As streaming platforms and broadcast networks continue to combat each other for ratings, you’d think that developing a breakout success would be a good thing. That’s what a lot of people, viewers and critics alike, thought about Jon Stewart and his fittingly named program, “The Problem With Jon Stewart.” The former host of “The Daily Show” wrapped up the second season of his weekly program on Apple TV+ in a much stronger position than he did in season one. With that kind of momentum, surely a third season would be good to go, right?
While it’s unclear which caused which, Stewart will not be returning to the program, which has subsequently been cancelled.
In 20 episodes across two seasons, Stewart covered a range of topics from climate change and COVID-19, to the military industrial complex, inflation, and racism. With the exception of COVID-19 (since that wasn’t a thing during his tenure on “The Daily Show”), these topics were no stranger to him in his previous work on Comedy Central. With a new program and a new parent company, Stewart reportedly faced resistance that he didn’t have previously.
But Why?
Sources claim possible topics for season 3 like Artificial Intelligence and China led to Stewart’s exit, and ultimately, the show’s cancellation. Considering his stance on other issues, one can assume Stewart would probably be taking China to task on subjects like human rights, environmental concerns, and more. On the AI front, there’s a lot of concern about its implementation in the entertainment field, scholastics, and the matter of how and what AIs learn.
Given how Apple and other tech giants are investing in AI, you can see the potential conflict there.
Why would Apple be so concerned about China? The country’s economy is booming again following the pandemic, and competition in the smartphone market is similarly growing. The Chinese government also doesn’t tend to respond well to criticism. So the potential for Stewart to poke the Chinese market could be economically devastating to Apple.
We’ll let you know what we hear about this and other news.
