TV

Hasan Minhaj almost ended "The Daily Show" producers' search for a permanent host months ago ... only for his embellishing scandal to blow the deal -- according to reports.

Here's the deal ... The Hollywood Reporter gave fans of 'TDS' an inside look at how Jon Stewart's return to Comedy Central's flagship satirical news show came to fruition -- and Minhaj got name-dropped in the piece.

Basically, THR says the deal was right at the finish line, just needing to cross the t's and dot the i's over the summer to bring HM on as Trevor Noah's replacement ... until the New Yorker published their exposé on Hasan embellishing stories in his stand-up special.

Remember, the magazine alleged Hasan hammed up stories for the shock value ... including one about taking his daughter to the hospital because of an anthrax scare and another where he said he was turned down by a girl he asked out because of his race -- something the woman in question flat-out denied BTW.

Minhaj -- who appeared as a guest host in the year-plus since Noah went off the air -- has defended himself, denying some of the New Yorker's assertions ... but THR says the scandal was "suddenly seen as a liability" so higher-ups backed off hiring him.

The backlash to Hasan's scandal was swift ... with some comedians frustrated over Minhaj saying they all embellish with their stand-ups. Bill Maher straight-up called the guy a liar on an episode of his show back in October.

As we previously reported ... producers recently announced a tried and true part-time option -- bringing back Jon Stewart to host the show on Mondays through election season and executive produce the show through at least 2025. Hosting duties from Tuesday to Thursday will be handled by correspondents on a rotating basis.

Anthony Ramos ha sido fichado para interpretar una versión con actores de "Bob el Constructor", pero la jugada está levantando críticas porque su personaje, al parecer, va a ser explícitamente latino.

La cosa es así, Anthony Ramos fue anunciado como el protagonista de la nueva película de juguetes de Mattel, para interpretar al propio Bob. Aunque en el comunicado de prensa que está circulando se dice que el nombre real de su personaje es en realidad "Roberto".

La descripción oficial de la trama dice: "Cuando Roberto 'Bob' viaja a la encantadora isla de Puerto Rico para un importante trabajo de construcción, se enfrenta a cuestiones que afectan a la isla y profundiza en lo que significa construir. El viaje de Bob celebrará las vibrantes y coloridas texturas de las naciones latinas del Caribe y su gente".

La otra gran noticia de esto es el hecho de que la compañía cinematográfica de Jennifer Lopez, Nuyorican Productions, está ayudando a hacer este proyecto, por supuesto, ella misma también es latina.

Así que la pregunta es, ¿por qué de repente hacemos que "Bob el constructor" sea hispano?

Sin duda, eso es lo que muchas personas se están preguntando en Internet en este momento, por no hablar de un montón de memes y chistes sobre este giro sorpresa en el programa de dibujos animados que ha existido durante años. Lo más importante es que Bob siempre ha sido percibido como un personaje blanco.

Ahora, sin embargo, parece que J Lo y compañía quieren reimaginarlo por alguna razón y digamos que hay reacciones mixtas frente a la decisión. Algunos están a favor, argumentando que no debería importar la raza o etnia de Bob, pero otros están llorando y afirmando que esto es "woke" casting.

Lo que es peor aún, algunos incluso están sugiriendo que hacer Bob Latino podría ser un poco racista, jugando con los estereotipos y convirtiendo a un personaje que nadie pidió.

Curiosamente, hay incluso un puñado de personas que sugieren que Jen y todos los demás deberían haber desarrollado / adaptado a otro personaje "trabajador" de los dibujos animados que ya está escrito como un latino, a saber, "Handy Manny". ¿Por qué no hacer que Anthony lo interprete?

Cómo están digiriendo las personas esta noticia es, sin duda, una bolsa de gatos y suponemos que la identidad racial de Bob está, técnicamente, en el ojo del espectador.

Anthony Ramos has been tapped to play a live-action version of 'Bob the Builder' -- but the move is turning heads ... 'cause his character is apparently going to be Latino, explicitly.

Here's the deal ... AR was announced as the lead of Mattel's newest toy-to-movie offering, meaning he's going to play Bob himself -- although, in the press release that's going around ... it says his character's real name is actually "Roberto."

The official description of the plot reads ... "When Roberto 'Bob' travels to the enchanting island of Puerto Rico for a major construction job, he takes on issues affecting the island and digs deeper into what it means to build. Bob’s journey will celebrate the vibrant and colorful textures of the Caribbean Latin nations and their people."

