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Daily Show host Jon Stewart came to the defense of former colleague and fellow late night host Stephen Colbert on Monday after CBS announced last week that it is canceling The Late Show.
CBS claimed the move was “purely a financial decision,” but Stewart wasn’t buying it.
“The fact that CBS didn’t try to save their number-one-rated network late night franchise, that’s been on the air for over three decades, is part of what’s making everybody wonder: Was this purely financial, or maybe the path of least resistance for your $8 billion merger?” he pointed out.
Paramount, which owns CBS as well as Daily Show network Comedy Central, is trying to complete a merger with Skydance. That deal requires approval from the Federal Communications Commission, the current chair of which was appointed by President Donald Trump, a frequent target of Colbert’s jokes who has complained openly about Colbert and other late night hosts.
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“Was killing a show that you know rankled a fragile and vengeful president ― so insecure, suffering terribly from a case of chronic penis insufficiency,” Stewart said. “It’s a terrible disease.”
He said CBS lost the benefit of the doubt earlier this month when it agreed to pay $16 million to settle a lawsuit with Trump that was widely seen as frivolous.
Stewart called that money “an extortion fee” for Trump.
He delivered a stark reminder to CBS.
“The shows that you now seek to cancel, censor and control ― a not-insignificant portion of that $8 billion value came from those fucking shows,” he said. “That’s what made you that money. Shows that say something, shows that take a stand, shows that are unafraid.”
And he warned that trying to make content that will please Trump will prove fruitless given that he turns on even his allies in the media, such as the president’s new lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal and Rupert Murdoch, who owns the paper as well as Fox News.
Stewart said there probably isn’t a single email or phone call that proves CBS fired Colbert to please Trump.
“I think the answer is in the fear and pre-compliance that is gripping all of America’s institutions at this very moment,” he said. “Institutions that have chosen not to fight the vengeful and vindictive actions of our pubic-hair-doodling commander in chief. This is not the moment to give in. I’m not giving in. I’m not going anywhere.”
He added: “I think.”
Then he delivered an inspirational message to frightened media companies such as Paramount and any other institution ready to bend the knee to Trump.
And he did it in the form of a song, complete with a choir: “Go fuck yourself.”
Watch what Jon said below:
View this video on YouTube
This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
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