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Television host Jon Stewart during a
taping of "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" in New York. (AP
Photo/Brad Barket)
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Comedy
Central has a "short list" of replacements for "Daily Show"
host Jon Stewart when he steps down this year, company executive Doug Herzog
said Wednesday.
The
channel and Stewart are consulting on when he'll depart the job he's held for
more than 16 years and discussing whether he'll have a continued role with the
show, said Herzog, president of Viacom Entertainment Group, AP reports.
"TBD,"
he replied, using the shorthand for "to be determined," then added:
"It's not out of the question."
Stewart
is an executive producer on the show as well as host. Stewart's company, Busboy
Productions, produces "The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore," which
replaced "The Colbert Report."
Herzog
said "there's a short list" but wouldn't discuss any specific people
being considered as host. It's uncertain whether the list includes former
"Daily Show" correspondent John Oliver, who moved over to HBO after
successfully filling in for Stewart when he took a movie-making break.
Asked
about whether Oliver is a candidate, Herzog's reply was succinct.
"John
Oliver's got a job," he said.
Asked
if that meant he was not under consideration, Herzog said: "I think he's
spoken for."
Whoever
is chosen has heavy lifting to do.
"It's
not easy. The shadow of Jon Stewart is going to loom large. ... What you have
to get comfortable with is, it's just not going to be Jon Stewart. And it's
going to be different," Herzog said.
Whatever
happens, he said, "The Daily Show" is "a format that's built to
last, and last it will."
Herzog declined to comment on when Stewart,
whose contract is up this fall, told Comedy Central of his decision to leave.
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