The other big news from this is the fact that Jennifer Lopez's movie company -- Nuyorican Productions -- is helping make this thing ... of course, she herself is also Latina.

So the question ... why are we making 'Bob the Builder' Hispanic all of a sudden???

That's certainly what a lot of people online are asking right now -- not to mention a bunch of memes and jokes about this surprise twist on the cartoon show that's been around for years. The biggest takeaway is that Bob has always been perceived as a white character.

Now, however, it looks like J Lo and co. wanna reimagine that for some reason -- and let's just say there are mixed reactions to the decision. Some are for it, arguing it shouldn't matter what race/ethnicity Bob is ... but others are crying foul and claiming this is "woke" casting.

Worse yet ... some are even suggesting that making Bob Latino might just be a little racist -- playing into stereotypes and turning a character on its head, which nobody asked for.

Funny enough, there are even a handful of folks suggesting Jen and everybody would've been better off developing/adapting another "worker" cartoon character who's already written as a Latino ... namely, 'Handy Manny.' Why not just have Anthony play him?

How people are digesting this is for sure a mixed bag -- and we suppose Bob's racial identity is, technically, in the eye of the beholder. We'll say this ... it does sorta feel like a reach.

Ukraine is lambasting HBO's "The White Lotus" for casting Miloš Biković ... a Serbian actor who's voiced support and admiration for Russia amid the ongoing war, and has accepted a medal from Vladimir Putin.

Ukraine's foreign ministry called out HBO in an X post Wednesday ... asking if it was right for the outlet to work with a person who supports genocide and violates international law.

A quick rundown on the uproar: Biković's been accused of supporting Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine ... even posting an X poll showing that trust in Putin was higher than in Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky.

He's starred in a string of Russian films, such as 2014's "Sunstroke" ... which Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said he'd filmed in Crimea, the peninsula Russia seized from Ukraine in 2014.

In 2018, Putin awarded Biković a Pushkin medal for advancing Russian culture. A year later, Ukraine banned him from entering the country for national security reasons.

The 36-year-old was unfazed over the ban, making it clear where his loyalties lie as he gushed over receiving Russian citizenship in 2021 ... and added, he'd been actively participating in Russian cultural life for more than 7 years.

His casting in the third season of Mike White's anthology series was announced earlier this month ... and production is set to begin next month in Thailand.

Deadline reports he'll likely play a Russian-speaking wellness guru at the hotel -- though his character details haven't been confirmed.

The dark comedy has been a massive hit with fans and has dominated award season with its first 2 seasons ... so expectations are undoubtedly high for the third.

Jason Momoa parece estar listo para poner sus habilidades de canto y baile en exhibición para millones, porque se está moviendo y bailando en un nuevo anuncio del Super Bowl con algunas referencias icónicas de los años 80.

Aquaman en persona fue visto filmando en Santa Clarita con Zach Braff y Donald Faison el miércoles y si le echas un vistazo a las fotos, te darás cuenta de que está emocionado y con una enorme sonrisa en su cara.

Mientras Zach se acercó a Jason —básicamente cantando en su cara— Donald tuvo su propio momento especial con Momoa, recibiendo un crujiente choque de manos del actor de 44 años. Esperamos que la mano de Donald se encuentre bien.

En cuanto a la coreografía, Momoa lo tiene bajo control. Comienza abriéndose camino por la calle, cantando en un micrófono falso antes de rasgar su ropa para revelar una camiseta sin mangas negra.

El equipo parece estar bailando una versión parodia de "Flashdance...What A Feeling", la canción de la escena final de la película "Flashdance" -- Jason incluso se inclina hacia atrás justo al final para rendir homenaje a la icónica escena acuática de Jennifer Beals en la película.

Sabemos lo que se están preguntando si mojarán a Jason con una manguera o algo así... esperemos que ya hayan rodado esa parte".

El equipo parecía apreciar los esfuerzos de los chicos en todo caso, con el trío recibiendo una ovación de pie al final de la rutina.

Hablando de rutina, estos anuncios se están convirtiendo en algo regular para Braff y Faison. Han hecho parodias de "Oh What A Beautiful Morning", "I Feel Pretty", e incluso engancharon al gran John Travolta en uno con una parodia de "Grease".

Jason Momoa seems ready to put his singing and dancing skills on display for millions ... 'cause he's moving and grooving in a new Super Bowl ad with some iconic '80s references!

