INDECISION 2025

Jon Stewart Reacts to ‘Daily Show’ Cancelation Rumors

Stewart, who has ripped Paramount Global’s $16 million settlement with Donald Trump, offered his candid thoughts about the show’s future.

The Daily Show’s Jon Stewart has flamed his parent company Paramount Global’s decision to settle President Donald Trump’s $20 billion lawsuit—and now he’s well aware that his job might be on the line.

Stewart said on Thursday’s The Weekly Show, The Daily Show’s companion podcast, that he wasn’t sure whether Skydance—the company trying to close a deal to buy Paramount and run by 42-year-old David Ellison—would cancel his show once it closes and admitted he hadn’t heard from the company.

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“They haven’t called me and said like, ‘Don’t get too comfortable in that office, Stewart,’” he joked. “But let me tell you something, I’ve been kicked out of sh--tier establishments than that. We’ll land on our feet. No, I honestly don’t know.”

Stewart’s comments came after a report by Status’ Oliver Darcy sparked rumors that Skydance could let him go—or even cancel The Daily Show altogether—once his contract expires in December. Skydance did not respond to an immediate request for comment.

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Stewart and his CBS colleague Stephen Colbert have not kept their anger over Paramount’s $16 million settlement earlier this month quiet. Paramount is the parent company of Comedy Central, which airs The Daily Show, and CBS News, which produced the 60 Minutes episode that roiled Trump.

The longtime Daily Show host said during his July 8 show that the payment reeked of “fealty” and questioned its legality. “I’m obviously not a lawyer, but I did watch Goodfellas," Stewart said. “That sounds illegal.”

He added that news networks are “being held to a standard that will never be satisfactory to Donald Trump” and “no one can ever kiss his a-- enough.”

David Ellison’s father, Oracle founder Larry Ellison, has been close to Trump for years, and Puck reported that Larry had met with Trump privately at the White House throughout this year. The younger Ellison also appeared alongside Trump at UFC matches this year, and Trump has praised the incoming Paramount owner in interviews.

Stewart said he could surmise what the David Ellison’s “ideology“ is, but ideology may not play a part,” he admitted.

The Daily Show was nominated for 12 Emmys on Tuesday, nearly doubling its Emmy record, and the show recently recorded its best ratings share in a decade during the 2025’s second quarter.

Its last highest period? The third quarter of 2015, Stewart’s final stretch during his first stint as host.

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Stewart said on Thursday that he hoped Ellison and Skydance would recognize the value The Daily Show brought to the network, but he admitted he wasn’t sure how much the company cared about the show’s reputation.

“They may sell the whole f---ing place for parts, I just don’t know,” he said. “And we’ll deal with it when we do. But I’m so happy and proud of everybody that works over there. They want to do that? Knock themselves out.”

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Corbin BoliesMedia Reporter

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