Jon Stewart doesn't mince words about Paramount's $16-million Trump settlement

Jon Stewart took purpose astatine his network’s genitor steadfast Paramount Global for paying $16 cardinal to settee President Trump’s suit against CBS News, calling the determination a payoff for support of a pending merger.

On the Monday variation of Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show,” Stewart and impermanent and erstwhile “60 Minutes” analogous Steve Kroft laid retired the details of the ineligible skirmish, which they agreed felt similar an organized transgression shakedown.

“I’m evidently not a lawyer, but I did ticker ‘Goodfellas,’” Stewart said. “That sounds illegal.”

Last week, Paramount Global agreed to wage $16 cardinal to settee the ineligible volley from Trump, who claimed “60 Minutes” edited an interrogation with his 2024 predetermination opponent, then-Vice President Kamala Harris, to marque her look amended and bolster her chances successful the election. CBS denied the claims, saying the edits were routine.

But the suit — described arsenic frivolous by 1st Amendment experts — was seen arsenic an obstacle to Paramount Global’s projected $8-billion merger with David Ellison’s Skydance Media. The woody requires support from the Federal Communications Commission, led by Trump acolyte Brendan Carr.

Stewart rhetorically asked Kroft if this colony was “just a outgo truthful this merger tin spell done and not beryllium challenged by Trump’s FCC?”

Kroft, who noted that Paramount Global bulk shareholder Shari Redstone wants the merchantability to spell through, confirmed Stewart’s assessment.

Kroft noted that “60 Minutes” ne'er said it screwed up, “they conscionable paid the money.”

“So conscionable flat-out extortion money,” Stewart said.

“Yeah, it was a shakedown,” Kroft said.

Comedy Central, the cablegram web that serves arsenic the location of “The Daily Show,” volition beryllium included successful the Skydance deal. But Stewart remained relentless passim the segment.

“It doesn’t consciousness similar scrutiny connected quality networks — it feels similar fealty,” Stewart said. “They are being held to a modular that volition ne'er beryllium satisfactory to Donald Trump. No 1 tin ever buss his ass enough.”

Stewart has ever spoken his caput connected “The Daily Show,” delivering mostly harsh assessments of Trump. It remains to beryllium seen if he’ll person that state erstwhile Skydance, led by Trump protagonist Larry Ellison and his lad David, yet takes over.

Stewart returned to Comedy Central aft parting ways with Apple TV successful 2023. His past program, “The Problem With Jon Stewart,” ended aft Apple executives reportedly expressed concerns implicit the comedian’s handling of imaginable amusement topics related to China and artificial intelligence.

Apple has heavy ties to China and has launched an artificial quality merchandise incorporated into its operating systems.

Stewart demonstrated the shakiness of the Trump lawsuit’s claims with an edited Fox News interrogation with Trump from past year.

Trump appeared to springiness a elemental yes erstwhile asked connected “Fox & Friends Weekend,” if helium would de-classify authorities files connected convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. However, Trump equivocated successful a longer mentation of the reply that aired aboriginal connected the network.

With the Harris interview, CBS News divided an reply connected Israel that she gave to “60 Minutes” presenting 1 information connected its Sunday circular array programme connected “Face the Nation.” A antithetic information aired connected the existent program, which led Trump supporters to outcry foul.

“I would similar to cognize wherefore the ’60 Minutes’ edit was worthy of a $16-million acquiescence of what is considered the Tiffany news, golden modular web ... erstwhile precise clearly, Fox conscionable did what seems to maine a much egregious edit,” Stewart said.

A typical for Paramount Global had nary remark connected Stewart’s remarks.

Kroft said the the temper is bleak astatine “60 Minutes” successful the aftermath of the settlement.

“I deliberation determination is simply a batch of fearfulness implicit there,” helium said. “Fear of losing their jobs. Fear of losing their country. Fear of losing the 1st Amendment.”