhodes' All In event.

Macaulay Culkin

Macaulay Culkin has been a diehard wrestling fan for about as long as he has been one of the most recognizable faces in Hollywood. From his appearance in his ringside seat at WrestleMania 7 in 1991 all the way to being caught pointing at the WrestleMania sign at the 2019 Showcase of the Immortals at MetLife Stadium, the Home Alone star has been committed to his love of professional wrestling. Leading up to WrestleMania 34, Culkin attended the 2018 Axxess event when he not only interviewed multiple wrestlers and managers from WWE, he also conducted a thumb wrestling competition with many of the company's stars. And it's not just WWE that Culkin loves as he participated in a "Home Alone" match at the Los Angeles-based Bar Wrestling back in 2017.

Lebron James

Remember when Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh made that ridiculous introduction with the Miami Heat in 2010? You know the one where the three basketball stars rise up from beneath a stage while Pharoahe Monch's "Simon Says" plays in the background? Here's a refresher in case you don't recall. After watching that it's hard to miss James' love of professional wrestling throughout the event, the very event that helped cement his legacy as one of the biggest heels in the NBA. But this isn't the first or last example of Lebron James' history with professional wrestling. There's the legendary clip of James as a rookie sitting ringside at Monday Night Raw taking pictures on his flip phone. And there are even pictures of the four-time NBA MVP wearing an Ultimate Warrior shirt celebrating his 2016 Finals victory in Cleveland.

Joe Manganiello And Sofia Vergara

When former True Blood star and Deathstroke in the upcoming Zack Snyder's Justice League Joe Manganiello stepped into a WWE ring for a promotional segment on a 2014 episode of Monday Night Raw, you might think that this was part of a contract he had with a studio, but Sabotage actor wanted to be there and is actually a big wrestling fan, as he told Bleacher Report:

Joe Manganiello is such a big wrestling fan, he even got his wife, Modern Family's Sofia Vergara in on the fun when the two attended a Pro Wrestling Guerrilla show back in 2015, where the Colombian-American actress snapped this picture for her Instagram:

Now we just need to get this power couple into wrestling full-time and see where things go.

Adam Sandler

Watch enough Adam Sandler movies and it's easy to tell that the actor/writer/producer has long loved professional wrestling. From the Revolting Blob in Billy Madison to Captain Insano in The Waterboy to all of the WWE superstars in his 2005 remake of The Longest Yard, Sandler has made a habit of including elements of the sport in his productions. And Sandler's love of wrestling goes back to his childhood, as he explained when asked if he thought it was real on a 2018 episode of the Dan Patrick Show:

Adam Sandler has even attended several WWE events over the years, including WrestleMania 21 back in 2005 when he and longtime friend and acting buddy Rob Scheider were seen enjoying the action.

David Arquette

David Arquette will forever be tied to the death of World Championship Wrestling because of his short-lived World Heavyweight Title reign in the final year of the promotion's existence, but in recent years the Scream actor and wrestling fan has gone on somewhat of a goodwill tour to prove that he had no intentions of making a mockery of professional wrestling. This journey is covered in the documentary You Cannot Kill David Arquette, which he recently discussed with CinemaBlend's Jeff McComb.

During the interview, the Ready To Rumble actor explained that despite the matches be choreographed and scripted, a lot of what happens in the ring, especially the pain is very, very real. Just take a look at David Arquette's 2019 match against Nick Gage at GCW LA to see how real it can get.

Melissa Joan Hart

Melissa Joan Hart became a star thanks to her hit '90s shows like Clarissa Explains it All and Sabrina the Teenage Witch, but she is probably best known to the wrestling fans thanks to her Twitter beef with former Universal Champion Kevin Owens that resulted in the wrestler (and multiple others) blocking the wrestling fan on the social media platform. 

Several months after appearing backstage at SummerSlam in 2015, Hart tweeted that Owens was a lazy wrestler with the hashtag "#MelissaExplainsRaw." Following a brief back-and-forth interaction, Owens blocked the TV star and the whole situation ended up playing out on Monday Night Raw, leaving fans wondering if this was part of the show or real life.

Gillian Jacobs

Since the NBC comedy Community came to an end in 2015, one of the show's stars, Alison Brie, has gone on to star in one of the most beloved wrestling shows around right now with GLOW, but she's not the only with a taste for professional wrestling. Brie's co-star Gillian Jacobs also knows her way around the wrestling world after attending multiple Pro Wrestling Guerrilla shows in the Los Angeles area several years back. In a 2015 interview on the Sam Roberts Show, Jacobs had this to say about those crazy nights in Reseda, California:

El Generico and Kevin Steen, who bounce between best friends and sworn enemies, have since gone on to become known as Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens respectively in WWE after putting in years of amazing five-star matches at the American Legion Hall that PWG called home for so long.

Jon Stewart

And last but not least is the former host of The Daily Show Jon Stewart who played a pivotal role in the Winner Takes All match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship and the United States Championship between Seth Rollins and John Cena at SummerSlam 2015. Leading up to the match, Stewart, who was attending as a fan, the host, and as the comedic foil for Rollins' heel persona, made it seem like he would do everything in his ability to help Cena prevail and leave as a double-champion. Things didn't go according to plan, however, and Stewart turned on Cena and hit him with a steel chair, allowing Rollins to get the victory.

Those are just a few of the celebrities who happen to be wrestling fans, and believe me there are a ton more out there. Did you favorite make the list or do you think someone should be added? Make sure to sound off in the comments below.

Warning: spoilers are in play for the ending of Irresistible**. If you haven’t seen the movie yet, head out and return once you’ve experienced the story for yourself.**

Much like the ending to writer/director Jon Stewart’s political comedy Irresistible, the reaction to the Steve Carell starring movie has been quite surprising. Maybe it’s because the unexpected conclusion to last weekend’s premium VOD release threw people for too hard of a loop. Or perhaps the fact that the film doesn’t fall into the mold that viewers would have expected left folks with something they need to noodle over a little longer. We’re about to decipher the ending of Irresistible, so consider this your final warning, as it’s time to step into the voting booth and see what’s on the ballot.

What Happened At The End Of Irresistible

After Irresistible subjects the small town of Deerlaken to a seemingly typical election cycle of punditry, advertising, and tons upon tons of SuperPAC money, only two votes were cast. As it turns out, Irresistible’s plot wasn’t about getting one person or another into office, it was about getting the city the money it needed to survive. Through an elaborate ruse, Diana Hastings (MacKenzie Davis) fools both major parties to come to their town, fund the usual dog and pony show, with the end result being a town on the brink being given a second chance. Admit it: this isn’t the ending you thought you were going to get when watching that first trailer; and there’s a pretty good reason why.

Why Is The Ending Of Irresistible So Surprising

Rather than follow the typical story of a political operative that bonds with the locals and becomes a better person, Irresistible is all about a small town fighting back against the political infrastructure. We don’t see Gary befriending the locals, win Diana’s heart, and decide to quit the political rat race for a life in Deerlaken. The finale sees Deerlaken outmaneuver the political parties, in a very real, very effective scheme involving SuperPAC money and a huge shell game meant to convince Gary, Faith, and the D.C. Elites that they’re truly the smarter parties. When, in fact, they are not.

