Thursday, October 18, 2007

All Jon Stewart all the time


For you "Daily Show" fans, here are two pieces of good news.

First, according to a report at Broadcasting & Cable, host Jon Stewart has extended his contract until Dec. 31, 2010, which, the article says, coincides with the end of David Letterman's contract at CBS. Of course, that's fueling speculation that the affable Stewart could one day take over from Letterman.

The article also discusses what else might be in store for the late-night television landscape: "With Jay Leno not expected to hang up his microphone if and when Conan O'Brien supplants him on The Tonight Show, rampant speculation about a potential late-night game of musical chairs has been ongoing for months."

And the Los Angeles Times reports that Comedy Central owner Viacom is putting 13,000 video clips of The Daily Show online - every minute of the show since its inception in 1999.

The article goes on to say that the database "is searchable by both date and topic, making it a potential bonanza for students of American pop culture. If you want to see what host Jon Stewart has had to say about former First Lady Barbara Bush or ill-fated Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro, you can find the clips and put them in context by seeing what else was featured on the same day."

I like Stewart, and while I'm not a daily watcher of "The Daily Show" I think he'd be a worthy successsor to Letterman. And I am intrigued by what he might do with an hourlong show.

4 comments:

Steve On Broadway (SOB) said...

Esther, I try never to miss Jon Stewart. He's become a welcome part of my evening routine.

As you know, I most definitely prefer Letterman over Leno. To have Jon Stewart take Letterman's place seems like a natural progression... plus Stewart wouldn't have to move very far!

Meanwhile, if Jon Stewart ever performs near you, go see him. To me, he's the modern day equivalent to Will Rogers.

Esther said...

Steve, if Jon Stewart takes over from Dave, I may make a return trip to The Late Show. And I will definitely go see him if he's ever in the neighborhood. I just wonder how his routine would change for a larger audience and a longer show. I'm sure he'd do fine, but it would be interesting to see the difference.

Steve On Broadway (SOB) said...

To be honest, I found his performance in a free-form concert to be even better. He has a depth of humanity that doesn't come across nearly as much on TV.

Esther said...

Wasn't Jon great on the Oscars!