Jon Stewart said he plans to continue hosting "The Daily Show" after his current contract ends in December, telling an audience at The New Yorker Festival that discussions are underway for him to stay.
"We're working on staying," Stewart said Sunday in response to a question from New Yorker editor David Remnick about his future at Comedy Central, according to CNN.
He noted, however, that "it's not as clear-cut as all that," adding that recent changes in the media, including at Comedy Central's parent company, may complicate the decision.
When Remnick pressed him on whether he would remain if the decision were his alone, Stewart replied, "Yes."
Stewart first anchored "The Daily Show" from 1999 to 2015, returning in 2024 to host the program's Monday broadcasts.
Correspondents have rotated as guest hosts during the rest of the week.
The conversation at the Manhattan festival later moved to tensions between major entertainment networks and political leaders.
Remnick referenced Paramount's ongoing ownership changes and ABC's brief suspension of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" after a September segment drew criticism.
Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr denounced Kimmel's remarks, and President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social, "I can't believe ABC Fake News gave Jimmy Kimmel his job back."
Stewart, a frequent critic of Trump and advocate for political comedy, said entertainers need to push back against outside pressure.
"You don't compromise on what you do, and you do it 'til they tell you to leave. That's all you can do," he said.
He warned about potential threats to press freedom, suggesting the U.S. could drift toward "some kind of soft autocracy where news is controlled."
Even so, he stressed that journalists and entertainers still have significant influence.
"We have a lot of different avenues," Stewart said. "And suppression creates opportunity, and a populace that is thirsty for inspiration and leadership and morality and integrity and lack of corruption, that's fertile ground for that opportunity."
When discussing new media personalities such as Joe Rogan, Stewart said critics should focus on producing better content instead of dismissing them.
"It's not acceptable to just say, 'Well, I don't like what he does.' Then do it better, beat them at their own game. Go on," he said.
"There's no one in this world right now that isn't platformed," he added. "And so if you have a problem with information, then fight like hell to get better information out there."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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