Jon Stewart even gets former chairman of the Federal Election Committee, Trevor Potter, to break down how and why this SuperPAC scheme works, and why it’s so scary. This mid-credits coda is the true finale to Irresistible, with Stewart taking a page from Adam McKay’s school of political filmmaking by injecting some truth into the story that’s just been told through fiction. However, this shouldn’t be too much of a surprise, as eagle eyed viewers probably sensed that something was amiss in Irresistible; and that’s exactly what Jon Stewart wanted.

Irresistible’s Popcorn Trail Of Deception

During our sit down Jon Stewart, the writer/director talked about how a second viewing of Irresistible was a truly rewarding experience. His hopes were for the audience to revisit the film and pick up on a sort of “popcorn trail” left behind to signal the truth of the film’s story. Revisiting the film, that trail is pretty easy to follow, leading to what one could “The Great Bamboozle of Deerlaken, Wisconsin”.

Starting from the very beginning, the video of Col. Jack Hastings (Chris Cooper) standing up for his principles was an event staged by the entire town of Deerlaken. The idea of his daughter, Diana, this video is shot and cut for the express purpose of being shown to Gary, after it’s “discovered” by his staffer Evan (Alan Aisenberg), who just happens to also be a Deerlaken native.

Once Gary commits himself to Jack’s mayoral race, after swearing to him personally that he’d run the campaign, this is enough of a lure to bring Faith (Rose Byrne) to the table, as she’s committed to crushing Gary at every turn. Both major parties are now represented in this race, which in turn sees millions of dollars poured into each campaign’s SuperPAC. And thanks to all of those super shady laws that Trevor Potter goes over at the end of Irresistible, that money doesn’t need to be accounted for.

The end result of this big showdown sees Mayor Braun (Brent Sexton) still seated as mayor, as he wasn’t a bad person after all. With the whole town conspiring to raise the funds to save their town, thanks to Diana’s ingenious scheme upon moving back home, the stage was set for Irresistible’s titular inspiration. With a candidate so perfect the Democrats couldn’t resist using him to shore up the next presidential election, and the Republicans needing to get in the game in order to survive, Deerlaken takes both parties for fools, and makes a killing in the process.

How Jon Stewart Explains His Ending For Irresistible

Some may think that the ending to Irresistible is either very cynical, or extremely simplistic, depending on one’s particular read on things. However, Jon Stewart went into his story with a clear vision in mind, and the message couldn’t be more sharply defined. In another segment of his talk with Sean O’Connell, Stewart encapsulated the message of Irresistible as follows:

Playing the role of a pundit himself in his past career as the host of The Daily Show, Jon Stewart has plenty of experience with the messaging and the gamesmanship of the current political system. It shows in every corner of Irresistible, as he shows the world that not only is the political machine full of disconnected processes that use anonymity to make off with a bunch of the nation’s political donations, but if the people really wanted to, they could play a little dirty themselves. Of course, that’s not the takeaway Stewart wants to leave his audience with, which is why that mid-credits coda is important for Irresistible viewers to take in.

Mixing a very politically charged message with sharp humor, and a very big heart, Jon Stewart’s Irresistible is an entertaining vehicle for a deeply important message. Imbued with purpose, and an ensemble of performers blessed with expert comedic timing, you could find yourself entertained on top of educated. So if you’ve seen Irresistible, or have been worried about whether you should give it a shot after all of the bad buzz, let this ending guide inspire you to give this film a fighting chance. Irresistible is currently available for premium VOD rental, waiting for you, the audience, to cast your ballots.

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No one could have predicted the fact that films like writer/director Jon Stewart’s political comedy Irresistible would be premiering on premium VOD instead of in traditional theaters in 2020. Yet as current events eventually dictated a new type of thinking to kee pthe stream of fresh content headed to audiences spending more time at home, a new opportunity presented itself for movies that may have gotten lost in the shuffle at the box office. Which is something Stewart himself is excited about, as it gives audiences a chance to reexamine Irresistible twists and turns upon a second viewing.

Our own Sean O’Connell got to speak with Jon Stewart about the Steve Carell-starring comedy, which hits the Digital rental market today as part of Focus Features’ efforts to stay somewhat on schedule with its 2020 release calendar. During this conversation, Stewart seized the notion of being able to immediately rewatch the movie, with the following enthusiasm:

You wouldn’t think that a comedy like Irresistible would be something that might require a spoiler warning, as it looks like a carefree, but extremely funny, night at the movies. However, after reading Jon Stewart’s analogy involving a trail of popcorn leading to the film’s ending, it’s starting to look like it may be a good idea to stay away from social media before seeing it for yourself. After all, the 48-hour rental window will allow you to see things again from a more critical lens, armed with the knowledge of where the candidacy of Chris Cooper’s Jack Hastings eventually leads.

The rental window is a definite advantage when thinking about how, under the normal distribution model, you’d have to pay the price of another ticket to see Irresistible again, in hopes of getting the full experience. While that approach isn’t a bad thing, the fact that you can rewatch the movie you’ve just rented at any time within two days of that first viewing is a most appreciated silver lining to theaters being closed. You can hear Jon Stewart discuss the finer points of this Irresistible opportunity with Sean O’Connell, in the full clip from their interview below:

Focus Features has certainly seen this sort of success with previous releases like Trolls: World Tour and The High Note, with the former title in particular leading to some repeated viewings in many households who decided to click “Rent” upon its unveiling. Much like the kids who wanted to see Branch and Poppy sing and dance their way to harmony multiple times in one rental, adults will now be able to watch Steve Carell and Rose Byrne go head to head in the political arena as many times as they want.

Irresistible is currently available for premium VOD rental.

Jon Stewart is an incredibly smart person. Though he long argued that he should be always be seen as a comedian first, he spent years delivering some of the most insightful commentary on television, capitalizing on his maintained outsider status to critique both the media and political atmosphere at large with sharp intelligence and biting wit. With solely that in mind, his latest effort as a writer/director, the new comedy Irresistible, should be met with great anticipation. After all, after his 2014 debut, the dramatic thriller Rosewater, the feature is a return for the filmmaker to the tone for which he is best known.

Unfortunately, as a vehicle for the message Jon Stewart wants to get across with the movie, it equates to sticking a high performance engine built for a Maserati underneath the hood of a faux-wood-paneled minivan.

Centering on a small town that winds up being the epicenter of a battle between two bullish, hot shot campaign strategists, the film definitely has something to say about the way modern elections are run in America, and effectively drives home that point before the credits are ready to roll… but the majority of that lives in the third act, and there’s unfortunately not a great deal of entertainment value to be found prior to all that. The movie primarily subsists on stale humor and demanded leaps in logic to explain character motivation up until it’s ready to showcase its big ideas, and while those big ideas are ultimately interesting enough to elevate Irresistible to being “fine,” your larger expectations won’t be met.

Steve Carell, Stewart’s former Daily Show cohort, stars as Gary Zimmer, a victory-obsessed, high-level political junkie feverishly in pursuit of a candidate who could become the next big voice of the Democratic party – most notably as an extension of the loss experienced during the 2016 presidential campaign. His attention is drawn to a video online featuring a farmer/veteran (Chris Cooper) from a small Wisconsin town delivering an impassioned speech to a city council in defense of immigrants, and he immediately jumps into action thinking that he has found a man who, despite lacking any kind of political background, could represent the future of the Democrats (it’s weirdly never acknowledged that this is kind of a strange notion given that the actor in the role is turning 69 in 2020).

