Apple TV+

Jon Stewart is the cover star in the latest edition of The Hollywood Reporter [available with an Apple News+ subscription]. In an extensive interview, he explains why his new biweekly series coming to Apple TV+ Is very much not The Daily Show.

I like that this is more of a conversation. It’s probably a terrible pitch for the show — “it’s The Daily Show, but less entertaining” — but also maybe more complete. And people will ask, “How are you going to live up to expectations?” Well, I’m not, and I never have. That’s not why we do it. We make things, and sometimes those things disappoint people and sometimes they really like them.

The stars and writers of Ted Lasso have scored a big day as a result of the Apple TV+ comedy becoming a bonafide hit. Those involved in the contract negotiations for season three include Jason Sudeikis (pictured above, left, with Brendan Hunt), as well as executive producer Bill Lawrence.

Sources say negotiations have been ongoing for the past month or so with central cast members including Emmy nominees Hannah Waddingham (Rebecca), Goldstein, Juno Temple (Keeley) and Hunt, who all scored raises that take them from the $50,000-$75,000 range they earned per episode for seasons one and two to the $125,000-$150,000 territory. Sources say Waddingham, Temple and Goldstein have already closed rich new deals for season three, joining Sudeikis. Goldstein also negotiated a second payday for his role as writer and exec producer on the series, with Hunt doing the same…Other actor deals are also expected to close in the coming weeks as Warners and Apple solidify a new licensing deal, with the latter taking on added costs of the show. As for Lawrence, the prolific writer-producer (Scrubs, Cougar Town, Spin City), is seeking a rich new deal that could admit him into the increasingly crowded nine-figure club other prolific showrunners like Shonda Rhimes, Greg Berlanti and Alex Kurtzman.