Jon Stewart recalls backlash he received for suggesting COVID leaked from a lab
Jon Stewart discussed backlash he received in 2021 for suggesting COVID leaked from the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
Jon Stewart's Apple program is abruptly ending after executives at the tech giant reportedly objected to potential topics like China and AI.
The New York Times reported Thursday that Apple is pulling the plug on "The Problem with Jon Stewart" ahead of a third season due to "creative differences."
"Mr. Stewart and Apple executives had disagreements over some of the topics and guests on ‘The Problem,’ two of the people said," the Times reported. "Mr. Stewart told members of his staff on Thursday that potential show topics related to China and artificial intelligence were causing concern among Apple executives, a person with knowledge of the meeting said. As the 2024 presidential campaign begins to heat up, there was potential for further creative disagreements, one of the people said."
According to the Times, "The Problem" was set to begin taping episodes of its third season within a couple of weeks.
Neither Apple nor representatives for Stewart responded to FOX News' requests for comment.
JON STEWART RECOUNTS ANGRY BACKLASH FOR PUSHING LAB LEAK THEORY ON COLBERT: ‘F--- YOU, I’M DONE'
Apple is reportedly pulling the plug on Jon Stewart's Apple TV+ program "The Problem" due to "creative differences." (Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Bob Woodruff Foundation)
Stewart launched "The Problem" on the Apple TV+ streaming service in 2021 after serving as host of "The Daily Show" from 1999-2015.
It is unclear what exactly Stewart wanted to cover regarding China, but the liberal comedian went viral in June 2021 when he made an impassioned argument in favor of the Wuhan lab-leak theory on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert."
Stewart shocked the left-wing audience as well as his pal Stephen Colbert by promoting the belief that the coronavirus stemmed from a Chinese coronavirus lab.
Jon Stewart went viral in June 2021 over his impassioned argument in favor of the Wuhan lab-leak theory during his appearance on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert." (Scott Kowalchyk/CBS)
"Perhaps there's a chance that this was created in a lab?" Colbert asked.
"A chance?!" Stewart exclaimed. "Oh, my God. There's a novel respiratory coronavirus overtaking Wuhan, China. What do we do? Oh, you know, we could ask- the Wuhan novel respiratory Coronavirus lab. The disease is the same name as the lab! That's just a little too weird, don't you think?"
He then compared the lab-leak theory to an "outbreak of chocolaty goodness near Hershey, Pennsylvania."
"Maybe a steam shovel mated with a cocoa bean… or it's the f---in chocolate factory!" Stewart shouted.
It is unclear why Apple executives objected to coverage of China and AI on Jon Stewart's program. ((Photo by Gary Hershorn/Getty Images))
The landscape of late-night comedy has been in flux in recent years. Stewart's "Daily Show" successor Trevor Noah parted ways with Comedy Central in late 2022 and the show has been cycling through guest hosts ever since.
In April, fellow comedian James Corden ended his stint as "The Late Late Show" host with no plans for CBS to find a successor.
Both of TBS' late-night offerings, "Conan" and "Full Frontal with Samantha Bee," also stopped production.
While the long-running late-night shows on ABC, NBC and CBS have seen a significant decline in viewership, FOX News' "Gutfeld!" has quickly emerged as the new "king of late night" since its debut in 2021.
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