Gary travels to Wisconsin in the aim of getting this man, Jack Hastings, to campaign in the upcoming mayoral election, and while his initial plan is to simply provide resources to the effort, that changes when Jack says that he will only run if Gary serves as his campaign manager. He reluctantly agrees, as he is forced to make a major personal adjustment to small-town life, but a fire is lit underneath him when his rival, Faith Brewster (Rose Byrne), having gotten wind of Gary’s activities, arrives on the scene to support the opposition, incumbent Mayor Braun (Brent Sexton). Washington tactics slowly ensconce the little burg as more and more money is poured into the race, the two strategists employing their entire playbooks in attempts to one-up the other.

Irresistible struggles to find its comedic voice, and uses a lot of treaded-over material.

To its credit, Irresistible is a movie that has a statement to make about the status of the entire electoral system in America, and plays no favorites when it comes to political parties, but as modern as it works to be it doesn’t have much fresh material when it comes to either the day-to-day of campaigning or “urbanite travels to farmland” shtick. In the case of the former there’s nothing that we haven’t seen from movies like Jay Roach’s The Campaign or David Gordon Green’s Our Brand Is Crisis (not to mention Veep or Parks & Recreation on the television side), and the latter weirdly winds up draining the film of any likable characters.

You definitely expect a lot more from Steve Carell and Rose Byrne.

Despite being the protagonist, Gary is fully intended to be an offensive character (possessing no real values and only working to aid his own ego), and while that’s not inherently a bad approach for a comedy, the problem is that Steve Carell’s performance doesn’t get the laughs necessary to pull it off, and there is an unintended side effect in that the negativity rubs off on characters who are meant to be much more relatable. Jack Hastings and his daughter (played by Mackenzie Davis) are presented as reasonable, good people, but that leads you to spend the majority of Irresistible wondering why they are willing to put up with so much of Gary’s assholery – particularly because Jack never demonstrates any kind of real enthusiasm that suggests he is getting anything meaningful out of the relationship.

Getting the shortest end of the stick of all is Rose Byrne, who simply isn’t given enough to do despite her significant role in the plot. Faith Brewster isn’t so much a character as she is a plot device/random profanity-laced insult generator. Her interactions with Gary play like bits included solely to showcase the callousness and closed-door attitude of Washington rather than coming from any kind of real place, and all of the actions she takes don’t come from any kind of personal motivation, but instead just to create a conflict that moves the story forward. Making things worse is that while there is a lot in the third act that justifies elements of the first two, that doesn’t include anything involving Faith.

Irresistible's ending mends a number of issues, but doesn’t totally fix the film.

Because this is a spoiler-free forum, discussing the best parts of Irresistible is a challenge simply because all of its best parts are reserved for its conclusion – which is legitimately clever and unpredictable. Certain elements that appear to be odd issues throughout the film, including some of those mentioned above, are made clearer by the revelations, and while the problems aren’t totally resolved, the greater understanding of why things play out the way they do makes a hell of a lot more sense. It’s possible that knowing how the movie ends winds up having the effect of further improving how everything plays on rewatch rather than just in retrospect, but I can’t say I’m overly excited to quickly revisit.

Irresistible is a strange watch, and it could result in some very divisive reactions – with those like me who see the film breaking even in quality as a result of its twist flanked by those who don’t think anything is justified at all, and those who absolutely love it and find that it makes everything click. At the very least the hope can be that it’s strictly an argument about the quality of the movie, and that at least everyone can agree about its messages regarding election reform.

Considering how wildly political the entire world has gotten in the past four years or so, it's almost strange that comedian and former Daily Show host Jon Stewart hadn't ever carved out another TV safe haven for himself. Not that he hasn't kept busy with other duties and projects, and not that he'd even want to return to the same kind of format. For as much as he can reflect fondly at his talk show career on Comedy Central, there are still some regrets.

Specifically, Jon Stewart is somewhat rueful of his experiences on The Daily Show when inflammatory guests were brought in and the show fed into showy arguments rather than strictly meaningful dialogues. Speaking with the New York Times about his new movie Irresistible and other things, Stewart said this about his Daily Show past:

Indeed, some of the past Daily Show moments that people looked forward to the most were the episodes whenever Jon Stewart would host another outspoken news personality, which would inevitably lead to hilarious (and sometimes truly meaningful) confrontations where volumes and tensions would rise accordingly. Any time Stewart sat across a desk from a Fox News anchor or a pundit who'd spoken ill of The Daily Show in the past, the fireworks were often fun to watch again and again.

I can understand, however, how those emotionally driven episodes and interviews might not stand tallest in Jon Stewart's mind when it comes to moments he's the most proud of. It's definitely not easy to always take the high road when the low road seems so welcoming and easy to travel on, and everyone is calling you out for not joining in.

As much as fans might want to challenge Jon Stewart into creating another Daily Show-esque series in order to redeem his past woes, it doesn't sound like there's even a table for that option to be on. Here's how he answered when asked by NYT if he was currently interested in becoming a regular part of the political conversation again.

Perhaps most notably in that respect, Jon Stewart has been an advocate for the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund. He made headlines in 2019 during a hearing when he angrily calling out all the absent Congress members for not being present. The fund was thankfully approved soon after that.

In the years since Jon Stewart left The Daily Show, the Comedy Central series has been hosted by Trevor Noah, who was not so uniformly welcomed in his first couple of years in the job. By and large, though, many viewers now consider the satirical show to be back on stable footing, with no interesting in having Noah get replaced, even during the episodes-from-home mini-era.

Jon Stewart, meanwhile, hasn't been completely absent from later-evening TV appearances. He's always good for a random appearance opposite former co-worker Stephen Colbert on CBS' The Late Show (for which Stewart is an executive producer.) He appeared on John Krasinski's Some Good News with a commencement speech, and also offered some words during the TV special where Dave Chappelle was awarded the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. He might one day do some kind of TV show again, though it would probably be something far sillier and scripted than political.

Most notably, though, is Stewart's second directorial effort, Irresistible, which stars Steve Carrell and Rose Byrne. Its original release date was June 26, though we'll have to see how that plays out.

The Daily Show airs weeknights on Comedy Central at 11:00 p.m. CT. Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more news, and check out our 2020 Summer TV premiere schedule to see what else is on the way in the near future.

It's strange to think that, just four short years ago, Jon Stewart's The Daily Show was one of the only non-news network programs that spent the majority of its airtime focused on politics. He metaphorically passed the baton to everyone else in the industry, though, when he left the Comedy Central hit in 2015, and now it's nearly impossible to find a late night talk show that isn't heavily focused on Donald Trump's antics in Washington D.C. It's also fairly difficult to find Stewart on the small screen anywhere.

Hopefully the Great Jon Stewart TV Drought of The Early-Mid Aughts will only be a temporary blight, and the comedian's fans have been quite vocal about wanting him back on TV in some capacity. How does Stewart himself feel about possibly returning? His thoughts on the matter:

The first thing that we can easily glean from that answer is that Jon Stewart almost definitely won't be returning to a 5-nights-a-week gig like The Daily Show or any of the other late night staples. As he put it, that job is a real grind, and I can't imagine it's easy to let go of that kind of work, especially when the creative teams are so invested in cynical and satirical slants on a never-ending stream of disturbing news stories. Where's the joy, dammit?

Of course, there are obviously many more shows on TV beyond just The Daily Show and its ilk, so the pressure isn't wholly on Jon Stewart to jump right back in the same talk show setting he was in before. Granted, I also don't think anyone is pushing him to immediately join any Three's Company reboots – though he would make a fantastic Chrissy Snow – but there's bound to be a happy medium between those that'd be a perfect fit for Stewart.