Aquaman himself was spotted filming in Santa Clarita with Zach Braff and Donald Faison Wednesday -- and if you check out the pics, you'll notice he's clearly bringing the excitement to this new T-Mobile ad with a huge smile on his face and jazz hands at the ready.

While Zach got up close and personal with JM -- basically singing right into his face -- DF got his own special moment with Momoa ... getting a crisp high-five from the 44-year-old. Hope your hand's doing OK, Donald!

As for the choreography ... Momoa's got it down. He starts by sashaying his way down the drive toward the street, singing into a fake microphone while he's at it before ripping open his button-down to reveal a black tank top.

The team seems to be dancing to a parody version of "Flashdance...What A Feeling" ... the song from the final scene in the film "Flashdance" -- Jason even leans back right at the end to pay homage to Jennifer Beals' iconic water scene in the film.

We know what you're all wondering ... it doesn't look like they drench Jason with a hose or anything at the end of the commercial -- but, hopefully, they already shot that part???

The crew seemed to appreciate the guys' efforts either way ... with the trio getting a rousing standing ovation at the end of the routine.

Speaking of routine ... these ads are becoming kind of a regular thing for Braff and Faison. They've done parodies of "Oh What A Beautiful Morning," "I Feel Pretty," and even roped the great John Travolta into one featuring a "Grease" parody.

Sofia Vergara's used to making everything she does look easy ... but she wants a bit more credit for "Griselda" -- even if she's gotta tell her pal Kelly Clarkson to zip it.

The actress hit up "The Kelly Clarkson Show" Wednesday to talk about her new Netflix limited series, and KC tried giving Sofia and the makeup team props for making the changes to her face seem very subtle.

But, the 51-year-old actress freaked out at that, and immediately questioned Kelly's sanity ... before popping off about all of the painstakingly dramatic changes the team made to her face and hair!

You gotta watch, because this is where it gets hilarious ... Kelly desperately tries to dig her way out of the hole, only to have Sofia jokingly tell her to "shut up."

Kelly's Olympic-level backpedal aside, Sofia was spot on about the makeover she underwent to play cartel queen Griselda Blanco -- full-on plaster mask, eyebrows glued on followed by a prosthetic nose and wig.

Ultimately, Kelly said she looked like a totally different actress while maintaining the look of a real person ... something Sofia was happy with 'cause that's really what she wanted.

Vergara -- who's facing some legal drama because of her involvement with the series -- recently opened up about being typecast in an interview with the Los Angeles Times ... saying her accent has limited the parts she can get.

She said, "I’m always looking for characters because there’s not much that I can play with this stupid accent. I can’t play a scientist or be in ‘Schindler’s List.’ My acting jobs are kind of limited."

That's why drug queen-pin Griselda Blanco's such a great role for her, Sofia admitted ... though she said it was a more difficult process than she's ever previously put herself through.

Sofia Vergara está acostumbrada a que parezca fácil todo lo que hace, pero esta vez quiere un poco más de crédito por su interpretación en "Griselda", incluso si tiene que decirle a su amiga Kelly Clarkson que se calle.

La actriz llegó a "The Kelly Clarkson Show" el miércoles para hablar sobre su nueva serie limitada de Netflix, y Kelly trató de reconocer a Sofía y al equipo de maquillaje por hacer que los cambios en su cara lucieran muy sutiles.

¡Pero la actriz de 51 años enloqueció e inmediatamente cuestionó la cordura de Kelly, antes de explicar todos los meticulosos y dramáticos cambios que el equipo hizo en su cara!

Tienes que verlo, porque se pone hilarante cuando Kelly trata desesperadamente de salir del agujero en que se metió, solo para recibir de vuelta a Sofía diciéndole "cállate" en broma.

Aparte de la vuelta olímpica de Kelly, Sofía estaba en lo cierto sobre el cambio de imagen al que se sometió para interpretar a la reina del cártel Griselda Blanco. Este incluyó máscara de yeso, cejas pegadas, una nariz protésica y peluca.

Al final, Kelly dijo que parecía una actriz totalmente diferente, pero con el aspecto de una persona real, algo que Sofía estaba feliz de escuchar porque era lo que realmente quería.

Vergara, que se enfrenta a un drama legal debido a su participación en la serie, recientemente se abrió acerca de ser encasillada en una entrevista con Los Angeles Times, diciendo que su acento ha limitado las partes que puede obtener.

