Jon Stewart Is Leaving The Daily Show

[Kromm]

The Tonight Show is different. It's basically advertising for whatever the guests are promoting that day. So if it's Jay Leno and 15 minutes of headlines before the interviews, or Conan and 15 minutes of videos and goofy characters before the interviews, or Fallon and celebrity games and songs, the format of the show is basically the same. But The Daily Show with another host wouldn't be the same thing, because it was the formula tailored to Jon's act and personality rather than the other way around.

Again, who's saying it would be "the same thing".  Ruby and you are saying that's what people are assuming, but I see people here talking more about reinventing the show.

 

In other words, as you say, the formula tailored to someone's personality who isn't Jon Stewart.  A very different show with the only commonality being that it's a fake news show.  We've seen this transition before, in miniature, and with far less social impact, with the Weekend Update SNL anchor job.  

 

The social impact thing is the key.  Stewart was able to make a fake news show relevant to the real world, so that the real world was concerned with how he talked about issues.  The fear is that because Stewart won't be fronting it anymore, that this aspect may be lost.  It's a real concern.  A valid one.  But again, that doesn't mean people here have been casting the net to find the next Jon Stewart.  All this "won't be the same thing" talk is coming from doubters it can be as good, and those are valid fears.  But that's exactly why some really oddball suggestions are being tossed out.  The folks tossing those out, I'd argue, are being realistic that you won't find another Jon Stewart.  If the show survives it will be precisely on the terms that it won't resemble the show as it is now, and that if it manages to hold onto any major socio-political importance, that's a goal, but it's not going to be the way Stewart did it.

[Irlandesa]

I think he's the only one with the whole package.  The heart, the soul, the innate kindness -- the humanity -- along with the classical, renaissance education* and experience with helming a show that involves interviews both funny and serious. 

Ferguson has the intelligence, creativity and humanity to host a show on Comedy Central.  One thing he doesn't seem to have any hunger for, however, is to mire himself in hypocrisy on a daily basis.  I don't see TDS giving that part up. 

 

 

If the show survives it will be precisely on the terms that it won't resemble the show as it is now, and that if it manages to hold onto any major socio-political importance, that's a goal, but it's not going to be the way Stewart did it.

I think everything you said here is why I'm not expecting a major shake-up in the format of the show unless they get a rock star such as Tina Fey who has proven she knows how to do fake news with a sharp POV.  Jon was allowed to reinvent TDS because Kilborne's version wasn't as culturally relevant.  There weren't as many expectations as to what the show should be.  With or without Jon, those expectations exist now, especially since they've seen a temp host keep the ship going.    During John Oliver's run, he managed to show that he could take Jon's writers (of whom he was one), TDS's research, deliver it through his sensibilities and keep the show culturally relevant while not being a complete copycat.  With Wilmore struggling, I tend to think CC is going to be conservative in how they approach the change. 

[Victor the Crab]

The thing about The Tonight Show is that Johnny Carson created the late night show formula that everyone after him, right up to this very day, followed. The only one that managed to go a different route is Jon with The Daily Show. This is why, I believe, CC will do what they can to find someone that can match Jon's vision for what the show should be.

Edited February 15, 2015 by Victor the Crab

[attica]

TDS co-creator Lizz WInstead was on Up w/Steve yesterday, talking about the show's evolution. She talked about how in the Kilborn days, everybody was in character (sorta like TCR), and nobody played straight. Jon changed that, letting the correspondents be in character, while he played straightman and skewered pols and media types. She thinks the next host will similarly change the focus, just by the nature of having a different person in charge. (Either way, she probably keeps getting paid, although I don't know her exact deal).

[Kromm]

The thing about The Tonight Show is that Johnny Carson created the late night show formula that everyone after him, right up to this very day, followed. The only one that managed to go a different route is Jon with The Daily Show. This is why, I believe, CC will do what they can to find someone that can match Jon's vision for what the show should be.

Well. except Steve Allen did that, not Carson (or to be fair, we could even credit Joe Franklin--look him up if you don't know who he was). Carson just perfected the whole thing--he didn't revolutionize anything, he just did it better.