If he would still be into getting behind a desk and chatting people up, he could likely do so on a show with a more easygoing process. It seems likely that Netflix would back a truck of money up to Jon Stewart's house if he agreed to talk to war veterans on a weekly basis, or even if he just hosted a comedic series centered on fake political debates. Hell, I would even love it if he became a permanent third judge on Nailed It!

Given Jon Stewart's penchant for promoting civil duties and democracy, his potential return to television likely won't be for something so frivolous. For instance, Stewart made headlines everywhere this week for his emotional testimonial before the House Judiciary Committee for the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act. At times breaking down in tears, Stewart feistily defended the many, many thousands of men and women who worked tirelessly to restore normalcy to Ground Zero and the surrounding areas after the 9/11 attacks.

The bill was unanimously passed by the committee the day after Jon Stewart's pleas were heard and watched around the country, easily proving that the man can draw an impassioned crowd of viewers no matter what the medium or the circumstances. He definitely wasn't thinking about his small screen return at the time, but it was a big reminder of the Jon Stewart-sized hole that has been in our TV viewing for the past few years.

The comedian has been doing some work in that area, and even shared some standup dates with Dave Chappelle. (Remember Stewart's cameo as the conspiratorial stoner in Half Baked?) It'd be great to see him record a stand-up special at some point, wouldn't it?

Speaking with the Tampa Bay Times about his upcoming movie Irresistible, Stewart was asked if he has any anxiety to feel he has to keep creating. His answer:

Fingers crossed Jon Stewart finds his next big TV project in the hyper-near future, and that it's everything he could have hoped for. And that fellow Daily Show vets such as late-night champ Stephen Colbert and Samantha Bee, can also be involved.

Dave Chappelle and Jon Stewart are heading on the road. The former Comedy Central stalwarts are combining their comedy talents to bring some much-needed laughs to the heart of America -- but only in a select number of cities, unfortunately. As it was recently reported, Chappelle and Stewart are going to Boston, MA, Houston, TX and El Paso, TX as joint entertainers in the heart of June. If you don't live in those cities, then you're out of luck.

The seven-date June comedy tour begins in Boston, MA on June 11th, according to Rolling Stone. From the 11th to the 13th, Jon Stewart and Dave Chappelle perform in the Wang Theatre. Then, on the 21st and 22nd, they're based in Houston, TX, where they'll perform stand-up inside the Smart Financial Centre. On the 23rd and the 24th, meanwhile, they're setting up shop in El Paso, TX, where they'll provide laughs inside the Chavez Theatre. It's unclear if they're planning to add any other destinations to their impending tour, but at the moment, these are the only locations they've announced.

This upcoming mid-summer comedy tour is not the first time Jon Stewart and Dave Chappelle have gotten together to share the stage. Last August, for instance, Stewart made an appearance during Chappelle's set at the Radio City Music Hall. As you'd likely expect from Jon Stewart's brand, there was a decent amount of criticism towards President Donald Trump and his vocal supporters. This is the first time they've gone on tour together, though.

Since Jon Stewart and Dave Chappelle have left Comedy Central with The Daily Show and Chappelle's Show respectively, they've focused their efforts on returning to their stand-up careers. Recently, Stewart signed a deal with HBO for a pair of specials set to air on their paid broadcast. Meanwhile, Chappelle has provided Netflix with an abundance of stand-up this past year or two. Those specials include The Age of Spin and Deep in the Heart of Texas, as well as Equanimity and The Bird Revelation. The latter two were released at the tail-end of December, while the former two won Grammys.

If you're looking to see Jon Stewart and Dave Chappelle perform stand-up this summer, you can get tickets exclusively through Ticketmaster's Verified Fan platform. Tickets are on sale starting Friday, May 18th, starting at 10 AM. Registration, meanwhile, opens on May 16th starting at 10 PM ET. If you're looking to get your comedy fix for the season, you could certainly do worse than Dave Chappelle and Jon Stewart. That's certainly safe to say. Of course, you'll either have to be in Texas or Boston in order to join them. That, or make the trek to their quarters. Sorry. We don't make the rules here.

HBO's annual comedy-infused fund raiser Night Of Too Many Stars: America Unites For Autism Programs aired on Saturday, and those who thought host Jon Stewart wouldn't rope in old pal Stephen Colbert for some hilarity most certainly thought wrong. Colbert took the stage to get into a weird dragon-related argument that soon culminated in a big Daily Show reunion that was hilarious from start to finish. Check it out!

Jon Stewart got the ol' band back together, with Stephen Colbert's argument regarding white males being cast as dragons soon got interrupted by Last Week Tonight host John Oliver in person, as well as former correspondent and Full Frontal host Samantha Bee via a pre-recorded message. While other celebrities like America's Got Talent judge Howie Mandell and Michael J. Fox worked their way into the mix, Colbert, Stewart, and Oliver joked their way through the somewhat bizarre skit, berating each other much to the delight of many in the audience. Judging by the laughs, John Oliver might actually want to consider renaming Last Week Tonight as "Harry Potter and the half-hour lecture."

Obviously, John Oliver can classily take the jabs from his friends about his show, as the Emmy-winning Last Week Tonight recently snagged a renewal from HBO through 2020. Stephen Colbert can do the same, considering Jon Stewart continues to help out hisLate Show career as an executive producer on the series. As playful as the joke was when Stewart said he "raised them," there's no denying the impact he's had on both of their careers, as well as Samantha Bee's, in working with them on The Daily Show. We're not sure what effect he's had on dragons int he industry, though.

What one can absolutely deny in regards to this sketch, however, is that Michael J. Fox indeed wrote that tweet! Given the actor's very spotty social media presence, it was hard to believe that the Back to the Future star would update his Twitter feed during the Night Of Too Many Stars: America Unites For Autism Programs even if it was for charity. Sure enough, the actor's Twitter page shows his last tweet was on November 13th, which was a full five days before the event took place! Apparently, Michael J. Fox is not a method actor, although maybe Doc Brown had something to do with this.

While they weren't involved in the sketch, there were many other veterans of The Daily Show in attendance at the Night Of Too Many Stars: America Unites For Autism Programs. Rob Corddry, Jordan Klepper, Olivia Munn, Hasan Minhaj, and Michelle Wolf were all in attendance for the big night. Apparently, any time Jon Stewart gets back in a hosting capacity on television, it's an event not many wish to miss!

Those who missed HBO's Night Of Too Many Stars: America Unites For Autism Programs can currently access the event on demand, provided they have an HBO subscription. For more upcoming programming, be sure to visit our fall premiere guide, or jump ahead to 2018 by visiting our new midseason premiere guide. For a group of shows that got the ax in 2017, hit up our cancellation guide.

It's been two years since Jon Stewart hosted his last episode of The Daily Show, and he has no regrets about how he exited. Stewart shared how he felt about leaving the Comedy Central series that he put on the map in a recent interview with Howard Stern, and stated he felt like he needed to go to keep the product from declining:

For any fans of The Daily Show who felt like Jon Stewart left too early and still had something left in the tank, he made it clear to The Howard Stern Show it was quite the opposite. In fact, Stewart said he felt like it was the right time for him to step out of the series, simply because he felt he was close to reaching the point of phoning in episodes. Considering he hosted The Daily Show consistently for 16 years, it's a wonder he didn't think of throwing in the towel sooner.

