Jon Stewart Returns to ‘The Daily Show’ Amid ABC’s Kimmel Suspension, Sparking Free Speech Debate
NEW YORK – Jon Stewart made a surprise return to “The Daily Show” on Wednesday, September 18, hosting the Comedy Central program as fallout continues from ABC’s decision to suspend Jimmy Kimmel following controversial comments about a political figure.Stewart’s guest was journalist and Nobel Prize winner Maria Ressa, CNN media analyst Brian Stelter reported. The episode aired at 11 p.m. ET/10 p.m. CT.
The unexpected hosting gig comes as a wave of criticism mounts against ABC, with media figures and unions decrying the suspension as a form of censorship. The controversy stems from Kimmel’s remarks, wich prompted the network to sideline him, a move many see as a response to pressure from political entities. The situation has ignited a broader debate about the limits of free speech and the influence of external forces on network television.
“The right to speak our minds and to disagree with each other – to disturb, even – is at the very heart of what it means to be a free people,” the Writers’ Guild of America wrote in a statement to USA TODAY. “It is indeed not to be denied.”
American Federation of Musicians President Tino Gagliardi characterized the situation as “state censorship,” stating, “This is not elaborate: Trump’s FCC identified speech it did not like and threatened ABC with extreme reprisals.”
Former late-night competitor David Letterman echoed these concerns, calling ABC’s decision “a misery” during a September 18 appearance at The Atlantic Festival. “In the world of somebody who is an authoritarian, maybe a dictatorship, sooner or later, everyone is going to be touched,” Letterman said.
A replay of Wednesday’s episode with Stewart is scheduled to be available on Paramount+ on September 19, according to the show’s social media bio.