 

And besides, even putting that aside, I can't agree even still.  David Letterman changed the formula more than a little. Stephen Colbert did too--admittedly after being under Stewart's influence, but what he did was wildly different from what both Stewart and the Allen/Paar/Carson and even Letterman formula had established.  Heck, to be fair, we even have to credit Arsenio Hall (his first talk show, I mean, not the deservedly short lasting one from last year) for doing something somewhat out of the box compared to the earlier format.  And on the list of people we've been talking about to possible replace Stewart, there's Craig Ferguson, who tossed out all kinds of basic talk show stuff and reinvented quite a bit.

 

Stewart didn't even invent the whole fake news thing--nor did Kilborn... SNL did.  Again, like Carson, it's a case of Stewart being the one who perfected his variant.  Stewart was also assisted by a lot of outside factors--the rise of basic cable/decline of the network's automatic dominance, and to be frank, the fact that Leno by his very nature wasn't doing anything ambitious, and Letterman had stopped being ambitious by that point. There was room to grow a cult audience, because you had to go to 12:30 shows to find one by that point.  

 

I think Stewart just kind of reached the same point most of these other departing guys in the past year or two have.  They've done it enough for it to feel like a chore.  We can bemoan him leaving, but it was inevitable.  Heck, at some point between Fallon and Colbert getting 11:30 shows I bet Stewart's been asked.  I bet he turned those down, but not because he thought what he was doing wasn't going to ever end, but because he was just tired.

Edited February 15, 2015 by Kromm

[Captanne]

Well, if we want to be honest -- the Americans who started the "satire of the media with a hint of making it palatable" probably goes back to Ambrose Bierce and Mark Twain.

[Victor the Crab]

Ollie gave Jon a big shoutout on tonight's Last Week Tonight by putting him in the opening credits under the title Hostus Maximus.

[purist]

Jessica Williams just keeps going up in my estimation. A couple of hours ago she was tweeting:

 

Fact 1: I'm not hosting. Thank you but I am extremely under-qualified for the job!

 

At this age (25) if something happens politically that I don't agree with, I need to go to my room & like not come out for, like, 7 days.

 

That being said I am super not right for it, but there are quite a few people who are! Can't wait to stick around & see what happens.

 

Fact 2: These are not dreads. They're marley twists. The fuck?!

 

thanks to everyone tweetin at me like [crying emoticon]. Haha but I'm not like, dead.This is the beginning of my career. I'm gonna troll that ass for yrs.

 

One of her followers then tweeted: 'Sad that @msjwilly just tweeted that she's "extremely under-qualified" to host the Daily Show. Men never say that stuff about a job.' And Jessica replied:

 

Men (and women) can be 2 prideful 2 listen to themselves and pay attention to their skill sets and what they want for their future.

 

it's not sad. There is strength in this. so don't make me your pity party or a platform. This is for me. And that's my feminism.

 

I will say I'm under-qualified for that because I know what the job takes.And at 25 I am. My worth is not tied to being a host.

 

The same follower then said: 'If the job isn't what you want, totally respect it. That's great. Just don't sell yourself short about not being qualified.' And MsJWilly shot back:

 

you're tying my worth to that fact. I am not.

 

I LOVE HER.

Edited February 16, 2015 by purist

[brgjoe]

Wow...I knew she was young, but I didn't know she was only 25.  So I get that perhaps she might want to allow more time to hone her craft some more.  But I still think she would be a great host of the show.  She's bright, funny, and I think would really by a dynamic host for the show.   Pretty much every time I see her in a segment, I keep saying, "Darn, I wish they would have allowed her more time for that".  She usually just knocks it out of the park.

 

Still would love to see Ollie come back home.  But I also think Trevor Noah would be outstanding in the role.  I think he "gets it".  That he's funny when he needs to be, but deadly serious (and I think you need that as well) when the situation warrants it.

[ApathyMonger]

Still would love to see Ollie come back home. 

 

Oliver's show was just renewed through 2017. He's not going anywhere.

