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John Oliver was on NBC’s Today Show when he learned that his former boss Jon Stewart was returning to host The Daily Show.
Stewart was unveiled by Comedy Central earlier today as the Monday night host for the late-night show through the election with the news team correspondents handling the other days.
Oliver said he was “surprised” to hear the news, but said it will be “exciting to see what he does” and compared him to Michael Jordan.
The Last Week Tonight host added that he believes The Daily Show needs a permanent host and threw his weight behind former correspondent Roy Wood Jr., who quit the show last year, or Amber Ruffin.
“I mean, that’s, that is a surprise,” Oliver said. “That’s a show that needs a host. He certainly is a very, very good one. So yeah, it’ll be exciting to see what he does. I do think after 2025 they should appoint a permanent host. I would have hired Roy Wood, or Amber Ruffin is very good, but it’s going to be very exciting to see Jon again in an election year.”
“Jordan’s back,” he added, referencing the NBA legend’s decision to return to the Chicago Bulls after previously retiring.
Oliver was a correspondent on The Daily Show between 2006 and 2013 and subsequently left to front his own show (after a summer hosting TDS) before going on his own very long Emmy-winning run.