Luckily he didn't, although Jon Stewart did admit he had gotten lazy on a couple things towards the end of his run on The Daily Show. Stewart said he would alter bits pitched for the show based on the level of work he would have to put towards them. Specifically, he wasn't a fan of changing clothes for segments:

Luckily, with Trevor Noah taking up his spot on The Daily Show, Stephen Colbert ramping up the politics on The Late Show, and John Oliver going viral with each new episode of Last Week Tonight, the world of political satire is well off enough without Jon Stewart at the wheel of the ship. Plus, it's not like Stewart can't ever come back should that fire return one day, and with his HBO contract, he definitely can and will very soon.

Those hungry for a Jon Stewart return to television will get their wish as he is the host of Night of Too Many Stars: America Unites for Autism Programs Sunday, November 18th at 8 p.m. ET on HBO. For more on other "can't miss" upcoming fall programming, be sure to visit our fall premiere guide and stay up to date with all the latest and greatest shows of the season. For a look at some shows that didn't survive 2017, hit up our cancellation guide.

Jon Stewart was a big name on the late night TV circuit for 16 years thanks to his tenure as host of The Daily Show. After passing the Daily Show torch to Trevor Noah in 2015, however, Stewart more of less disappeared from television. His biggest appearances over the past couple of years have probably been his cameos on Stephen Colbert's The Late Show. Now, Stewart is poised to make a big return to the small screen with a stand-up comedy special on HBO.

This new HBO comedy special will be Jon Stewart's first stand-up special since 1996, when Jon Stewart: Unleavened aired on HBO. No date or title for the new special has been announced just yet, but we can bet that he'll bring the laughs. Unleavened was a big deal back in 1996, and one of Stewart's highest-profile gigs prior to landing The Daily Show in 1999. The new special should reconnect him to some of his earlier comedy roots and give fans more material than we get from his brief appearances on late night nowadays.

While we don't yet know when Jon Stewart's next stand-up special will air, HBO has set a date for a second television event that will feature Stewart. He has signed on to host the upcoming Night of Too Many Stars charity benefit for autism awareness and services. That event will be presented live on Saturday, November 18. Stewart will host celebrities in stand-up acts, sketches, and short films. Filming will take place at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Interestingly, Jon Stewart actually signed a deal with HBO back in 2015 that many thought would bring him back to the small screen much sooner than November. The four-year production deal didn't involve a new talk show, like the one former Daily Show correspondent John Oliver currently hosts on HBO. His plan was to produce timely content on a daily basis in the form of digital shorts, designed to stream on platforms like HBO NOW and HBO GO. Early estimates placed Stewart's new project at some point in fall 2016, with the intent to bring back back before the 2016 presidential election.

That obviously didn't happen, and it was announced in May that the project was officially cancelled. HBO and Jon Stewart decided that while the project had potential, the technical issues of production and distribution were too difficult to overcome. They did hint that there would be future collaborations; now we know what some of those collaborations will look like. Hopefully we won't have to wait too long to see Stewart back in his stand-up special.

Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for the latest in TV news. Our summer TV guide can show you your current viewing options, and our rundowns of renewals and cancellations for cable/streaming and network TV can help you plan for the future.

When Jon Stewart exited The Daily Show a couple of years ago, a void was created that still hasn't quite been filled, either by Trevor Noah's reign or Stephen Colbert's Late Show work. And so much rejoicing happened when Stewart signed a huge deal with HBO, with the first official project meant to be an animated parody of cable news networks. Unfortunately, we're going to have to keep waiting for Stewart's TV return, as HBO has announced the promising project has been cancelled. Here's the reasoning, according to the network's statement.

That's one bummer of an announcement, as Jon Stewart's arrival on HBO sounded like something crafted by TV gods whose supreme goals were to inform and amuse us. And when the project was first announced last summer, its lofty ambitions sounded a little too good to be true, but this is HBO we're talking about.

There were multiple goals involved, too, as this project was meant to be more than just a standalone animated series poking fun at the worlds of CNN and Fox News with an Onion-esque point of view. As the New York Times also reports, there were additionally supposed to be digital shorts released on a more regular basis that tapped into current events in amusing ways. It seemed like the shorts might make a jump to digital platforms, too, but now it's all gone belly up.

One can look at South Park and its ridiculously hectic and time-constrained schedule, and how that show successfully tackles topical subject matter on a regular basis, and then question why HBO and Jon Stewart's project didn't come together. But that would be getting picky, since it's obviously hard as hell to get top quality animation projects together quickly, which is why shows like The Simpsons will often get caught tackling months-old references and fads. If it took 18 months to figure out that it all took too long, I'd hate to see how long the actual production would take.

The silver lining here, obviously, is that the dissolution of this project isn't indicative of an overall breakup between Jon Stewart and HBO. The overall deal hinted that several different projects of varying formats would be on the table, so hopefully everything else in development will offer zero hinderances on the way from announcement to airing. We need more jokes about Arby's and Jimmy Dean sausages.

Thankfully, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert has been there to give Jon Stewart an occasional vehicle on which to show his face. As an executive producer, one would hope that he'd become a more regular part of the program, but it hasn't happened yet. We did recently get to see Stewart team up with other former Daily Show stars for a fantastic reunion on the late night series, which actually was solid enough to keep us sated for a while longer. But HBO, we don't mean "George R.R. Martin writing his next book" longer.

So we sadly won't be getting to hear Jon Stewart's voice or his jokes on HBO as soon as we thought we would, which is disappointing, but you can still find his former Daily Show cohort John Oliver on HBO on Sunday nights at 11 p.m. ET, along with all kinds of other amazing shows on that network. And if you're looking for something else to get into, head to our summer TV schedule for everything premiering in the coming months.

While fans of The Late Show are used to seeing the outspoken Stephen Colbert spending his time taking charged political jabs at President Donald Trump and his administration, things got a lot more optimistic on last night's broadcast, which featured a giant episode-length reunion of former Daily Show stars from that series' most iconic stretch. Colbert welcomed Jon Stewart, Samantha Bee, Ed Helms, Rob Corddry and John Oliver (as Steve Carrell), and the gang took a trip back into the past for a pristine recreation of Colbert's last day at The Daily Show back in 2005.

The whole frigging Late Show episode was good, don't get me wrong, but this segment brings out everything that I love about all of these entertainers: broad humor dressed with subtleties, and high brow jokes crawling around with low brow jokes. Oh, and the funny hair, of course. Because a comedy sketch is not a true comedy sketch unless someone has got the funniest hair. Even though it's a flashback to 2005, there is no faux-follicle consistency.

Samantha Bee appears to be an extra on Miami Vice. Ed Helms won Worst Dressed at a Village People costume party. Rob Corddry is possibly a professional wrestler turned announcer. And Jon Stewart...well, he looks like Jon Stewart in a bad wig.

Take a drink of whatever Mountain Dew flavor was popular in 2005 every time these guys make a joke that is super-specific to the year in which the flashback takes place. Now, there obviously were some political jokes involved, since mixing former Daily Show crew members is just asking for D.C. satire saturation. It is nice, though, that George W. Bush is the subject matter, and they're basically kind to him, as opposed to what things used to be like. You know...whenever Steve Carrell looked like himself and not like current Last Week Tonight host John Oliver. But maybe my memory is just fuzzy.

When Stephen Colbert spread his big bald eagle wings and flew away from The Daily Show to settle in his new Colbert Report nest, he destroyed something beautiful. But from that, something else that was equally beautiful grew. And when he also destroyed that, he moved to CBS. And here we are. Looking for our yogurts.

