‘Why will anyone watch you?’Jon Stewart tears into CBS executives for serving ‘flavorless gruel’ to appease ‘fragile and vengeful’ Trump

Jon Stewart, host of The Daily Show, strongly criticized CBS and Paramount on Monday’s episode for their decision to cancel The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Stewart suggested the network’s move was influenced by fears of President Donald Trump rather than purely financial reasons.

According to MSNBC, the cancellation comes shortly after Paramount’s $16 million settlement with Trump, a timing that has prompted senators to question whether this looks like bribery over a 2024 “60 Minutes” interview with Kamala Harris. This timing has raised questions about the company’s motives, especially as Paramount seeks approval from the Trump administration for its merger with Skydance.

Stewart challenged CBS executives’ claim that the decision was solely financial, questioning why they would abandon their top-rated late-night show. He pointedly asked, “If you believe, as corporations or as networks, you can make yourselves so innocuous that you can serve a gruel so flavorless that you will never again be on the boy king’s radar, why will anyone watch you?”

Longtime friendship and professional connection between Stewart and Colbert

Stewart acknowledged his close relationship with Colbert, noting their history working together on Comedy Central’s The Daily Show from 1999 to 2005. He praised Colbert’s success in becoming the number one late-night show on network television after taking over from David Letterman in 2015.

While Stewart recognized the financial challenges facing late-night television, comparing it to “operating a Blockbuster kiosk inside of a Tower Records,” he argued that industries must adapt to changes rather than simply giving up.

The comedian specifically pointed to Paramount’s recent settlement with Trump as evidence of the network giving in to what he called ‘corporate fear,’ echoing concerns about Trump’s pattern of vindictive behavior toward critics. He suggested that CBS lost credibility when they “sold out their flagship news program to pay an extortion fee” to the president.

Stewart concluded his criticism by addressing what he sees as a broader pattern of American institutions giving in to fear and “pre-compliance” in response to Trump’s “vengeful and vindictive actions.” He emphasized that this is not the time to give in, declaring “I’m not giving in!” The final episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert is scheduled to air next May.