Jon Stewart is coming to HBO. Kind of.
The former Daily Show host — still feels weird to say that — and the pay cable giant just agreed to an exclusive four-year contract that will initially focus on “short-form digital content” that “will be showcased on HBO NOW, HBO GO and other platforms.” What does that mean, exactly? Great question. Take it away, HBO.
In his first project for HBO under the new deal, Stewart will view current events through his unique prism. Working with the pioneering cloud graphics company OTOY Inc., he is developing new technology that will allow him to produce timely short-form digital content, which will be refreshed on HBO NOW multiple times throughout the day.
So, what it looks like is that Jon Stewart will be popping up here and there with… some kind of videos about… something! Okay, okay, we can work with this. Perhaps more importantly, the press release also includes the phrase “a first-look option for other film and TV ventures,” which means both a) that HBO has dibs if Jon Stewart does get the itch to do something longer than a few minutes, and b) absolutely nothing if he doesn’t. And it doesn’t look like anyone should expect that soon.
“I’m so excited to be working with Richard [Plepler], Michael and the entire HBO family,” says Stewart. “Appearing on television 22 minutes a night clearly broke me. I’m pretty sure I can produce a few minutes of content every now and again.”
Still. A few minutes here and there is better than no minutes anywhere. That’s just math.
