Jon Stewart’s show on Apple TV+ has been canceled by the tech giant over the liberal comedian’s criticisms of Communist China and artificial intelligence (AI).
Two sources reportedly told the New York Times that Apple axed the show on its subscription-based streaming service.
Stewart informed his team on Thursday that his show titled, “The Problem with Jon Stewart,” was over due to editorial disputes.
According to the NY Times, Stewart told his team that comments about China and AI resulted in Apple executives raising “concerns.”
Apple executives told Stewart they must be “aligned” on the topics covered on the show, sources told The Hollywood Reporter.
jon stewart show pulled from apple because he wanted to talk about china, among other controversial topics pic.twitter.com/xWVkZyBdwG
— rohit (@krishnanrohit) October 20, 2023
Apple CEO Tim Cook recently visited China, according to CNBC.
Cook traveled to the communist state following the iPhone 15’s lackluster sales in the country.
The tech giant’s stock recently tumbled hundreds of millions of dollars in the two days following reports of a broad Chinese government iPhone ban, according to CNN Business.
Cook previously traveled to China in March and spoke at the China Development Forum in Beijing, according to The Financial Times.
During his speech, Cook gushed about Apple’s “relationship” with Communist China.
“We could not be more excited,” Cook stated.
“Apple and China . . . grew together and so this has been a symbiotic kind of relationship.”
Apple has frequently caused concern over its kowtowing to the Chinese Communist Party.
During anti-lockdown protests in Hong Kong last year, Apple restricted its AirDrop tool for iPhones.
Apple issued a software update to phones sold in China that included the kill switch.
Pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong had used it to share messages.
The AirDrop tool had previously been used to escape China’s Internet restrictions during protests in 2019, business outlet Quartz reported.
