Comedians Bill Maher, Jon Stewart being considered by CNN to fill primetime void left by Chris Cuomo: report
CNN could pivot from straight news during critical hours
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Ratings-challenged CNN may try to bring on a comedian such as Bill Maher or Jon Stewart to fill the gaping hole in its primetime lineup, according to a new report.
CNN has been without a 9 p.m. host since Chris Cuomo was fired by previous management in 2021, and a series of temporary replacements have largely failed to resonate with viewers as CNN finished 2022 with dreadful viewership. Chris Licht, who produced "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" before taking the role of CNN CEO, is now considering a "news entertainment" personality, according to Semafor.
Citing five people familiar with the planning, Semafor reported that Licht was considering a funnyman could fill the 9-11 p.m. window with "a nontraditional version of the news," and satirists Maher and Stewart have been floated, along with Stewart's "Daily Show" replacement Trevor Noah and Arsenio Hall.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Chris Licht oversaw "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" before taking the role of CNN CEO. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Warner Bros. Discovery)
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Stewart is under contract with Apple and would presumably require a hefty payday, which could make him a difficult target for CNN’s parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery, which has laid off hundreds of employees in recent months to cut costs.
Maher currently works for Warner Bros. Discovery’s HBO, although it’s unclear if he would be interested in toning things down for a gig at CNN. The more coarse language and subject matter found on his show "Real Time" would likely be a nonstarter on a cable news program.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Real Time" host Bill Maher on the set of his HBO show. (HBO)
"They’re looking for their version of John Oliver," an insider told Semafor, which noted CNN honchos have also discussed turning 9 p.m. through midnight into some sort of variety program. Oliver, another "Daily Show" alumnus, has hosted the Emmy-winning "Last Week Tonight" for HBO since 2014.
It’s unclear if CNN would keep a news anchor on hand during these hours in the event that breaking news occurred while a comedian was steering the ship. Licht has previously emphasized his desire to focus CNN on straight news.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Ratings-challenged CNN could reportedly try to bring on a comedian such as Jon Stewart. (REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo)
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CNN recently revamped its entire daytime lineup without making new hires, instead opting to re-arrange which existing hosts work with each other.
CNN finished 2022 with its lowest-rated year of all time in various categories. The network has struggled to find an identity since a long-planned merger put it under the control of Warner Bros. Discovery last year.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}CNN did not immediately respond to a request for comment.