Ella dijo: "Siempre estoy buscando personajes porque no hay mucho que pueda interpretar con este estúpido acento. No puedo interpretar a un científico ni estar en "La lista de Schindler". Mis trabajos como actriz son algo limitados".

Es por eso que la reina de la droga Griselda Blanco es un gran papel para ella, admitió, aunque dijo que fue el proceso más difícil que haya vivido nunca.

Whoopi Goldberg knows a thing or two about being nominated for Oscars -- which is why her saying Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig were not snubbed this year is ... fascinating.

Despite all the pearl-clutching going on among "Barbie" fans after the lead star and director missed out on Oscar nods earlier this week, Whoopi kept it realer than real on "The View" Wednesday as the crew was discussing it ... saying flatly, they weren't entitled to anything.

WG said the obvious to kick off her thoughts, noting that "everybody doesn't win" when it comes to the Academy Awards, and more importantly ... not everyone can be nominated.

Whoopi then put it even more matter-of-factly, adding ... "You don't get everything you want to get. There are no snubs. That's what you have to keep in mind: Not everybody gets a prize, and it is subjective. Movies are subjective."

She then explained that just because "Barbie" was a fan-fave and moneymaker doesn't necessarily mean it was a shoo-in in and of itself, saying ... "The movies you love may not be loved by the people who are voting." Worth noting ... Whoopi's an Academy member.

Remember ... Whoopi's won an Oscar herself, and she's been nominated for a second too -- so she's been through the wringer before. Considering the wave of outrage on behalf of Margot and Greta ... it's interesting that she's taking a somewhat controversial stand here.

Whoopi Goldberg sabe algunas cosas sobre ser nominada a un Oscar, por lo que escucharla decir que Margot Robbie y Greta Gerwig no fueron 'despreciadas' este año es fascinante.

A pesar de la sorpresa e indignación de los fans luego de que la estrella principal de "Barbie" y su directora no fueran nominadas a los Oscar a principios de esta semana, Whoopi decidió ser más que realista en "The View" el miércoles, mientras el equipo discutía el tema, diciendo rotundamente que no tienen derecho a nada.

Para empezar, Whoopi dijo lo obvio, señalando que "no todos ganan" cuando se trata de los Premios de la Academia y lo más importante, no todos puede ser nominados.

Whoopi lo expresó de forma aún más práctica, añadiendo: "No consigues todo lo que quieres. No hay desaires. Eso es lo que hay que tener en cuenta: No todo el mundo recibe un premio y es subjetivo. Las películas son subjetivas".

A continuación, explicó que solo porque "Barbie" haya sido un éxito de taquilla y de los fans no significa necesariamente que fuera una película ganadora en sí misma, diciendo: "Las películas que te gustan pueden no gustar a la gente que vota". Vale la pena señalar que Whoopi es miembro de la Academia.

Recuerden, Whoopi ha ganado un Oscar, y ha sido nominada para otro, así que ha pasado por esta situación. Teniendo en cuenta la ola de indignación en nombre de Margot y Greta, es interesante que esté tomando una posición un tanto controvertida aquí.

"Wizards of Waverly Place" alum Dan Benson knows he's being cut out of the Disney Channel show's upcoming reboot and says it's upsetting, but not shocking ... due to to his very adult career choices.

Dan tells TMZ ... he's disappointed over being unable to reprise the role of Zeke Beakerman, and also acknowledges he didn't really leave the show's bosses any real option to include him -- having gone from child star to OnlyFans porn star.

He totally sees things from their point of view ... telling us it'd be unreasonable to bring back his wholesome character, while he's also publicizing all his risqué personal life decisions.

Dan even imagines how discussions of his return went down in the reboot's first meeting ... wondering if some Disney exec Googled him to see what he's doing, only to learn he's been posting adults-only content since 2022.

BTW, Selena Gomez is an executive producer, which has Dan wondering just how much of his "body" of work his old costar's come across.

While he's sad his career choices affected his chance to be back on screen, he tells us he actually would've said no if the reboot bosses asked him back.

The reason being that life after the show got really hard for him, as he struggled to land another mainstream acting gig.

Now, Dan's over being dependent on someone else for opportunities ... something he doesn't have to worry about now cause he's his own boss and makes it happen for himself.

