- 18 hours ago
From political takedowns to heartfelt moments, Jon Stewart has left an indelible mark on American media. Join us as we count down the best times this comedian and commentator showed his genius! Our countdown includes his advocacy for 9/11 first responders, his return to The Daily Show, crushing Crossfire, and more! Which Jon Stewart moment had you cheering the loudest?
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00You're on CNN.
00:02The show that leads into me is puppets making crank phone calls.
00:06What is wrong with you?
00:08Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the best times we recognized
00:12Jon Stewart's greatness as a comedian and beyond.
00:16You should be ashamed of yourselves for those that aren't here, but you won't be.
00:21Because accountability doesn't appear to be something that occurs in this chamber.
00:27Number 30, praising Trump after Kimmel scandal, The Daily Show.
00:33With an ongoing debate about the First Amendment, Jon Stewart is here to make you laugh through
00:37the tears.
00:38If you felt a little off these past couple of days, it's probably because our great father
00:42has not been home.
00:48For father has been gracing England with his legendary warmth and respect.
00:57His show decided to take aim at the Jimmy Kimmel scandal in a completely different way.
01:02Adorning the studio with gold, Stewart helps to impress President Trump with a change in
01:07decor.
01:07He uses the segment to pretend to act afraid and garner sympathy from the commander-in-chief.
01:12It's all played for laughs, with an adept and satirical take on the current media landscape.
01:17I don't know who this Johnny Drimmel Live ABC character is, but the point is, our great
01:24administration has laid out very clear rules on free speech.
01:27While it's rooted in some genuine fears, this episode finds a way to dissect a hot-button
01:31topic that deserves analysis.
01:33Number 29, Jon surprises Jimmy Kimmel's kids, Jimmy Kimmel Live.
01:38After he picked up Olivia Rodrigo on the side of the road, Jimmy Kimmel brought someone else
01:42on the morning commute.
01:43Hey guys, do you mind if I hit your ride?
01:45Sure, come on in.
01:47Hi, how you doing?
01:48Jon Stewart later hitched a ride with the ABC host's unimpressed children.
01:52Most of the comedy comes from the confusion and awkwardness of the encounter.
01:55The Daily Show host is able to find the laughs while also not leaning on his fame too much.
02:00When I got in, was it sort of the same feeling?
02:03Yeah, a good feeling.
02:05It was a good feeling?
02:06Mm-hmm.
02:07Your daughter is the nicest person I've ever met.
02:11Get to know her a little more.
02:12She's just being so kind to me.
02:15It's unbelievable.
02:16It's an all-around fascinating look at the generation gap and the evolution of the funny
02:20man's influence.
02:21At the very least, this is also a fun excuse to get The Daily Show presenter in a car with
02:26the family.
02:27Number 28, Finding Jon in a Log Cabin.
02:30The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
02:31After Jon Stewart left The Daily Show in 2015, he wasn't done talking about issues or the
02:37state of America.
02:38His friend Stephen Colbert allowed him to appear on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert more
02:42than a few times.
02:43It's me.
02:44It's Stephen.
02:45Bobby!
02:46Good to see ya.
02:47I was just having a little chai kombucha.
02:49Come on in, we'll have some kale jerky.
02:50I'm making it myself.
02:51This time around, Colbert ventures deep into the woods to find his old buddy in a log cabin.
02:56It's at this location that Stewart provides some satirical support to The Late Show presenter.
03:01While The Cabin Dweller does a spit take, he also brings out some much-needed help to react
03:05to Donald Trump.
03:07Segments like these helped fans cope with his momentary TV absence.
03:11Call me if you're gonna be late!
03:12Number 27, Crashing Conan's Show and Leaving.
03:15Conan.
03:16Along with having a friendly rivalry with other hosts, Jon Stewart shows up to support some
03:20of his competition.
03:21What the hell?
03:23It's Jon Stewart!
03:25He happened to make one such appearance when Conan O'Brien did his show in New York.
03:28Stewart appeared in the audience as just another fan, with a joke about having a ticket.
03:33He messes around with O'Brien in a funny exchange.
03:36In a bit about having to go film his own program, the Daily Show host runs off before another
03:40comedian takes his place.
03:42Found it on the sidewalk.
03:43Yes, yeah.
03:45People just throwing him away, huh?
