"NBC courts Jon Stewart". . feel the power of the DARK side, Jon...

[annabanana]

http://www.newsday.com/search/ny-hscovside5260610jun19,0,7628509.story

No, Jon! Don't do it! Jack Welch will own you. GE Defense contracts will still your voice of reason!

Aa-a-r-r-r-rg-g-gh!

[Buzz Clik]

1. It's a big industry trick.

NBC or any other large network has no use for Jon Stewart, but they feel his sting -- even from as far away as Comedy Central. They cannot compete with The Daily Show, nor do they want to.

So, what's the solution? Same solution to the electric car when it was an unpopular notion with the Big Three: buy it and bury it.

[NewJeffCT]

2. Olbermann seems to be doing pretty well on MSNBC

Heck, he may have single-handedly saved the whole network. I've even seen them promoting Keith...

I would think Stewart is smart enough to get something in his contract that will allow him to create the show that he wants.

[Buzz Clik]

3. We'll see.

I worry ...

[blm]

4. Olbermann didn't really jump off the curb till AFTER 2004, then Schiavo and Katrina.

Before that he rarely took the tough shots at Bush and WH and nowhere near the ferocity he directs regularly at Bush and his WH the last two years.

[deutsey]

7. I thought Politically Incorrect became much weaker when it left Comedy Central

and went to--what was it?--ABC.

IMO, anyway.

I'd love to see Jon get a wider audience, but what value is there in gaining the world while losing one's soul in the process?

[ComerPerro]

13. Couldn't agree more. Plus, if it had remained on Comedy Central

Maher's comments after 9/11 wouldn't have gotten nearly as much negative attention, and the show might still exist.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

15. KO still has to pander to the Corp. producer in those crappy

segments (in the second 1/2 hour) that supposedly create greater appeal. If he were allowed greater control over the programming, the show would be 5 times better IMHO.

[SteelPenguin]

5. Doesn't NBC Universal own Comedy Central?

IE doesn't he in effect already work for them in a way? Or are we just talking abotu moving off standard cable onto network?

[MadBadger]

6. No, Redstone does

[SteelPenguin]

8. Ah gotcha. National Amusements.

I don't know why I thought they were aligned with NBC rather than CBS. Ah well. Just goes to remind me that there are like 5 companies controlling all our media these days.

[underpants]

21. They certainly don't want him to take over for Dave when HE retires

which is coming soon I would suspect.

STewart has to be on the short list for any job but doesn't he want to move to 12:30? or wait for Dave's spot?

[Bitwit1234]

9. Remember what happened to Bill Maher

He was censured and when he didn't like it he was cut off.

[MadBadger]

10. Jon Stewart is different than Maher, he really isnt that controversial

You wouldnt hear Jon Stewart saying what Bill Maher said that got him fired (though what he said was true).

[Bucky]

26. What Bill Maher said wasn't that controversial

People had their knives out for him because he was a big component in people supporting Clinton thru the whole impeachment circus. If you recall, there wasn't initially all that much outrage against Maher---it took a couple of weeks between the time he said the terrorists were physically brave (and he qualified the hell out of the statement saying how evil they were) and the time the outrage peaked and drove him off the air.

It was orchestrated outrage.

That tells me it was payback. They just used 9/11 for cover. He was the last victim of the Clinton wars.

[liberal N proud]

11. Bring him over to the dark side and cancel him

Don't do it Jon

[Buzz Clik]

12. that's my concern. n/t

[underpants]

22. I am pretty sure that Jon and Brian Williams are buddies

I have gotten that sense from Jon's spccial on autism and the big giant head thing they are doing now on the Daily Show. I wouldn't be surprised if this involves Brian Williams in some way.

[Javaman]

14. ain't gonna happen. he would lose creative control. nt

[NYCGirl]

16. If they offered him a development deal, I bet he'd go. Who'd blame him?

He's not a political pundit. He's a comedian.

[Javaman]

19. True, but why give up a show that he can run to do a show that he has to answer to someone?

but then again money and fame do crazy things to people.

[kenny blankenship]

17. That's it Stewart, give in to your hate, boy! Feel the hate flowing through you!

Soon you will know the power of the Dark Side of the Force. But first I want you to make me 30 copies of this report and bring me some coffee. Oh and get yourself a donut if you'd like.

[Bucky]

24. "NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!" (English translation: "Do not want")

Do you supposed that's what's up with the big giant Brian Williams head?
.

[Initech]

18. God I hope not... I would miss my fake news!

There's no way I could watch the Daily Show with anyone else hosting. Sure, correspondents have come and gone (Lewis Black, Rob Corddry, Stephen Colbert, Samantha Bee, and so on), but to watch the Daily Show with another host would just be fucking weird.

[Cha]

20. They couldn't handle Jon.

In other news..nbc is replacing Leno with O'brien?

[Up2Late]

23. Do they still show The Daily Show on CNN (or maybe it's CNN/International)?

I think they show (or showed) it once or twice a day on one of those? :shrug:

I've never caught it there though.

[Bucky]

25. Stewart's scheduled to leave in 2009 anyway. Dennis Miller's being groomed to replace him.

Gotcha.

.

[Bullet1987]

27. One of the things that makes The Daily Show work is the audience reaction

Stewart tells a joke and the audience laughs and claps. Unless he gets a live audience if he goes to NBC...it'll seem really dry and, well corny if there's no one there to react.

[Bucky]

28. Well, they could compromise and just use a laugh track.

Believe me, that always gives a producer better control over how well a show goes.