El actor de "Los Hechiceros de Waverly Place" —Dan Benson— sabe que está siendo cortado de la próxima serie de Disney Channel y dice que es molesto, pero no le sorprende demasiado.

Dan le dice a TMZ que está decepcionado por no poder repetir el papel de Zeke Beakerman, y también reconoce que los jefes de la serie no le dieron ninguna opción real para incluirlo, después de haber pasado de estrella infantil a estrella porno de OnlyFans.

Él ve las cosas desde su punto de vista, diciéndonos que no sería razonable traer de vuelta a su personaje, mientras que él también está haciendo públicas todas sus arriesgadas decisiones en su vida personal.

Dan incluso se imagina cómo fueron las discusiones sobre su regreso en la primera reunión del reinicio, preguntándose si algún ejecutivo de Disney lo buscó en Google para ver lo que está haciendo, solo para enterarse de que ha estado publicando contenido para adultos desde 2022.

Por cierto, Selena Gomez es productora ejecutiva, lo que hace que Dan se pregunte qué parte de su trabajo ha visto su antigua compañera.

Mientras que él está triste porque su nueva carrera afectó su oportunidad de estar de vuelta en la pantalla, nos dice que en realidad habría dicho que no si los jefes de reinicio le preguntaran de nuevo.

La razón es que la vida después de la serie fue muy dura para él, ya que luchó por conseguir otro trabajo como actor.

Ahora, Dan ha dejado de depender de otra persona para tener oportunidades, algo de lo que no tiene qué preocuparse ahora, porque es su propio jefe.

Kevin Spacey's getting back into the public eye after his acquittal in London last summer ... and a lot of people are none too happy about it -- which they're making quite clear.

Here's the deal ... the controversial actor's scheduled to appear at Mad Monster Party 2024 in North Carolina next month -- a three-day convention dedicated to all things horror/pop culture. Other stars like Kiefer Sutherland, Lou Diamond Phillips, Taryn Manning, Jason Patric and more are attending the event as well.

Clearly, organizers are jazzed at KS' inclusion ... touting his accolades and selling pro photo-ops for big money -- no selfies allowed at the autograph table. If you want a pic, you'll have to shell out $225.

The photo opportunities are themed too ... Friday, Feb 16 they'll set one up for "The Usual Suspects"-type pic, Saturday's for "Se7en" and Sunday, Feb. 18 will see Kevin take "House of Cards" pics -- basically, Spacey's greatest hits.

Now, it didn't take long for people to voice their outrage ... with a good handful of folks saying in unequivocal terms they find the organizers reprehensible for giving Spacey a platform after all of the allegations leveled against him. Just check their comments.

In essence, a lot of fans don't seem to care Kevin was acquitted last year on a host of charges -- as we previously reported, Spacey was found not guilty of nine total counts based on a host of sexual assault allegations in a London court last year after a lengthy trial.

He's also been sued in New York for a different alleged sexual assault ... a massage therapist is claiming the 64-year-old made unwanted and inappropriate sexual advances toward him during three 90-minute sessions back in 2016.

The two-time Academy Award winner's never been convicted of a crime for any of the allegations brought against him ... and he's denied any and all wrongdoing, FWIW.

It'll be interesting to see how many fans want to take a pic with Spacey next month ... or if any protests will spring up in NC.

Kevin Spacey está volviendo al ojo público después de su absolución en Londres el verano pasado y un montón de gente no está demasiado contenta, y lo están dejando muy claro.

Esta es la cuestión, el controvertido actor tiene previsto aparecer en la fiesta Mad Monster Party 2024 en Carolina del Norte el próximo mes, una convención de tres días dedicada a todo lo relacionado con la cultura pop y el terror. Otras estrellas como Kiefer Sutherland, Lou Diamond Phillips, Taryn Manning, Jason Patric y más asistirán al evento.

Claramente, los organizadores están entusiasmados con la inclusión de Kevin Spacey, promocionando sus elogios y vendiendo sus fotos por mucho dinero. No se permiten selfies en la mesa de autógrafos. Si quieres una foto, tendrás que desembolsar 225 dólares.

Las oportunidades fotográficas también son temáticas. El viernes 16 de febrero será inspirada en "The Usual Suspects", el sábado en "Se7en" y el domingo 18 de febrero, con Kevin para "House of Cards". Básicamente, todos los grandes éxitos de Spacey.

