Former “Daily Show” host, Jon Stewart’s Apple TV show, “The Problem With Jon Stewart” has been cancelled, reportedly due to editorial disagreements over topics such as China and artificial intelligence, as well as guests that would have been featured on the show.
According to The New York Times Stewart’s planned discussions concerning China and artificial intelligence were serious concerns with Apple, in addition to concerns Apple had regarding some of the upcoming guests on “The Problem With Jon Stewart.”
The New York Times reported that while the eight episodes of the third season of “The Problem With Jon Stewart” were scheduled to begin recording in the upcoming weeks, staff members were informed last week that production on the show had been brought to stop.
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Apple reportedly reached out directly to Stewart before making the decision to cancel “The Problem with Jon Stewart. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Apple emphasized to Stewart that the company needed him and his team to be “aligned” with Apple’s views on the topics discussed as part of his show.
The Hollywood Reporter noted that Stewart decided to walk away from the show as a result of the editorial disagreement rather than adjusting the content of the show to align with Apple’s views. According to anonymous sources cited by The Hollywood Reporter, Stewart, who signed a multiyear deal with Apple in 2020, wanted to retain creative control of the show and was not interested in being “hamstrung” by the company with regard to potential topics and guests on the show.
While The New York Times’ report did not provide specific details regarding the points of disagreement between Stewart and Apple on the topics of artificial intelligence and China, The Verge noted that Apple’s relationship with China could have played a key factor in the company’s ultimate decision to cancel the show and Stewart’s decision to walk away.
