Variety: Comedy Central won't choose Daily Show host after year-long search

[kalindana]

Comedy Central Won’t Choose ‘Daily Show’ Host After Year-Long Search

Comedy Central won't name a new host of its signature 'Daily Show' despite a year-long search, and will rely on its team of correspondents

variety.com

After holding a year-long bake-off among various celebrities to find the next host of its signature "The Daily Show," Comedy Central is going to try a new recipe.

When the program returns from a hiatus, it is expected to rely heavily on a team of correspondents to lead each night, according to three people familiar with the matter, though it is not clear if the network has struck upon its final assemblage of talent. "Daily Show" could also rely on guest appearances by some of the celebrities who have hosted the program since Trevor Noah, the last permanent presence behind the desk, quit abruptly in late 2022.

Those looking for an immediate successor for Noah won't find one — at least, not yet.

Comedy Central is expected to unveil its plans for "Daily Show" next week. The network did not respond immediately to a query seeking comment about the role of the correspondents in future broadcasts.

To be sure, the decision is likely to save money — a concern that all the networks involved in late-night programming have expressed. In recent years, Warner Bros. Discovery has exited the wee-hours arena, cutting programs led by Conan O'Brien and Samantha Bee. And NBC has gotten out of the business of putting up a late-night show on at 1:30 a.m., an hour it filled for years with Carson Daly and Bob Costas. CBS recently replaced its "The Late Late Show" with "After Midnight," a program hosted by Taylor Tomlinson that is styled more as a game show, and is said to cost significantly less to produce.

There may still be a chance that Comedy Central hopes to land a big name at some point in the future. There has been some speculation that the network may have approached comedian John Mulaney about the host job at some point in the recent past. A representative for Mulaney could not be reached for immediate comment.

 

[Sheepinator]

Jordan Klepper or Desi Lydic. Done. Not only are they both excellent at it, they've more than paid their dues already. If I were them, I'd be less than happy about this. It's a slap in the face.

 

[higemaru]

Get Bruce Vilanch to host

 

[JAT]

Jordan Klepper or Desi Lydic. Done. Not only are they both excellent at it, they've more than paid their dues already. If I were them, I'd be less than happy about this. It's a slap in the face.

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I hoped it would be either them or Roy Wood Jr from the current cast.
In the past I thought Jessica Williams or Wyatt Cenac would nail it.

 

[Glasfrut]

They missed their best choice when they didn't make Roy the permanent host.

 

[Clefargle]

They missed their best choice when they didn't make Roy the permanent host.

Click to shrink...

DING DING DING DING

 

[Nooblet]

Man I wish that NYT smear story against Hasan didn't happen the way it did, I feel like he had this gig.

 

[B-Dubs]

They missed their best choice when they didn't make Roy the permanent host.

Click to shrink...

Pretty much. He was the obvious choice.

Now that it's come to this, I will admit that I am available Comedy Central. Give me a call and we will make this happen.

 

[Frankie Williamson]

After a long and exhaustive host search we, the producers, have decided that I, the executive producer, would make the best option. Please don't look into my past crimes.

 

[sph3re]

One of these days I'm going to watch some clips of Roy Wood Jr. on The Daily Show and join in on the hype train because I have no context for any of these posts

So until then, I'm throwing my hat in for Jordan Klepper because I like the clips of him I've seen on Instagram.

 

[Lowblood]

I mean, based on that, it's not even that they couldn't find a good option, they just don't want one due to the cost. And presumably the expectation that this sort of show is on its last legs. We might be down to the two main Late Night shows five years from now.

I swear, the wet dream for these executives is putting out the same amount of content while spending nothing to actually produce them. Just gonna crowdsource or throw AI at everything.

 

[Nola]

When the program returns from a hiatus, it is expected to rely heavily on a team of correspondents to lead each night,​

​

Glad to see Comedy Central Execs read Resetera

I still don't quite understand why they can't just move to a more collaborative, ensemble set up?

That solution is right there in front of you!

The strength of the show, even during Jon Stewart's heyday, has always been the correspondents. Yes it's great to have an iconic personality to serve as anchor and establish a core identity, but clearly they dont have that, so maybe the better solution would just be a rotating panel of news anchors and subsequent correspondents.

Feels like it would have a lot of potential to freshen up the format too, provide a space for more creativity and experimentation, allow everyone that has put int he work to take a step forward and have their moments in the spotlight, and fit a lot better into today's media landscape.

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Variety: Comedy Central widens search for ‘Daily Show’ host beyond Hasan Minhaj Entertainment

Roy Wood, Jr. was my second-favorite guest host during the most recent run. Desi Lydic was my favorite, by a hair. To which I say: co-anchoring is a thing......

www.resetera.com

Comedy Central, you can DM me and we can discuss where to send my commission check, thanks!

