For Late Night's Trump Critics, the Escape Routes Are Vanishing (Bill Carter)

[pstokely]

https://latenighter.com/features/paramount-late-night-trump-critics/

Once Paramount completes its takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery—bringing HBO into its orbit—four of the biggest names in late night will effectively be working for a management, Paramount Global, and an owner, David Ellison, that Trump can comfortably call “loyal.”

One host, Stephen Colbert, has already experienced the fallout of regime change. His show was canceled shortly before Paramount’s deal to absorb CBS received approval from the administration—this, despite being the most-watched program in the post-11 p.m. hour.

The Daily Show on Comedy Central, still headlined by Jon Stewart, has been living under that same ownership. Somewhat surprisingly—given Stewart’s spectacular and spectacularly funny weekly eviscerations—the show has so far remained off Trump’s missile-launch radar.

So far.

Now John Oliver and Bill Maher, HBO’s two late-night stars, face the prospect of satirizing Donald Trump and his administration while working for a management team that almost surely owes its success in acquiring Warner Bros. Discovery to Trump’s heavy influence.

[displacedvermoter]

1. Maher will adapt well, Stewart probably as well

And none of them will ever need to worry about having to steal food to survive.

[newdeal2]

2. It's all but guaranteed someone will be gone

Maher will survive because of his friendship with Bari.

The Daily Show I’m 50-50 on.

Oliver probably has a 25% chance of staying on.

Kimmel’s contract with ABC got extended one year. It’s possible he could be out too if Disney faces renewed pressure.

[Bettie]

3. Maher will be fine, he is almost never critical of

Trump or his minions.

John Oliver will not bend to their whims, so he'll be out as soon as they can manage it.

I love watching his show.

[NCDem47]

4. When I heard Paramount buying Warner, I thought we'll eventually see Maher cross-polinate with CBS

Specials. Mayne some lat enight venture.

[ProfessorGAC]

5. Do You Watch Maher's Show?

If so, I can't imagine how you came away with "almost never critical".