You can still catch The Daily Show every night on Comedy Central at 11:00 p.m. ET. And, of course, you can see Stephen Colbert rocking it on The Late Show on CBS every night at 11:35 p.m. ET. And to see when everything else is heading to the small screen soon during the primetime hours, head to our summer TV schedule.

Comedy Central's late night comedy block has gone through some major changes in recent years with the departures of Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert. Soon after, veteran Daily Show correspondent Larry Wilmore stepped up to fill the Colbert Report time slot with The Nightly Show. Unfortunately, fans of Wilmore's unique brand of comedy got some bad news recently with the cancellation of The Nightly Show. The good news now is that Wilmore will have a very special guest for the finale: former Daily Show host Jon Stewart.

Larry Wilmore got his big break into the political comedy circuit when he joined The Daily Show with Jon Stewart as a correspondent back in 2008, so it's only fitting that Stewart will show up on the farewell episode of The Nightly Show. Wilmore has successfully made The Nightly Show his own rather than crafting an 11:30 p.m. copy of Stewart's Daily Show, but his Daily Show roots show in some of his funniest segments. The announcement of Stewart's guest spot (via The Nightly Show's Twitter account) is a good reason to get excited about a sad development.

The Nightly Show host has already come out and expressed his gratitude to Jon Stewart for his role in advancing his comedy career. Larry Wilmore also admitted that he wishes that he could have stuck around to continue coverage of the 2016 presidential campaign season. I have to agree with him on that point. Comedy Central has always been one of my favorite retreats when the political news cycle gets too crazy. It's too bad that he didn't get just a little bit longer on the air to try to grab some higher ratings during election season.

The Nightly Show has been on the air for the past year and a half, and it hasn't managed to capture the same numbers as The Colbert Report that previously occupied the 11:30 p.m. Monday - Thursday time slot. Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert put together a killer comedy block with a certain format for nearly ten years. Longtime fans of Comedy Central's political commentary hour might not have been willing to give the new show a chance in Colbert's old slot. The 11 p.m. slot stayed a little more similar when Trevor Noah stepped in for Jon Stewart on The Daily Show. The Nightly Show just wasn't a Colbert Report 2.0. The cancellation of The Nightly Show is a sad turn of events for those of us who grew to love Wilmore as host of his own show, but it's hard to blame Comedy Central if the numbers just weren't what the network was looking for.

Possibly the biggest bummer of the news of The Nightly Show's cancellation was that only a few episodes were left. The final installment of Larry Wilmore's show actually airs tonight at 11:30 p.m. ET on Comedy Central. Fans usually get more than four episodes after a series officially gets the axe. Hopefully Jon Stewart's appearance in tonight's finale will help The Nightly Show go out with a bang.

Check out our fall TV premiere schedule to see what you'll be able to catch on the small screen in the near future.

In the months since Jon Stewart rolled his chair away from behind the Daily Show desk, the comedian and political satirist has been quite busy jumping into wrestling rings and reconnecting with his former co-star Stephen Colbert on The Late Show. He will soon finally come back to the small screen on a regular basis, however, thanks to a multi-year deal he signed last year with HBO. Network exec Casey Bloys dropped some well-deserved details about that first project today, and they have us super pumped.

Love it! After Jon Stewart hooked up with HBO last year, part of me worried that he would be far more invested in the producing side of things rather than performing and writing, and even though we probably won't get to see his actual face on this new series, at least he'll be there in voice and in sharp-witted spirit. As well, this show will tie into the digital shorts portion of Stewart's deal with HBO, but Bloys stated at the TCA press event that it is expected to be put together in a half-hour format and aired on the linear channel as well as online (via Deadline).

Thankfully, the plan is still to get Stewart's new project in front of audiences by September or October, which sounds alarmingly soon for an animated series. Part of the push has been to get it up and running before the Presidential election in November, meaning we wouldn't have to go through an ENTIRE election season without Stewart's salient humor guiding us through the madness. Not that anyone could make sense out of the current race, but still. Getting topical with animation is cool, and that should help keep it in the zeitgeist.

Sure, it might have been cool had Jon Stewart gone with something completely different from the comedy news world that we watched him rule over for 16 years, but if it never broke, then I see nothing wrong with figuring out a new and refreshing way to get the same point across. And if an animated take on the cable news world is what it's going to be, then I'm already getting my cheek muscles stretched so all that smiling won't hurt my face. Especially when there's an Onion comparison involved.

By the end of 2016, we may once again have Jon Stewart and John Oliver on the same network again, and though Stephen Colbert is on CBS, it'll still be great to have the trifecta alive and well on TV again. Expect to hear and see more about Stewart's new digs in the near future, and in the meantime, check out everything else debuting later this year with our fall TV schedule.

Sure, peanut butter and jelly are usually kept on different shelves in different parts of the kitchen, but you know a good time is coming when the two get together. Now replace peanut butter with Stephen Colbert, and jelly with Jon Stewart - the bread can stay where it is - and you've got a botched metaphor intended to celebrate the two comedians' sweet and savory kinship. Colbert and Stewart will gloriously meet again soon, as the latter will stop by The Late Show during the best possible time: The Republican National Convention.

Thankfully, another person's appearance on a late night talk show isn't something that takes lengthy preparation for any of us, and Jon Stewart's Late Show appearance is coming up quick. He'll show up for Monday night's episode, on July 18, to hype up Colbert's all-live convention coverage for the next two weeks, but he probably won't be sitting back on a couch or getting behind the desk. The details behind his appearance aren't being disclosed, according to Vulture, and the sky is really the limit when it comes to Stewart's potential to amaze. The sky above Cleveland, in particular, where the Republican National Convention will be held for the week.

Jon Stewart, a man whose Daily Show election coverage was fantastic enough to get DVD releases, has been an obvious absence in the political conversation, and his former TV home has still only barely escaped the shadow of its former self. Without Stewart there to share his thoughts on candidates on both sides of the aisle, with a face that smiles and a brain that seethes, we've had to just pretend. Note that I'm not hoping he does anything particularly party-leaning. Just something noteworthy in and of itself, like walking through the convention in a Donald Trump mask or watching and discussing convention footage with Ted Cruz. Maybe that would suck. I don't know.

I guess it's not healthy to get one's hopes too far up, since Stewart's presence at The Late Show isn't exactly a rarity, given his involvement as executive producer. So he may just come out with a top hat and cane at the beginning of the show to introduce the band. Or he might get a little "Moment of Zen" tag at the end called "Zoment of Men" or whatever because of rights issues. Those would be great, too.

There will be guests appearing on The Late Show during its live run through RNC Week. Daily Show familiar Lewis Black will be there, as will the always hilarious Keegan-Michael Key and Billy Eichner. Tony Goldwyn, the prez on Scandal, will show up too, along with Senator Elizabeth Warren. If only Jon Stewart would be there the entire week to talk to all of them.

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert airs weeknights on CBS. Get ready for conventions.

When an alien (who happens to look just like a human) reveals his existence to the world and uses his powers to protect others, it's inevitable that people will offer their opinions about his presence. We got a fair amount of that in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and one of the folks who was originally supposed to provide his own comedic take on Superman was former Daily Show host Jon Stewart. However, his cameo was cut from the theatrical release presumably due to unfortunate timing regarding when he exited the series, but now fans can see him on the R-rated, extended cut.