Ahora, no pasó mucho tiempo para que la gente expresara su indignación, con un buen puñado de personas diciendo que encuentran censurables a los organizadores por darle una plataforma a Spacey después de todas las acusaciones formuladas en su contra. No hay más que ver sus comentarios.

En esencia, a muchos fans no parece importarles que Kevin fuera absuelto el año pasado de una serie de cargos. Como informamos anteriormente, el año pasado Spacey fue declarado inocente en un tribunal de Londres, después de un largo juicio, de un total de nueve cargos basados en una serie de acusaciones de agresión sexual.

También ha sido demandado en Nueva York por un supuesto asalto sexual diferente. Un terapeuta de masajes está alegando que el hombre de 64 años hizo insinuaciones sexuales no deseadas e inapropiadas hacia él durante tres sesiones de 90 minutos en 2016.

El dos veces ganador del Oscar nunca ha sido condenado por un delito por cualquiera de las acusaciones presentadas en su contra y ha negado cualquiera y todos los delitos.

Será interesante ver cuántos fans quieren tomarse una foto con Spacey el próximo mes o si surgirá alguna protesta en North Carolina.

"The Daily Show" vuelve a contar con una cara conocida para proporcionar algo de estabilidad, aunque podría acabar siendo solo otra solución temporal.

Jon Stewart, presentador original del programa de 1999 a 2015, volverá a Comedy Central para presentar "TDS", pero solo los lunes. De martes a jueves, los fans verán a algunos de sus corresponsales favoritos dirigir el programa.

El trabajo de presentador a tiempo parcial no significa que Jon vaya a descansar el resto de la semana, también vuelve como productor ejecutivo de cada episodio desde ahora hasta 2025, por lo que parece que se quedará por aquí un tiempo.

No solo fue anfitrión y productor ejecutivo del programa durante más de 15 años, sino que fue mentor de algunos de los nombres más grandes de la comedia mientras dirigía el programa.

Solo hace falta ver la lista, Stephen Colbert, Trevor Noah, Samantha Bee, John Oliver, Steve Carell, Ed Helms, Olivia Munn, Hasan Minhaj y Josh Gad, por nombrar algunos. Menudo árbol de entrenadores.

Probablemente sea un buen momento para que Jon vuelva a su antiguo terreno, porque su última aventura televisiva, "The Problem with Jon Stewart", no ha ido muy bien.

Apple TV + canceló el programa de Stewart en octubre después de un poco más de dos años, y The New York Times informó que el comediante se enfrentó con los ejecutivos de Apple sobre temas de espectáculos e invitados.

Y recuerda, a "The Daily Show" no le ha ido mucho mejor, han estado trabajando con un elenco rotativo de presentadores invitados durante más de un año desde que Trevor renunció al papel que culminó en un momento divertido e incómodo en los Emmys de este año, donde el ex corresponsal Roy Wood Jr. básicamente le suplicó a los ejecutivos que "por favor, contraten a un anfitrión".

"The Daily Show" is going back to a familiar face to provide some stability ... though it might end up being just another temporary fix.

Jon Stewart -- who originally hosted the show from 1999 to 2015 -- is headed back to Comedy Central to host 'TDS' ... but only on Mondays. From Tuesday-Thursday, fans will see some of their fav correspondents helm the show.

The part-time hosting gig doesn't mean Jon will be kicking back during the rest of the week -- he's also returning as executive producer for every episode from now through 2025 -- so it looks like he'll be sticking around for a bit.

Not only was Stewart host and EP of the show for more than 15 years, but he mentored some of the biggest names in comedy while heading up the program.

Just check out the roster ... Stephen Colbert, Trevor Noah, Samantha Bee, John Oliver, Steve Carell, Ed Helms, Olivia Munn, Hasan Minhaj and Josh Gad just to name a few. Talk about one hell of a coaching tree!

It's probably a good time for JS to head back to his old stompin' ground ... 'cause his latest television venture, "The Problem with Jon Stewart" didn't go so well.

Apple TV+ canceled Stewart's show in October after a little over 2 years, and The New York Times reported the comedian butted heads with Apple execs on show topics and guests.

And remember, "The Daily Show" hasn't fared much better ... they've been working with a rotating cast of guest hosts for more than a year since Trevor stepped down from the role -- culminating in a funny/awkward moment at this year's Emmys where former correspondent Roy Wood Jr. basically pled with execs in the crowd to "please hire a host."

Not exactly the permanent solution Roy was looking for, but definitely a step in the right direction.