03:47It's fun to watch this kind of interplay between people who could have easily avoided
03:50one another.
03:51Number 26, Hitting John Cena with a Chair.
03:54The 28th Annual Summer Slam.
03:56This comedian does not immediately strike you as someone that could wrestle.
04:00Despite that, Jon Stewart has some hidden talents in the ring.
04:03When he joined Summer Slam in 2015, he postponed his beef with Seth Rollins and became one of
04:09John Cena's fiercest competitors.
04:11This includes an unexpected stunt with a chair.
04:14Even if you're a wrestling fan, you might find this to be an entertaining match full of
04:18surprises.
04:19Stewart makes himself known in a shocking move that will have you cheering.
04:22While he's more known for his comedic ways, the presenter also knows how to draw a crowd
04:28and get an audience hyped up.
04:30Maybe he's a WWE superstar in the making after all.
04:33Number 25, Responding to Colbert's Cancellation.
04:36The Daily Show.
04:37Long-time friends and supporters.
04:39Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert have been allies since their collaboration on The Daily Show.
04:44Last week, as you may have heard, CBS, which happens to have the same parent company as
04:49the network this program currently airs on, unceremoniously canceled The Late Show with
04:55Stephen Colbert.
04:56And, uh, yes, in this case, I mean...
05:00That makes this particular segment about Colbert's Late Show ending even more meaningful.
05:05Stewart stands up for his friend in the face of what seems like corporate overreach.
05:09Unafraid of being censored or the decisions of CBS, Stewart and his solidarity
05:14here make for an important piece of pop culture history.
05:16The host lets his opinion be known, and he doesn't hold back either in a rousing musical
05:21segment.
05:22This ain't...
05:23This ain't the time to shrink!
05:25It's not the time!
05:28This is the time to fight!
05:31He's able to mix comedy and a serious anti-censorship message with a gospel choir bringing it all home.
05:37Number 24, Judith Miller Interview.
05:39The Daily Show.
05:40If you've watched The Daily Show over the years, you know how Jon Stewart feels about
05:44America's time in the Middle East.
05:46This interview brings some of his feelings full circle.
05:48I believe that you helped the administration take us to, like, the most devastating mistake
05:55in foreign policy that we've made in, like, 100 years.
05:58But you seem lovely.
05:59Welcoming Judith Miller to the show, the comedian asks the journalist about her reporting during
06:03the early 2000s.
06:05This includes allegations that she helped to sell the Iraqi conflict to the American people.
06:10Miller goes on the defensive as Stewart asks her tough questions about her past.
06:14It's a political line directly tied to the White House.
06:17You said the information doesn't come from them.
06:20John, were we not supposed to report what it was that had the community, the intelligence
06:24community, so nervous about Saddam?
06:26What could have been a basic exchange about a book becomes a more nuanced discussion about
06:31journalism in the 21st century.
06:33Number 23, Questioning Authority.
06:35During a symposium, Jon Stewart asked some pointed budgetary questions to Deputy Secretary
06:40of Defense Kathleen Hicks.
06:42Why is it that this organization that is the most well-funded department out of anyone in our
06:48government can't pass an audit and doesn't have a calculator?
06:55So it's the scale, a big answer again, I gave you the IT backbone, but the scale is massive.
07:02The inquiries bring out a more hostile response than he might have imagined.
07:06Instead of going easy on her, the interviewer decides to offer the government official some
07:10constructive criticism.
07:12Her responses fail to satisfy, with the comedian hoping to find a real answer at some point.
07:16The presenter stays the course despite some ambiguous replies.
07:20Unfortunately, the interviewee remains guarded about the discussion.
07:23If I give you a billion dollars and you can't tell me what happened to it, that to me is
07:29wasteful.
07:30That means you are not responsible.
07:33But if you can't tell me where it went, then what am I supposed to think?
07:37It's notable that it took The Daily Show host to grill a powerful person about the possible
07:42mismanagement of funds.
07:44Number 22, Honoring Bruce Springsteen.
07:46The 32nd Annual Kennedy Center Honors.
07:48To honor Bruce Springsteen at the Kennedy Center, Jon Stewart gave a hilarious speech about the
07:54artist.
07:54This included some great jokes about the singer's influences and roots in New Jersey.