 

If they want to promote from within, Jason and Sam seem the likeliest choices, but they have a sitcom pilot for TBS that they both wrote and Jason is starring in. If that gets picked up, Jason at least would probably have to leave to do it.

[ParadoxLost]

Ferguson has the intelligence, creativity and humanity to host a show on Comedy Central.  One thing he doesn't seem to have any hunger for, however, is to mire himself in hypocrisy on a daily basis.  I don't see TDS giving that part up. 

 

 

I think everything you said here is why I'm not expecting a major shake-up in the format of the show unless they get a rock star such as Tina Fey who has proven she knows how to do fake news with a sharp POV.  Jon was allowed to reinvent TDS because Kilborne's version wasn't as culturally relevant.  There weren't as many expectations as to what the show should be.  With or without Jon, those expectations exist now, especially since they've seen a temp host keep the ship going.    During John Oliver's run, he managed to show that he could take Jon's writers (of whom he was one), TDS's research, deliver it through his sensibilities and keep the show culturally relevant while not being a complete copycat.  With Wilmore struggling, I tend to think CC is going to be conservative in how they approach the change. 

 

While I don't think they'll change the format too much until a new host is very settled in, I do think they will try to get a rock star.  I think they'll want to hold onto the socio-political importance of the show; but, Stewart built that over years and they can't afford those years.  So they'll look for someone that already has some credibility to build from.

 

I have to think that Stewart told them he was thinking to retire a while ago.  I wouldn't be surprised if they waited to announce to give Colbert a chance to say his farewell without the distraction but that they knew before or at least as soon as Colbert decide to take over for Letterman.

 

I think the only way they plan to promote from within is if there is a very clear Daily Show correspondent that should have gotten Wilmore's spot but didn't.  But I don't think there is someone that fits that bill.  And they don't need someone equal to Wilmore, they need a lead in.

[Kromm]

We've been talking about Tiny Fey so much it didn't occur to me that Amy Poehler should now be available too.  Not that I'm expecting their double act again, but I guess I'm saying if Fey won't do it, Poehler is another possibility.

[Victor the Crab]

How about Mo Rocca returning? Then, he can give us his "Mopinion" about certain news stories.

[peeayebee]

I can't picture him having serious, probing interviews with people. Of course the format of the show could change.

[KimB]

This is how Jon leaving the show is covered in CT :)

 

The Time Jon Stewart Scored A Game-Winning Goal Against UConn

 

http://www.courant.com/sports/hc-jon-stewart-uconn-soccer-0211-htmlstory.html

[LADreamr]

I would love to see Mo Rocca return, but only in a Lewis Black kind of capacity. I think he could be great like that. I agree that it should not be Sam or Jason. I like them, but I don't think the anchor desk is their best place. Jason is best in the overseas field pieces. I don't want to lose him doing that. Tina Fey is a good choice, but I don't want Lorne Michaels exec producing the show, and I fear that's exactly what would happen. John Fugelsang has been mentioned a bit, and I do like him as an option. He's very smart, educated, sharp witted, and says what he wants to say. I'd love to see him at least considered.

I love Jessica, but wouldn't want her at the desk. She's so good with the field pieces and as a correspondent in general, I don't want to lose her out there. I will miss the Jon/Jessica love, though.

[jbrecken]

What if they let the show get more political and picked someone like Sam Seder?

[trow125]

What if they let the show get more political and picked someone like Sam Seder?

 

I saw Rachel Maddow's name on one of the zillion lists of potential hosts that's been circulating around the Internet. I don't know if they'll want to go with someone widely considered to be partisan, though. (Of course, the way Fox News carries on, you'd think Jon is somewhere to the left of Trotsky.)

[LADreamr]

Jeez, I feel really bad for Jessica Williams. After the quoted tweets upthread, things got a bit darker. She remained poised, as always, but some of what she was saying was misconstrued by a "writer" at TIME, and she seems really shaken up by it. This sucks :(.

[Victor the Crab]

I have tons of respect for Jessica and what she brings to TDS. And the fact that she knows what her limits are, right now, makes me respect her even more. The fact that some people who can't respect her opinion, about taking over the hosting chair at TDS, is sad and shallow on their part.

