Jon Stewart Fighting To Stay at ‘The Daily Show’ Despite Ellison Family

Jon Stewart returned as one of several hosts of The Daily Show in February 2024. It feels remarkable that it was that long ago. Things were so much simpler then. My kids weren’t in school yet. The Texas Rangers were still reigning World Series champions. A lot’s changed since then.

First and foremost, there was an election. After it happened, Stewart extended what was supposed to be a year-long contract through the end of 2025. Then, the Ellison Family purchased Paramount through their media company, Skydance, which sounds like the eighth entry in a series of fantasy romance novels about dragons.

Shortly after the merger, Stewart’s friend and former co-worker, Stephen Colbert, was informed his contract would not be renewed in 2026. Then, Jimmy Kimmel was suspended, though that was quickly overturned and has almost become a non-story at this point.

The Kimmel incident went differently due to the response it generated. Millions of Disney+ subscriptions were canceled, the WGA protested, and voices across the political spectrum questioned the decision. Kimmel was reinstated, and while he may not stay on, it sent a signal about standing firm.

That’s what Jon Stewart is doing, or trying to, at least. Stewart sat down for a wide-ranging interview with The New Yorker’s David Remnick this weekend, where he may or may not have taken a shot at Marc Maron. He was asked about whether or not he would stay on at The Daily Show despite his contract ending this year. While it may not be certain, it sounds like Stewart wants to stay.

“We’re working on staying,” he said. “Look, the other thing to remember is it’s not as clear cut as all that … They’ve already done things that I’m upset about. But then if I had integrity, maybe I would stand up and go, ‘I’m out.’ Or maybe the integrity thing to do would be to stay in it and keep fighting in the foxhole.” He then offered up a defiant stance, saying, “You don’t compromise on what you do, and you do it until they tell you to leave.”
That sums up the complexity of this situation. If Stewart stays, he’s getting his paycheck from a company navigating complicated political pressures. But he would then be in a position to maintain his editorial voice on one of its networks. However, there are questions about what constraints might be placed on future contracts.

What’s important is that Stewart is trying. While his effort may not bear fruit, it’s significant to have people like him maintaining transparency in these conversations. Independent voices in media remain valuable in any political climate