07:58I cannot illuminate the context of his work or its roots in the folk and oral history traditions
08:05of our great nation.
08:08But I am from New Jersey.
08:10It's clear that Stewart admires the artist and sees himself as a kindred spirit from the
08:14same state.
08:15The Daily Show host knows how to mix his real feelings with plenty of funny moments and
08:19heartfelt anecdotes.
08:20Considering that the musician later paid tribute to the comedian on the latter show, this feels
08:25like this is the beginning of an artistic bond.
08:27We can only hope for the same kind of speech at our wedding, funeral, or tribute show.
08:31Whenever I see Bruce Springsteen do anything, he empties the tank.
08:39Every time.
08:40And the beautiful thing about this man is, he empties that tank for his family, he empties
08:47that tank for his art, he empties that tank for his audience, and he empties it for his
08:53country.
08:54Number 21, Fighting Stephen Colbert and Conan O'Brien, Late Night with Conan O'Brien.
08:59In the middle of a writer's strike, talk show hosts needed another way to entertain audiences.
09:04This led to an ingenious and wild conflict between three late-night greats.
09:08Just the other night, the two of them ganged up on me on television.
09:12It was vicious.
09:13It turns out that an argument about Mike Huckabee prompted a staged conflict on a massive scale.
09:19When Colbert and Stewart appear on O'Brien's show, the three men engage in an all-out brawl.
09:24They might not be born fighters, but they make up for it with exaggerated looks and pure
09:29dedication.
09:30Let's just say that the extra punches and a few falls really make it that much more
09:34special.
09:42Number 20, George Carlin Interview, George Carlin, 40 years of comedy.
09:47It should come as no surprise that Stewart has cited legendary comedian George Carlin as
09:51an influence.
10:07Both he and the late Carlin are famous for using their wit and words to point out hypocrisy from
10:13those in power and other societal issues. In 1997, Stewart hosted this special honoring Carlin and
10:19his career. He also sat down with him for an interview, which provided invaluable insight
10:24into one of the greatest comedic minds of all time.
10:40Stewart is clearly enthralled to be in the presence of one of his idols, but he also knows how to ask
10:46pointed questions that inspire meaningful responses.
10:49Why do you still care so much?
10:51Well, I'm not comparing myself to any of these people, believe me. But you wouldn't say to Picasso,
10:57when are you going to put those brushes down? Get rid of the canvas, you've done it!
11:01As both a comedian and an interviewer, Stewart has clearly learned from the best.
11:06It's been great to get to know you a little, and you are going to show us a lot,
11:10and I look forward to it.
11:11Thank you very much, sir. I appreciate it.
11:13Good start, ladies and gentlemen.
11:15Number 19. Cheney's Got a Gun, The Daily Show.
11:19In 2006, then-Vice President Dick Cheney accidentally shot attorney Harry Whittington during a quail hunt.
11:25Making 78-year-old Harry Whittington the first person shot by a sitting beep since Alexander Hamilton.
11:33Naturally, late-night talk show comedians jumped on this incident, but it's Stewart's take that's truly worth preserving.
11:41Before diving in, he gives thanks for what is sure to be a comedy goldmine.
11:47Thank you, Jesus.
11:50But Stewart doesn't just rely on the absurdity of the incident for laughs.
11:54He also finds other layers, such as questioning the concept of the hunting expedition in question.
11:59The vice president and two others got out of the car to walk up the covey.
12:06What kind of hunting story begins with getting out of your car?
12:12He also deftly ribs the VP's behavior in the aftermath,
12:15before leaving parents watching at home with some valuable wisdom.
12:19Don't let your kids go hunting with the vice president.
12:23Number 18. Indecision 2004, The Daily Show.
12:26Stewart's tenure hosting The Daily Show was full of highlights from beginning to end.
12:31But, arguably, he was at the height of his powers during the 2004 U.S. presidential election.
12:36The 2004 presidential election is well underway.
12:39The two major parties are very much in the thick of the battle.
12:42Stewart and his equally hilarious correspondents offered the perfect skewering of that year's political contest,
12:47and the various players involved,
12:50including incumbent President George W. Bush and Democratic challenger Senator John Kerry.
12:55Office work.
12:55You know, ordering some office supplies, approving expense reports,
13:01figuring out what he stands for.
