It looks like Jon Stewart will make it back to the airwaves before November’s election. And a nation, or at least part of it, rejoices and breathes a heavy sigh of relief.
Stewart, who electrified fans with a triumphant return to TV last week on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, remains on track to launch his animated news series on HBO come the fall. Per Deadline, HBO programming chief Casey Bloys said “my hope is that it will be up and running by September or October,” at the Television Critics Association executive session on Saturday.
The show, explained Bloys, will be “an animated parody of a cable news network. It’s Onion-like, with video and text. It’s very much Jon’s voice and tone.” Stewart will provide the voice of the show as well. Bloys went on to note that the animation will be “done in a way that allows (Stewart) to comment on events in real time.” Bloys also pointed out that the show will be available on HBO’s digital platforms and in a half-hour format on the channel.
Reports have conflicted up to this point as to when Stewart’s first HBO project would debut. He signed a four-year deal with HBO last year, but as recently as May, he was unsure as to the timing of his first appearance on the cable giant.
The news from Saturday morning sounds as though there’s some near certainty now. And the timing couldn’t be any better.
(via Deadline)
