READY, FIRE, AIM: Jon Stewart, for Two More Years

Rumor has it that humorist and political commentator Jon Stewart has signed a contract with Comedy Central to continue hosting The Daily Show for two more years.

I assume that means, “at least two more years.” Which also means, “at least through the next Presidential election.”

So, we can continue laughing about American politics right through to the end of 2028 . If the world lasts that long.

Reportedly, Jon’s contract with Comedy Central was due to expire in December — a few days before the swearing-in ceremony for the 120th Congress on January 3, 2027.  So, as a result of this contract extension, we will no doubt hear some funny stories from Mr. Stewart about that swearing-in event.

Jon has himself been known to swear during his Daily Show monologues. But in a funny way that makes people laugh.

The world of political comedy has been a roller coaster ride lately. Comedian Stephen Colbert got the boot from his long-running CBS show last May, and no one knows how long Jimmy Kimmel will be around on ABC.

One of the funny things about Jon’s two-year contract — “funny strange” rather than “funny laughable” — is that Comedy Central is now owned by Skydance (formerly Paramount Skydance following the merger of Paramount with Skydance Media previously known as Skydance Productions and now known simply as Skydance, following its purchase of Warner Bros.  I know, it’s hard to keep track…)

Funny strange, because the Skydance CEO is David Ellison — the son of Larry Ellison, who, in addition being a co-founder of the Oracle Corporation and currently the the world’s sixth-richest person, happens to be a big supporter of President Donald Trump.  The same President Trump who is often the target of Jon Stewart’s acerbic wit.

Okay… more than just “often”.  Nearly every show, in fact.

So it sounds like Jon Stewart will be critiquing the President every Monday night for at least the next two years, until his Skydance contract expires.

And the President will presumably be critiquing Jon Stewart for the next two years, until his contract expires.

I heard about this situation from no less than the IdahoPublicPress Editorial Team. Of all people.

Jon Stewart will remain host of The Daily Show through the 2028 election, ending weeks of speculation about whether his contract would expire in December. Skydance Television, which owns Comedy Central, announced the two-year extension on Monday, October 19, locking the 63-year-old comedian into his once-a-week Monday perch through December 2028…

George Cheeks, Skydance TV’s co-chair and chief content officer, called Stewart “a generational talent” in a statement, adding that The Daily Show “continues to be one of the most influential franchises on television and a cornerstone of Comedy Central.”

It’s not easy drawing an audience with a late-night comedy show, these days. By the time evening rolls around, most of us are so frightened and depressed by the day’s events, we just want to crawl into bed and hide from the world.

Speaking for myself, I don’t watch Jon Stewart on TV because I don’t own a TV.  I gave up watching TV years ago, long before Jon took over as the host of The Daily Show in 1999.  Maybe I should have bought a TV in 1999, so I could have laughed along with Jon through a succession of ridiculous Presidents and Senators and Cabinet members. But I had a family to raise.  You have to be serious if you want to raise a family.

Now my family is all grown up and I live alone with my cat Roscoe. But I own a computer, and it turns out that Comedy Central posts YouTube videos of Jon’s monologues within a couple of days after the Monday show, and typically they are just as funny on Wednesday or Thursday as they were on Monday.

Let me tell you, by Thursday, I am ready for a good long laugh.