Jon Stewart Rips Paramount And Cbs In Profanity-laden Diatribe After Cancellation Of Colbert’s ‘late Show’

Jon Stewart lambasted CBS’ determination to cancel “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” connected Monday’s section of “The Daily Show,” ripping their shared genitor company, Paramount Global, for what he called a capitulation to President Donald Trump.

Stewart referred to Paramount's intended merger pinch Skydance successful an $8 cardinal deal, which is pending authorities approval, and said shows for illustration "The Late Show" made CBS that money.

"Shows that opportunity something, shows that return a stand, shows that are unafraid," Stewart said. "This is not a 'We speak truth to power' — we don't. We speak opinions to tv cameras. But we try. We f------ try, each night.

"And if you believe, arsenic corporations aliases arsenic networks, you tin make yourself truthful innocuous that you tin service a gruel truthful flavorless that you will ne'er again beryllium connected nan boy king's radar — a.) why will anyone watch you? And you are f------- wrong."

The profanity-laced segment, which aired uncensored, culminated successful Stewart starring a religion choir encouraging institutions to “sack nan f--- up” aliases “go f--- yourself.” (Cable channels for illustration Comedy Central, which airs "The Daily Show," are not taxable to nan aforesaid profanity regulations arsenic web stations.)

Paramount and Comedy Central did not instantly respond to requests for comment.

Minutes later, Colbert connected "Late Night" echoed Stewart successful responding to Trump’s celebrating his show's cancellation, offering his ain "go f--- yourself" to nan president.

Stewart’s diatribe comes little than a week aft it was announced that CBS would beryllium canceling “The Late Show,” a stalwart of late-night tv that Colbert took complete successful 2015. CBS said it was “purely a financial decision” and “not related successful immoderate measurement to nan show’s performance, contented aliases different matters happening astatine Paramount.”

Still, nan news shook nan intermezo manufacture and instantly fueled speculation that Colbert’s show, which regularly skewered President Trump, had been a casualty of Paramount Global’s efforts to merge pinch Skydance Media.

That woody has been nan taxable of peculiar scrutiny arsenic it awaits support from Trump’s Federal Communications Commission.

While media mergers and acquisitions person agelong been nan taxable of regulatory scrutiny complete nan extracurricular powerfulness of consolidated companies, nan Paramount-Skydance woody has taken connected a peculiarly governmental flavor. Last week, David Ellison, Skydance’s CEO, met pinch FCC Chairman Brendan Carr and made a committedness to clasp “diverse viewpoints” that will bespeak “the varied ideological perspectives of American viewers.”

Since Skydance announced its volition to merge pinch Paramount successful an $8 cardinal transaction a twelvemonth ago, nan woody has faced aggregate delays — first nether nan outgoing Biden administration, past nether Trump, who accused CBS News’ marquee program, “60 Minutes,” of distorting an question and reply pinch Democratic force Kamala Harris during nan 2024 predetermination and subsequently revenge a lawsuit.

While galore ineligible experts viewed nan suit arsenic frivolous, media reports said Paramount leader Shari Redstone favored exploring a settlement pinch Trump arsenic a measurement to flooded further regulatory hurdles.

The settlement, for $16 million, was announced earlier this month.

The settlement, and nan negotiations starring up to it, rankled respective high-profile members of CBS. “60 Minutes” analogous Scott Pelley said successful June that specified an statement would beryllium “very damaging” to CBS and Paramount. In April, longtime “60 Minutes” editor Bill Owens stepped down, citing nan program’s nonaccomplishment of editorial independence. CBS News leader Wendy McMahon discontinue a period later.

On Monday’s section of “The Late Show,” Colbert blasted nan statement arsenic a “big fat bribe.“

Stewart and Colbert person been adjacent for years, making love backmost to erstwhile Colbert joined “The Daily Show” successful 1997. In 2005, “The Colbert Report” debuted, airing aft “The Daily Show” and launching Colbert into stardom.

Skydance is tally by David Ellison, boy of Oracle laminitis and Trump state Larry Ellison. While nan younger Ellison made a aid to President Joe Biden’s reelection money successful February 2024 soon earlier nan erstwhile president bowed retired of nan race, Trump precocious signaled his comfortableness pinch his takeover of Paramount and its assets, which successful summation to CBS News besides see Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, The CW, MTV, BET and movie franchises for illustration "Smurfs" and "Sonic nan Hedgehog."

Stewart connected Monday's "The Daily Show" said that Colbert challenged himself pinch taking connected "The Tonight Show," pinch its vastly larger assemblage and scrutiny.

"Watching Stephen transcend each expectations successful nan domiciled and go nan No. 1 late-night show connected web tv has been an undeniable awesome pleasance for maine — arsenic a spectator and arsenic his friend," Stewart said.

Stewart acknowledged that late-night tv is simply a struggling financial model. "We're each fundamentally operating a Blockbuster stalls wrong of a Tower Records," he said, but he added that erstwhile industries change, abandonment is not nan answer.

"When CDs stopped selling, they didn't conscionable go, 'Oh, well, music, it's been a bully run,'" he said.

Stewart, who said past week that he had not heard from Paramount astir his show nether nan merger, made a joke astir his ain future.

“This is not nan infinitesimal to springiness in,” Stewart said. “I’m not giving in. I’m not going anyplace — I think.”