As Comicbook.com noted, Stewart's brief appearance in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice has been restored to the "Ultimate Edition" home media release. His inclusion is part of the 30 minutes of extra content that was deleted from the original version, So why was he cut from the movie? That likely has to do with him leaving The Daily Show last August. Stewart presumably shot his cameo sometime when Batman v Superman was in principal photography from May to December of 2014, but by the time the movie hit theaters, Trevor Noah had been the show's new host for six months. Had the movie kept its original July 2015 release, then the Stewart cameo would have still felt appropriate, but in March 2016, his appearance wouldn't have made any sense.

While taking Jon Stewart out of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice's theatrical version makes sense in terms of not making the movie feel dated, it makes sense incorporate him back into the Ultimate Edition for completion's sake. Also, his appearance lasts for less than a minute, so it's not like he's crucial to the plot. Like other celebrity cameos, it's just a way to show that this universe, while fictional and fantastical, shares similarities with the real world. Plus, it gave Stewart another chance to play himself in a high profile movie. His previous cameos include Evan Almighty and The Adjustment Bureau.

Jon Stewart was just one of the many talking heads included in the second DCEU entry, cut of otherwise. Other well known figures included Anderson Cooper, Soledad O'Brien, Charlie Rose, Nancy Grace and Neil deGrasse Tyson. Each of them either covered news concerning Superman's feats across the world or gave their own perspective on whether he was a benevolent figure or someone who could harm humanity in an instant. Of course, including real life news figures and celebrities is nothing new in superhero movies. The Marvel Cinematic Universe has previously included famous faces like Bill O'Reilly, Jim Cramer, Christiane Amanpour, Joan Rivers, etc.

You can now watch Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice - The Ultimate Edition on digital HD, but if you prefer Blu-ray, you'll have to wait until July 19 for that to hit shelves.

Politics and elections are rarely funny on their own, so many of us in years past relied on Jon Stewart and The Daily Show to bring some laughs to otherwise disheartening political news. Stewart leaving the series in 2015 was a long time coming, but it was still a bummer considering that he’d be missing the 2016 presidential election for his jump from Comedy Central to HBO. Luckily, HBO has announced that Stewart may in fact be back on the air before the general election in November.

Jon Stewart signed a four-year deal with HBO back in November of 2015, but there was no news of when he might make his debut. HBO CEO Richard Plepler has confirmed that he is hopeful that Stewart might make his big HBO break before the end of campaign season, according to Variety. The former Daily Show host’s work on HBO has been categorized as “improvisational,” which frankly makes a lot of sense for a man with as much comedic success to his name as Jon Stewart. He’ll examine current events through his own point-of-view.

Interestingly, Jon Stewart’s role on HBO has always been geared toward content for streaming platform HBO Now. The streaming service has allowed consumers to subscribe to HBO via computer without subscribing via cable. It’s been a great way for HBO programming to reach viewers who are unable or unwilling to go the extra mile and add HBO to their cable package, and Jon Stewart becoming a presence on HBO Now will likely increase subscribers to the streaming service. If he does indeed make it onto HBO by the November presidential election, that increase in subscribers may occur sooner rather than later.

HBO hasn’t brought Jon Stewart on just to do a sort of Daily Show 2.0 via streaming video. Stewart is set to work with pioneering cloud graphics company OTOY to produce digital shorts with new technology ideal for HBO Now. The shorts will showcase Stewart in a brand new way, hopefully without costing him any of the humor that endeared him to the masses during his tenure on The Daily Show.

Of course, The Daily Show didn’t come to an end when Jon Stewart left. After Comedy Central approached a number of comedians ranging from Amy Schumer to Chris Rock, Trevor Noah landed the hosting gig. Noah has been funny enough, but he had some big shoes to fill. Personally, I’m relieved to know that Jon Stewart may be back on TV to give his spin on the news by election time.

We’ll have to wait and see if HBO CEO Richard Plepler’s hopes for Jon Stewart to make his HBO debut in time for the November elections come true. In the meantime, check out our schedule of summer TV premiere dates to see what we know for sure will be hitting the airwaves. 

Jon Stewart may have gotten out of the talk show game, but the truth is, he’s not really out of the talk show game. When Stephen Colbert hopped over to CBS, he asked Jon Stewart to be an executive producer on The Late Show. An executive producing gig can mean a lot of things, but in a recent interview, Colbert revealed that Jon Stewart is actually involved with The Late Show with Stephen Colbert much more than you would expect. Here’s what Stephen Colbert had to say about his former Comedy Central schedule buddy.

It’s not shocking that Stephen Colbert would have kind things to say about Jon Stewart, who helped kickstart his career after acting as a correspondent on The Daily Show for many years. Eventually, Comedy Central gave the man his own show, The Colbert Report. It was the recognition Stephen Colbert earned when he was doing his cable show that helped him to get CBS’ late night gig. Obviously, Stephen Colbert is aware that he owes a lot to Jon Stewart, and he told Adweek he still values the connection, even going so far as to offer Stewart the executive producing role right away.

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert has made a few tweaks since the show initially hit the schedule this past fall. Early on in the game, episodes ran long. The premiere, in fact, almost didn’t make it to the air after it took a while to cut the show down for time and then took another long while for the network to receive a copy of the episode. Obviously, two heads--or 10 heads, or however many heads really make the creative aspects of the show pop each week--are better than one, and it's really cool that Jon Stewart has been around to help the fledgling late night program really get off of the ground and find its tone.

Come to think of it, this also probably explains why Jon Stewart crashed Stephen Colbert's opening monologue that one time...

New episodes of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert air on weeknights at 11:35 p.m. ET, only on CBS.

The Oscars are welcoming new blood into the producing chairs of next year’s show. David Hill and Reginald Hudlin have been announced as the producers in charge of the 88th Academy Awards, and they’ve already gone on record stating that they want a duo to host the show next year. Now while this is hardly breaking ground, there’s one duo they already claim to have in mind for the job, and four more that we think would be perfect for the job. Picture any one of the following five duos as the hosts on Oscar Night 2016, and try not to agree.

Keegan Michael Key & Jordan Peele

In a perfect world, the duo that David Hill and Reginald Hudlin have already pegged for possibly hosting duties would be Keegan Michael Key and Jordan Peele. If they manage to land this pair, they’ve pretty much sewn up Oscar night for the younger demographic - or anyone who loves to laugh. With Key and Peele hosting the Oscars, you’ve got two hosts who work like well-oiled machinery - both in the writing room and on the stage. They know the edge of comedy, and they aren’t afraid to play around with material from both sides. But edgy can make producers nervous. Still, it’s the perfect time to book the pair as their show is ending soon, because the iron is hot.

Tina Fey and Amy Poehler

Admit it… you knew this was coming. The moment Tina Fey and Amy Poehler’s hosting gig with the Golden Globes was over, the Oscar-night talk heated up faster than a Hot Pocket on the surface of the sun. Fey and Poehler’s awards show schtick is a network friendly, meme-creating possibility that could boost viewership to heights the networks haven’t been seen in years. Much like Key and Peele, Fey and Poehler have experience working together as writers and presenters, and they’ve got years of Golden Globes experience to back it up. While we’re on the subject of former Golden Globes hosts, another possibility comes to mind.