13:04And what ensued was must-watch television that still holds up two decades later.
13:09This coverage, equal parts informative and uproarious,
13:12earned Stewart's Daily Show its second Peabody Award.
13:15Making political satire this funny is serious business.
13:19But we thank you so much, and we can't wait to come back to another unbelievably long lunch.
13:24Number 17. Bush v. Bush, The Daily Show.
13:28If there's one area in which Stewart particularly excels,
13:32it's in pointing out hypocrisies, particularly those from elected officials.
13:36Mr. President, is the idea to just build a new country that we like better?
13:41We will tear down the apparatus of terror,
13:44and we will help you to build a new Iraq that is prosperous and free.
13:48I don't think our troops ought to be used for what's called nation building.
13:51In this segment from 2003, Stewart uses video evidence to show the contrasts
13:56between George W. Bush, the presidential candidate, and George W. Bush, the president.
14:01Namely, he points out how the 43rd president did and said things
14:04that contradicted statements made on the road to the White House.
14:07But then, Governor, answer this.
14:09How do you propose we nation build?
14:11Would you use diplomacy?
14:13Let me say this to you.
14:14I wouldn't use force.
14:15I wouldn't use force.
14:16Bush is obviously not the first,
14:18nor the last politician to not live up to their words on the campaign trail.
14:22But the clever editing and Stewart's commitment to the bit
14:25make this a masterful demonstration of his abilities.
14:28And may God continue to bless America.
14:31Wow.
14:33Incredibly insincere.
14:34Governor, can you top that?
14:36Thanks.
14:36Thanks from the bottom of my heart.
14:39Nice.
14:40Wow.
14:40Number 16.
14:42Defending Trans Rights.
14:44The Problem with Jon Stewart.
14:45In the second season premiere of his Apple TV Plus show,
14:49Stewart addressed the ongoing moral panic regarding issues of gender,
14:52particularly trans rights.
14:54What could justify this unprecedented urgency?
14:57Did trans people storm the Capitol?
14:59He alludes to his own history of making insensitive jokes on the subject
15:02while also demonstrating growth since then.
15:05The best part of the episode comes towards the end,
15:07as Stewart sits down with Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge
15:11to talk about a ban on gender-affirming care for trans youth.
15:1498% without that medical treatment.
15:17That's an incredibly made-up figure.
15:22Stewart has clearly done his homework,
15:24as he cuts through Rutledge's claims with strong counter-arguments.
15:28While there's plenty of misinformation about the trans community,
15:32we're grateful to have Stewart standing up for truth and compassion.
15:35Number 15.
15:36First Interview with Barack Obama.
15:38The Daily Show.
15:39Jon Stewart had interviewed both former presidents and presidential hopefuls in the past,
15:44but the prospect of interviewing a sitting president always seemed too far away.
15:48That is, until President Obama agreed to an interview in October of 2010.
15:52Obama had appeared on the show before,
16:05but the stakes were very clearly different this time around.
16:08Stewart held the president's feet to the fire,
16:10contrasting the campaign of hope he ran on
16:12with the results of his first two years in Washington.
16:14How did we go, in two years, from hope and change,
16:21we are the people we've been looking for,
16:23to you're not going to give them the keys, are you?
16:25The interview showed how much Stewart's position in the media landscape
16:29had shifted since he started,
16:30and that he was able to stand toe-to-toe with the most powerful man in the world.
16:34We have done things that some folks don't even know about.
16:38What have you done that we don't know about?
16:40Well, there you go.
16:46When former Alaskan governor Sarah Palin came to the Big Apple
16:49to meet with future president of the United States, Donald Trump,
16:52Stewart was initially pleased at their choice of meal, New York pizza.
16:56You know what?
16:57Huh?
16:58Slice of pizza.
17:00Respect.
17:01He became skeptical, though,
17:03when the Donald took her to a run-of-the-mill pizza place.
17:06Strike two came when it was revealed
17:08that Trump stacks his slices on top of each other.
17:11Son of a bitch!
17:13Mother...
17:14And you stack your slices, Donald?
17:17The final blow came when true New Yorker Donald Trump
17:20was filmed eating his pizza with a fork.
17:22Are you eating it with a fork?
17:24A f***ing fork?