 

[kmfdmpig]

They missed their best choice when they didn't make Roy the permanent host.

Click to shrink...

Agreed.

 

[FF Seraphim]

Pretty much. He was the obvious choice.

Now that it's come to this, I will admit that I am available Comedy Central. Give me a call and we will make this happen.

Click to shrink...

But if you go to host the Daily Show who will watch over us at resetera in case we do something dumb!?

Hmm better thought it probably would be less stressful than here...

 

[I Don't Like]

I saw Roy and Jordan in DC last week at Warner Theater and they were shooting the shit about The Daily Show, Roy kind of making fun of himself getting "fired" from it. They were on the stage together and I was thinking it would be kind of great if they both hosted the show that way as well.

 

[Squarehard]

Cowards.

 

[Sanjuro]

Just hire Leno

 

[odiin]

What a shit show.

 

[LongDongJunon]

yawl dummies literally had a host ready, on staff, and you let him get away

 

[Vomiaouaf]

When the program returns from a hiatus, it is expected to rely heavily on a team of correspondents to lead each night,
​

Glad to see Comedy Central Execs read Resetera

Variety: Comedy Central widens search for ‘Daily Show’ host beyond Hasan Minhaj Entertainment

Roy Wood, Jr. was my second-favorite guest host during the most recent run. Desi Lydic was my favorite, by a hair. To which I say: co-anchoring is a thing......

www.resetera.com

Comedy Central, you can DM me and we can discuss where to send my commission check, thanks!

Click to shrink...

Seems like the way their - and most - writer's room is organized does call for a head writer and "lead" especially to define what the show actually will stand for in terms of tone and politics. And provide cover for correspondents as well. A ton of the show relies on ping pong between host and them + interviews. Without a host it's a whole new dynamic. That's where Roy or Jordan would have been amazing. They clearly had Minaj as their plan, let Roy go because of it, and that got nuked into oblivion.

 

[Blader]

So they're canceling it then

 

[Fat4all]

not having a central host i dont think is gonna work

not to say the show will be bad, but i feel like one of the correspondents will end up playing a host-like role in a short amount of time

 

[John Harker]

Roy got fired? Guess I missed some things

 

[Nola]

Seems like the way their - and most - writer's room is organized does call for a head writer and "lead" especially to define what the show actually will stand for in terms of tone and politics. And provide cover for correspondents as well. A ton of the show relies on ping pong between host and them + interviews. Without a host it's a whole new dynamic. That's where Roy or Jordan would have been amazing. They clearly had Minaj as their plan, let Roy go because of it, and that got nuked into oblivion.

Click to shrink...

IMO I just think of SNL. You'll have your senior writers and guys that sort of organize things, end up as the faces of the show, probably even someone that hosts more than others. Im curious how it works out cause I like the experiment, personally.

 

[Protome]

Seems like a good way to kill the show I guess.

 

[JigglesBunny]

You fucked around with Roy, blew right past him, and now you don't have anyone of that caliber that would possibly take the gig. Let's call a spade a spade. This is just signing the show's death warrant.

 

[Fat4all]

Roy got fired? Guess I missed some things

Click to shrink...

nah, left when he realized he was wasting his time if they werent gonna pick him

 

[Tavernade]

I remember listening to that Strike Force Five podcast with all the late night hosts, and at one point they all just kinda got real for a second and pointed out how weird it was Comedy Central didn't grab John Oliver for the role way back then after his temporary host duties. I prefer having Last Week Tonight than not, but it does seem weird they didn't go with it way back then when they could have,

 

[thermopyle]

Such a self-own. Felt like no one really gave that much of a fuck about the made up stand up stories Hasan did but CC deluded themselves thinking they should have journalistic integrity needing someone impeachable on a fucking comedy news show

 

[Fat4all]

I remember listening to that Strike Force Five podcast with all the late night hosts, and at one point they all just kinda got real for a second and pointed out how weird it was Comedy Central didn't grab John Oliver for the role way back then after his temporary host duties. I prefer having Last Week Tonight than not, but it does seem weird they didn't go with it way back then when they could have,

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its wild they didnt pick him considering he guest hosted so many fucking episodes and was really well liked

i guess the timing was just off, they probably just upped jons contract for another couple years just before Oliver left the show

 

[mreddie]

Yeah they are fucked and I guess admitting no one is watching this the night of anymore.

They had the chance with Roy and back then, not locking up John Oliver

 

[KNZFive]

Last Week Tonight is more insightful and watchable than post-Stewart Daily Show, and I say that as someone who liked Trevor Noah as host. LWT feels like the evolved version of the Daily Show at its peak.