[Ms Blue Jay]

People are trying to use her as an 'example' to further their own opinions/get more hits on their articles, Twitter pages, etc.  In doing that they're obviously being incredibly condescending and insulting to her, personally.  And again, she's only 25.  She's kind of proving the point like, look, I don't want to be the host, and leave me TF alone about it.  People selfishly writing that they know what's best for her career!  My goodness.

 

Holy cow -- could "Hot Tub Time Machine 2" predict the future? Check out this clip, which speculates about the future of TDS circa 2025. Jessica Williams fans will particularly enjoy it.

 

Absolutely love it.  The critics haven't been kind, but I will be seeing this movie in theatres.

Edited February 21, 2015 by Ms Blue Jay

[ApathyMonger]

Jason Jones & Samantha Bee’s TBS Comedy Pilot Picked Up To Series

 

I guess this rules them out as hosts? Jones at least. I wonder if they'll actually leave the show, or just take a leave of absence like Al Madrigal and Aasif.

[lambertman]

Jason has already tweeted that he's leaving. FWIW, The Wrap thinks Sam is staying.

[ApathyMonger]

Jason has already tweeted that he's leaving. FWIW, The Wrap thinks Sam is staying.

 

Yeah, Comedy Central have confirmed that now:

 

 

Jason Jones will be leaving The Daily Show With Jon Stewart later this year to begin production on his new series. Samantha Bee will remain with the show.

[The Luvly Junkie]

Seriously, TDS is starting to break my heart. Not only Jonny-bun, NOW Jason? (sob) While he's not everyone's cup of tea for the hosting duties, I think after he leaves he'll finally be able to shine (with the help of Samantha; I suppose with working behind the new pilot, I guess she's too busy for the hosting duties, so cross her off the speculation). I think it's a good timing, especially since he got to host the show once (for me I think sounds like an honor).

 

For a correspondent who's been on for quite a awhile, Jason damn deserves a sendoff after all his amazing contributions as the "International Intrepid" Correspondent. I would be disappointed if TDS can't do that. Hopefully they can do that before Jonny-bun leaves, whenever that is. 

 

Speaking of dates, hopefully there will another update about Jason's last day on TDS. Now if you'll need me, I'll be buying twenty carts of tissue before the impending moment. T_T Y_Y

Edited February 24, 2015 by The Luvly Junkie

[Kromm]

With the pure number of people who either have left, or will be leaving, maybe that's a sign that a total reboot of the show IS needed.  Start from scratch.  Take the inevitable criticisms from that, and yes... basically just milk the brand-name to launch a new show. 

[solotrek]

With the pure number of people who either have left, or will be leaving, maybe that's a sign that a total reboot of the show IS needed.  Start from scratch.  Take the inevitable criticisms from that, and yes... basically just milk the brand-name to launch a new show. 

But there are still a few correspondents around who are fantastic and I'd really love to stick around (Jessica, Trevor, Samantha and then contributors like Louise Belcher////Kristen Schaal, Lewis, John Hodgeman etc...). So if the reboot can keep them...

[formerlyfreedom]

We seem to have moved on to discussion of the future of the 11pm ET slot on Comedy Central. In honor of that, NEW TOPIC!

 

Spitballin': What should Comedy Central do next?

 

Let's take that discussion over there! Thanks, all!

[formerlyfreedom]

It's official - last show is August 6th.

[revbfc]

And the first Republican debate is that night on Fox News. Coincidence?

[StatMom]

Someone posted a timelapse video of the show/Jon over the years. I found myself torn between looking at the changes in Jon and the stories whizzing by:

 

 

ETA: And a post the creator of this video made to explain how he did it:

https://medium.com/@billychasen/why-should-i-learn-to-code-da712f45e3a9

Edited June 24, 2015 by StatMom

[Hanahope]

Such a drastic change from the grey hair/no glasses to black hair with glasses, and then back to grey hair and no glasses.

[Bastet]

Someone posted a timelapse video of the show/Jon over the years.

 

Watching that, I feared I was going to either vomit or have a seizure.

[peeayebee]

That was outstanding. I hope TDS uses it.