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Now that what is being called shakedown money in the form of a lawsuit settlement has been paid, the Paramount merger with Skydance, which is run by Trump allies the Ellison brothers will be completed in a matter of weeks.
Paramount owns CBS and Comedy Central among other networks, and the new incoming ownership has made it clear that they want to remove what they call the liberal taint from their purchase.
Paramount currently employs Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, and both of their futures are now uncertain.
Oliver Darcy wrote in the Status newsletter:
Inside “The Daily Show,” I’m told staffers have taken pride that Stewart showed once again he is willing to stand up to powerful interests, even if it potentially risks his future employment. And while they may not yet know it, inside certain power circles, there is an open question: How much longer will Stewart have this platform?
Indeed, the reality is that the ground under not only Stewart, but also Stephen Colbert, is shifting fast. Skydance, led by Larry and David Ellison, now believes its merger with Paramount will close in the next several weeks, I’m told. Much of the attention has focused on how the Ellisons will reshape “60 Minutes” and CBS News. We first reported that David Ellison met with Bari Weiss about a possible role at CBS News, and it is clear the Ellisons want to rid the network of what they see as a liberal taint. But little has been said about the futures of Colbert and Stewart, who have been two of Trump’s most consistent comedic antagonists, under the new corporate leadership.
Jon Stewart’s contract is up at the end of 2026, and he is likely being paid a large sum of money to do one show a week and oversee The Daily Show. New ownership could elect not to renew Stewart, call it a cost-cutting move, and avoid firing him.
