Hasan Minhaj Lost ‘Daily Show’ Host Gig Amid Jokes Scandal; Jon Stewart Called Him and Questioned the Backlash: ‘Why the F— Are They Doing This?’
variety.comZack Sharf Digital News Director Hasan Minhaj spoke to Esquire magazine for a new cover story and remembered having a long conversation with John Stewart amid the jokes scandal that cost Minhaj one of his dream jobs: hosting Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show.” It’s a gig Stewart knows well considering he served as the show’s host from 1999 until 2015 and is currently back behind the desk once a week through the 2024 presidential election.
Minhaj confirmed to Esquire that “The Daily Show” job was his, saying: “We were in talks, and I had the gig, and we were pretty much good to go.” Then controversy erupted after The New Yorker published a profile of Minhaj and fact-checked some of his jokes.
It was revealed that Minhaj had embellished several stories for his stand-up acts and in the resulting backlash “The Daily Show” hosting gig “went away.
That’s part of showbiz.” Per Esquire: “In the aftermath of the story, Minhaj spoke with other comedians who are friends and mentors.
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