Ricky Gervais and Louis CK

The other name people have been throwing about for the Oscars gig is, of course, Ricky Gervais. His acerbic wit, mixed with his risk-taking attitude, could bring the edge of Seth MacFarlane’s infamous night back into the picture, but with a flare that audiences have come to accept on much better terms. With good friend, and fellow snark master, Louis CK in the mix alongside him, a Gervais / CK pairing could usher in an era of laughter and comedic riffs that'd replace extravagant musical numbers. You can sign us up if this pairing ends up becoming a reality, but there’s another twosome that tops even these two jokesters.

Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert

Right off the bat, Jon Stewart has points in his column as an Oscar host because not only does he have more time on his hands to take the gig, he’s hosted the show twice before and did it extremely well. With Stewart’s grounded, reality-driven patter in the driver’s seat, this gives Stephen Colbert the perfect opportunity to jump into the passenger’s side and take full control of the nutty part of the night. There could be costume changes, sniper-precision one liners, and Colbert's set of pipes, which would elevate any musical number. These two showmen would brighten the proceedings infinitely. Still, all of these options might not be "safe" enough for first time producers to keep their jobs - which means it’s time to call in the experts.

Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin

With three hosting gigs under his belt, and two of them being solo flights, Steve Martin has the most Oscar experience of anyone on this list. That’s not by accident, as he can keep his jokes sharp and short, knows how to work the audience into the act without drawing out the show, and commands a great amount of respect from the artistic community. Bringing back Alec Baldwin, his previous Oscar co-host and faux "arch nemesis," to help steer the ship is merely icing on the cake - as the two compliment each other’s sense of one-upmanship without distracting from the night’s events. If you want a safe, yet amusing option for two Oscar hosts, hire these guys. Though let’s be honest, if you’re hiring these guys, you should at least consider bringing Tina Fey and Amy Poehler in for a couple gags - so the Internet can officially love the Oscars to death.

This poll is no longer available.

The 88th Annual Academy Awards will take place on February 28, 2016. We wish the producers and their prospective hosts all the luck in the world, seeing as that’s what really counts on Oscar night.

During his years as host on The Daily Show, Jon Stewart often took mental jabs at those he was talking about and interacting with. But on Sunday night, when he took over hosting duties for WWE’s SummerSlam pay-per-view, things definitely got physical as he blasted John Cena in the stomach with a chair. As you might have imagined, Cena didn’t take too kindly to this, and got a small slice of revenge the next night on Raw. Check it out!

When Jon Stewart hopped into the ring and allowed his previous “enemy” Seth Rollins to not only retain the WWE Heavyweight Championship belt, but also to win the U.S. belt, it seemed like a left-field writers room decision that was only meant to infuriate fans and confuse casual viewers. And while that probably was the case in more ways than not, at least Stewart himself had a solid enough reason for it: he didn’t want to see John Cena tying Ric Flair’s record of winning the Heavyweight belt 16 times in his career. Hell, there’s a part of me that feels the same way, not wanting to see the old guard get matched by the modern guard. (Cena isn’t exactly new.)

That said, you won’t find me saying that out loud in front of an audience in the same building where Cena is in attendance. Sure, it’s all “fake” and everything, but I’m still far too out of shape to properly survive Cena’s Attitude Adjustment without feeling the need to call for all the stretchers. I wonder if Rob Riggle and John Hodgman were waiting around backstage to take Stewart to the hospital if he needed it. Or at least to offer advice on shaving his stomach the next time he gets tossed around on live TV.

It still feels weird to see Stewart getting caught up in the world of the WWE, and I’m anxious to see just how long he continues to pop up. Sure, if he wants to go off and create some important films revolving around politics or other global affairs, that’d be fine. But if he wants to stick around and become Sting’s manager, now that the face-painted icon is back, we’d be perfectly okay with that, too. Maybe Stephen Amell could give him some pointers in the meantime.

Less than two weeks ago, Jon Stewart wrapped up his 16-year run on The Daily Show. And from the looks of it, his fans are still not quite ready to let go. With the 2016 presidential race in its early stages, a group of Jon Stewart fans decided to launch a campaign to petition that the former Daily Show host should moderate a presidential debate, and it has already gained over 150,000 signatures.

The petition was created on the popular website Change.org, and it goes on to explain why Jon Stewart is “more than qualified” to take on moderating a presidential debate. The fan who created the petition, Mariel Waters goes on to note that Stewart has interviewed 15 heads of state, 32 members of the U.S. Senate, 22 members of the Cabinet, 7 member of the House of Representatives and a slew of other political leaders from the U.S. and abroad. Waters states:

And not only does Stewart’s work on The Daily Show and as the “most trusted person in (satirical) news” shine him as an appropriate moderator, but he also has covered on a number of presidential campaigns. That’s probably the biggest reason fans want him back. It doesn’t seem right to hold a presidential campaign without getting the input of Stewart one way or another.

There are a few good arguing points as to why Jon Stewart is deserving of the position, and the creator of the petition is hopeful that the signatures can make a difference. Waters notes that in 2012 there was a Change.org petition that asked the Commission on Presidential Debates to select a female moderator, and with over 180,000 signatures it won. Currently there are over 180,000 signatures for Jon Stewart’s involvement in the debate, with a goal of 200,000. The petition will easily match the goal.

The question is whether or not Stewart wants the gig. No word from the comedian on his thoughts on the petition. He’d most likely be honored at the thought, but in stepping away from The Daily Show, he may be wanting to take a break from the heavy politics. Throwing him right in the middle to moderate a debate is exactly something he may have been excited to leave behind. We can only imagine the stress that goes along with it. But, Stewart always had a knack for asking the hard questions, and pulling out the answers. It would be a breath of fresh air to see him take on a Presidential Debate.

The pop culture connection between the WWE and the rest of the entertainment world continues to grow, and it’s going in another exciting direction. Arguably the second biggest pay-per-view event of the pro wrestling year, SummerSlam is coming later this month, and none other than former Daily Show front-man Jon Stewart has signed on as the event’s host. That’s quite possibly the coolest and strangest post-retirement gig that one could land.

One might have expected Stewart to take it easy in the weeks after stepping down from the Daily Show desk, but he apparently wanted to take on one of the most high-profile jobs of his life. Beyond the title of “host,” it’s not exactly clear how much Stewart, a big fan of the WWE, will be doing for SummerSlam, which has been extended to a four-hour telecast this year. Hopefully he’ll come out in a Donald Trump costume at some point and do some stand-up routines.

This isn’t the first time that Stewart will be mixing it up with pro wrestlers, either. Earlier this year, the comedian found himself on the opposite end of a feud with Seth Rollins in the weeks before Rollins won the WWE World Heavyweight belt at Wrestlemania 31. Check out a clip from a Monday Night Raw episode below, in which the two men were in the ring together, though sadly without Stewart making a backflip off of the top turnbuckle.

Still too soon with those Oscars and Rosewater jokes, Rollins! I’m guessing something will have to happen between those guys during SummerSlam, but probably later in the evening, as not to interrupt Stewart’s hosting with a neck injury or something.

And Stewart won’t be the only non-wrestler celeb getting some screentime on SummerSlam. Arrow star Stephen Amell will finally get his chance to shut Stardust up after months of back-and-forth taunting, and the men will face off in a tag team match. They already had a little rumble on Raw last week, at which point Amell demanded a match from Triple H. We’re hoping Team Arrow shows up in full force.

SummerSlam will air live on pay-per-view on Sunday, August 23, at 7 p.m. ET, with a match between Undertaker and Brock Lesnar as one of the more anticipated fights that night. Before that, though, a live one-hour pre-show will air on WWE Network at 6 p.m. ET. Maybe Craig Kilborn can host that one.