17:27This led to a rant for the ages from John,
17:30validating the sacred item that is New York pizza,
17:33and even questioning Trump's claim of being a true New Yorker.
17:36Donald Trump, why don't you just take that fork
17:38and stick it right in New York's eye?
17:43Number 13.
17:44Conservative Libertarian,
17:46aka Burning Glenn Beck,
17:48The Daily Show.
17:49Republican pundit Glenn Beck moved to Fox News from HLN in 2009,
17:53and his visibility skyrocketed
17:55despite some questionable views and actions.
17:57Stewart, meanwhile, found the animated conservative
18:00a target ripe for parody.
18:01I don't want to be a slave prisoner, but it's your ideology.
18:04I guess libertarian somehow mitigates.
18:06Well, let's look at that.
18:08LIE! LIE!
18:09Through a series of segments over the course of Beck's run on Fox News,
18:13Stewart performed a pitch-perfect impression
18:15of Beck's crazy mannerisms and outlandish theories.
18:18Why did they spell it without the Y?
18:21They took out the Y.
18:24Because they don't want you asking that question.
18:27The impression reached its peak with Conservative Libertarian,
18:32where John attempted to connect progressivism
18:34to everything from Nazism to Bert from Sesame Street
18:37using printed pictures and blackboards.
18:39Despite the massive praise the segments received,
18:42John never did performance art of this scale on the show again,
18:45proving Beck was truly a one-of-a-kind figure,
18:48for better or worse.
18:49Tell me, word on the board, who is doing the lying?
18:54Aryans! Aryans! Holy s**t!
18:58Number 12.
18:59You Don't Own This Country
19:00The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
19:02After a crazy week involving the resignation of Roger Ailes from Fox News
19:06and the Republican National Convention,
19:08Stephen Colbert wished for someone to share his emotions with.
19:11Luckily, Jon Stewart emerged from under Colbert's desk
19:14and asked to get something off his chest.
19:15Lack of pleasure with.
19:16From there, he embarked on an epic rant
19:21railing against the Republican Party, Fox News,
19:24and Donald Trump for the mess that took place in Cleveland that week.
19:27It concluded with an emotionally charged tirade
19:30that told the right that they don't and never have owned America.
19:34This country isn't yours.
19:36You don't own it.
19:37It never was.
19:38There is no real America.
19:41You don't own it.
19:42It was a brief but fantastic return to what made Jon famous,
19:45and he thankfully made subsequent appearances on The Late Show
19:48once the Trump administration began.
19:50He's lying on purpose!
19:52You know how I know how?
19:53How?
19:53Because he constantly says the phrase,
19:57believe me.
19:59Number 11.
20:00Owning Jim Cramer
20:01The Daily Show
20:02Following a week of Jon bashing CNBC
20:05for their failure to warn consumers of the 2008 financial crisis,
20:08Mad Money host Jim Cramer came on the show
20:10after speaking out against Jon's criticism of the network.
20:13While the interview started off civil,
20:15Stewart ultimately tore into Cramer,
20:17asking him what he thought the purpose of CNBC should be,
20:20and even exposing his own hypocrisy
20:21by playing clips of him from a 2006 interview.
20:24I'm not going to say it on TV.
20:28It's on TV now!
20:30These clips were responsible for inducting the phrase,
20:33Roll to 12,
20:34into The Daily Show lexicon,
20:35basically as code for
20:37your career is over.
20:38I mean, if I may,
20:39just roll to 12.
20:41Roll to 12.
20:43No, not to 12.
20:45Stewart was praised for his passion and integrity
20:48during the interview,
20:49even though it didn't really affect Cramer.
20:51I can't reconcile
20:52the brilliance and knowledge
20:54that you have of the intricacies of the market
20:57with the crazy bullshit I see you do every night.
21:02Fair enough.
21:04Number 10.
21:05Discussing Gun Laws.
21:06The Problem with Jon Stewart.
21:08An issue as contentious as gun policy in America
21:11inspires some very heated opinions.
21:14So it makes total sense for Stewart to cover it.
21:16By the way, just for clarity's sake,
21:18I'm not against the Second Amendment.
21:20I don't want to ban guns.
21:21But you're saying more guns makes us more safe?
21:24Yes.
21:25Speaking with Oklahoma State Senator
21:27and gun proponent Nathan Daum,
21:29Stewart delves into this fierce debate,
21:31addressing the rise in gun-related deaths.
