Jon Stewart’s New Show Has Been Canceled
Jon Stewart canceled his live show at For Your Consideration because of the writers' strike.
The effects of the Writers Guild of America strike continue to ripple through Hollywood. As reported by Deadline, Jon Stewart canceled his appearance at a For Your Consideration event for the recently concluded second season of his Apple TV+ talk show, The Problem with Jon Stewart.
Set to take place in Hollywood on May 8, Think Apple TV+ is the streamer’s FYC event, complete with a lineup of stars to promote its prestigious projects. Jon Stewart was to appear alongside Shrinking star Jason Segel, Bad Sisters star Sharon Horgan, and Carpool Karaoke’s James Corden.
Jon Stewart is a member of the WGA. The rules of the writers’ strike prevent its members from promoting work at FYC events during the strike period. Performers not part of the WGA have no obligation to skip the scheduled events, but unions around Hollywood have spoken out in solidarity with the WGA, putting the other star appearances at Think Apple TV+ in jeopardy.
Jon Stewart was also set to moderate another FYC event promoting comedian John Mulaney’s new Netflix special, Baby J. As the effects of the writers’ strike continue to disrupt the entertainment industry far outside the walls of writers’ rooms, workers across Hollywood are feeling anxious.
Many have spoken up about the effects of the strike, noting that the work stoppage by writers will put workers across the production pipeline out of a job. Events like the one Jon Stewart opted out of are one-off productions, but those employed on regularly scheduled talk shows and programs like Saturday Night Live are in trouble as those shows prepare to air reruns.
The strike went into effect after the WGA and Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers failed to renegotiate the terms of their contract by the May 1 deadline. The demands of the WGA are wide-ranging. The guild is after guarantees regarding the use of artificial intelligence, better-defined residual payments, hiring minimums in writers’ rooms, and guaranteed employment durations for writers on streaming series.
Streaming has changed the game. What was once the alternative to networks is now the home of stars like Jon Stewart. With the shift in the way people watch TV and movies, the system by which writers are compensated for the repeated consumption of their work has struggled to keep up.
Streaming services are private about viewership data, and the lack of transparency has prevented writers of popular projects from reaping the benefits of their work’s success. The recent leaps in AI-generated material has artists of all kinds sweating, and writers are no exception. These major technological advancements are key points in the negotiation.
It is unclear when Jon Stewart and his WGA cohorts will return to business. Some estimate the strike will last for at least two months, but no one can predict what will happen. WGA insiders expect talks with the AMPTP will resume after the Alliance renegotiates its contract with the Directors Guild of America next week.