Roy Wood Jr had every right to walk away from the show. Not making him host after Minhaj fell through was an insane mistake.

 

[thewienke]

Haven't ever really watched (the post Jon Stewart era anyway) but have they tried going with co-hosts? Or would they be afraid that it would play too similar to SNL?

 

[KtotheRoc]

They missed their best choice when they didn't make Roy the permanent host.

Click to shrink...

They really did. I was going to say they should have offered it to Roy.

 

[Fat4all]

Last Week Tonight is more insightful and watchable than post-Stewart Daily Show, and I say that as someone who liked Trevor Noah as host. LWT feels like the evolved version of the Daily Show at its peak.

Roy Wood Jr had every right to walk away from the show. Not making him host after Minhaj fell through was an insane mistake.

Click to shrink...

im thinking of the really really strong LWT segments just a touch shorter and with some correspondent segments with the same writers and its making me sad for what could have been lol

 

[ZeoVGM]

I've barely watched since Trevor left.

Just cancel the show if you don't care about it having an actual identity.

 

[FatalT]

They could get Jo Koy to do it couldn't they?

 

[Slayven]

Pretty much. He was the obvious choice.

Now that it's come to this, I will admit that I am available Comedy Central. Give me a call and we will make this happen.

Click to shrink...

If you leave, I might have to do work around here

 

[NinjaScooter]

hire Carson Daly and call it the Daly Show

 

[B-Dubs]

If you leave, I might have to do work around here

Click to shrink...

Stop, stop. I can only get so erect.

 

[Slayven]

hire Carson Daly and call it the Daly Show

Click to shrink...

put it on at 2am and watch it run for 20 years

 

[Katten]

They missed their best choice when they didn't make Roy the permanent host.

Click to shrink...

Saw Era going on about his when the discussion first came up and didn't really get it. I found his character as a corespondent pretty exhausting. Then went and watched his actual hosting episodes and a bunch of interviews, and loved the fuck out of him.

The difference between his bits and him just being him is astonishing, and I am 100% on team Roy or bust now.

 

[Bengraven]

Roy Wood should have been host. Apparently his week's were some of the highest ranked weeks as well. I don't know what caused them to hesitate unless they wanted someone...more Hollywoody.

That said, give it to Leslie or Leguizamo.

Jordan was great, he really felt like a host, but I also feel like he's just too "obvious" of a pick.

 

[Bengraven]

Saw Era going on about his when the discussion first came up and didn't really get it. I found his character as a corespondent pretty exhausting. Then went and watched his actual hosting episodes and a bunch of interviews, and loved the fuck out of him.

The difference between his bits and him just being him is astonishing, and I am 100% on team Roy or bust now.

Click to shrink...

It wasn't just Resetera. He was a top choice in the Reddit polls I saw. I said it above, he was one of the highest rated weekly hosts (Michael Kosta ended up being top at the moment I believe?). And we just like him...he's likeable.

 

[Katten]

It wasn't just Resetera. He was a top choice in the Reddit polls I saw. I said it above, he was one of the highest rated weekly hosts (Michael Kosta ended up being top at the moment I believe?). And we just like him...he's likeable.

Click to shrink...

I don't doubt that Reddit loved him, just mainly saw it here.

And hey, I am a total convert. He is super likeable, and seemed to do interviews really from the heart, which is a super rare thing to see.

 

[Wrighteous86]

Haven't ever really watched (the post Jon Stewart era anyway) but have they tried going with co-hosts? Or would they be afraid that it would play too similar to SNL?

Click to shrink...

They've tried nothing and they're all out of ideas.

 

[Bengraven]

They've tried nothing and they're all out of ideas..

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They did actually try cohosts and it was pretty decent. But it kind of felt like they had two because they lacked confidence.

 

[firehawk12]

I guess the Hasan ship has sailed then. lol

 

[Tobor]

Man I wish that NYT smear story against Hasan didn't happen the way it did, I feel like he had this gig.

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According to Matt Belloni it was a done deal before the strike. So yeah, he had won the job, then lost it.

According to Belloni's entertainment industry newsletter "What I'm Hearing," Minhaj has been told by execs at Paramount Global, Comedy Central's parent company, that he would not be getting the Daily Showhost gig vacated by Trevor Noah last year. "Minhaj would have been announced as the new TDS host this summer had the strike not intervened," wrote Belloni. "Instead, both sides sat on the announcement, and then…disaster."

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Hasan Minhaj Is Reportedly Out of the Running to Host 'The Daily Show'

Minhaj, at one time a frontrunner for the job, has apparently fallen out of contention after a New Yorker expose questioned the veracity of some of the comedian's anecdotes.

www.vanityfair.com

 

[808s & Villainy]

Hasan Minhaj punching air right now