Jon Stewart is coming back to The Daily Show – but not on a daily basis.
Late last month, it was announced that Stewart will be returning to the program he helmed for 16 years, but only one day a week. The rest of the shows will be hosted by a rotating line-up of comedians.
On Thursday’s show, Megyn was joined by Buck Sexton, co-host of The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show, to discuss Stewart’s return and why they don’t think it will be a triumphant one.
Jon Stewart Returns
Showtime and MTV Entertainment Studios announced in late January that Stewart will soon be back behind the anchor desk at The Daily Show. Beginning February 12, Stewart will host the Comedy Central program weekly on Mondays. “He’s agreeing to come back, but he’s pulling the ‘Rachel Maddow one night’ on The Daily Show,” Megyn said. “I’m sure he’s getting big bucks for it, and we’re going to have to listen to that nonsense once again.”
Stewart will also serve as executive producer and work with an unnamed assortment of comedians who will take over hosting duties Tuesdays through Thursdays.
Accepting the weekly gig comes on the heels of Apple TV+ canceling Stewart’s current affairs program The Problem after two seasons. According to reports, the show was in the midst of production on season three when the tech giant pulled the plug. Stewart and Apple allegedly bumped heads after the streamer pushed back on his coverage of topics like China and artificial intelligence.
Power Shift
Stewart’s return is the clearest direction for the poorly rated show since Trevor Noah called it quits after seven years as host in December 2022. It also allows it to have a more steady voice in an election year. But Megyn isn’t convinced that will be enough. “The question is whether he will be able – at this point in his career – to totally indoctrinate another group of growing leftists the way he did 14 years ago or whether he’s jumped the shark,” she said.
Back in the day, Megyn and Sexton agreed that Stewart was responsible for shaping the viewpoint of a generation on the left. “Jon Stewart was a very lucky guy in the right place at the right time to do very bad things for political discourse in this country,” Sexton explained. “A lot of what he did, I think, poorly served his audience… and is why there’s so many emotionally unstable Democrats in their thirties and forties walking around who can’t handle an argument.”
In Sexton’s view, the second time around won’t be as effective as the first for Stewart because people know what they’re getting. “What’s different this time because I think there’s a greater degree of sophistication and understanding… about Jon Stewart’s politics. He’s a huge lib,” he said. “He was a comedian, but he became a sanctimonious, whiny, old man when he left The Daily Show.”
Megyn said there is another big shift Stewart will have to contend with. “On Fox, they didn’t want you to spend too much time on him,” she shared. “But now if he pulls his bullsh-t, it’s on. The conservative ecosphere has just gotten too big and powerful for him to get away with that.”
That’s why she is looking forward to The Daily Show 2.0. “He’ll try, but he’ll never have the power that you once had,” she concluded. “It’s going to be fun.”
You can check out Megyn’s full interview with Sexton by tuning in to episode 720 on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you like to listen. And don’t forget that you can catch The Megyn Kelly Show live on SiriusXM’s Triumph (channel 111) weekdays from 12pm to 2pm ET.