21:33He points out that the argument
21:34that wider availability of guns
21:36leads to increased safety doesn't hold water.
21:39When the police go to a domestic call,
21:41it's the most dangerous call they can go on.
21:43In your world,
21:44if they knew that there were firearms in the house,
21:47that's a safer call.
21:49Is that what you're saying?
21:50Without demonizing responsible gun owners,
21:53Stewart shrewdly argues for sensible regulations
21:56and how they would help protect people.
21:58He may not have changed Daum's mind,
22:00but he sure gave him a lot to think about.
22:03That's what it is.
22:04It's firearms.
22:06More than cancer,
22:07more than car accidents.
22:09Number 9.
22:09Daily Show Return
22:10The Daily Show
22:12When it was announced that Stewart
22:13would be temporarily returning
22:15to host The Daily Show every Monday,
22:17the excitement was palpable.
22:19But with this anticipation came some questions.
22:22Namely, had he lost his touch at all?
22:24Now, where was I?
22:27Such fears were quickly assuaged
22:29as Stewart effortlessly resumed the role
22:31he had nearly a decade ago.
22:33Talking about the likely rematch for the presidency
22:36between current President Biden
22:37and former President Trump,
22:39Stewart airs his frustration in the way only he can.
22:42They are the oldest people ever to run for president,
22:46breaking by only four years
22:48the record that they set!
22:50In his first episode back,
22:54Stewart reminded us exactly why he's inspired
22:57such a passionate following.
22:59So the good news is,
23:00I'm not saying you don't have to worry about
23:02who wins the election.
23:03I'm saying you have to worry about
23:05every day before it
23:06and every day after.
23:09Forever.
23:11Number 8.
23:12Rally to Restore Sanity and or Fear
23:14Though Stewart's brand of political comedy
23:16is full of takedowns against influential figures,
23:19he cares more about meaningful change in discourse
23:22than scoring points over anyone.
23:24Sanity will always be
23:26and has always been
23:27in the eye of the beholder.
23:29This was underlined by the rally
23:31to restore sanity and or fear,
23:33a rally hosted by Stewart
23:34and Stephen Colbert's conservative alter ego.
23:37Oh, I think I have something in my pocket.
23:38It's your mojo.
23:40I took it.
23:41Designed to push back against inflammatory rhetoric,
23:44this rally drew massive coverage
23:46and a massive crowd to Washington, D.C.'s National Mall
23:49with an estimated crowd size of 215,000 people.
23:53Plenty of other stars appeared at the rally,
23:56but it was still Stewart who shined brightest of all.
23:59To see you here today,
24:01and the kind of people that you are
24:02has restored mine.
24:04Despite Fox News being one of the main targets
24:11of The Daily Show,
24:12Jon Stewart and Bill O'Reilly
24:13always managed to maintain a civil,
24:15if competitive, relationship.
24:17The two appeared on each other's shows several times,
24:19but the best moments were when
24:21Stewart was on O'Reilly's turf.
24:22It sounds like what you're saying is,
24:24and correct me if I'm wrong,
24:26and I don't want to be wrong when I'm with you,
24:27because you know I got mad love for you.
24:29That's a rap phrase.
24:30I got it.
24:30There, the two debated everything,
24:33including Jon's role as a comedian,
24:35Obama inviting rapper Common to the White House,
24:37and the threat of terrorism.
24:39With a couple of exceptions of dramatic embellishment,
24:42the two kept their conversations
24:43restrained and respectful.
24:45Guess who wrote a song
24:46about Leonard Peltier?
24:49Yeah.
24:49Bono.
24:50Okay.
24:50Guess where he was?
24:52The White House.
24:53Booyah!
24:54Stewart's appearances showed
24:55he was more than able to hold his own
24:57against O'Reilly,
24:58even out of his element,
24:59and made smart, relevant points in the process.
25:02Let me tell you something.
25:03That's not the only thing you like about me.
25:05I'm like a shot of Levittown,
25:07right in your ass,
25:08like a B-12.
25:08Boom!
25:09Number 6.
25:10Mark Twain Prize Acceptance Speech.
25:13The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize
25:14for American Humor.
25:16It's only fitting that Stewart was awarded a prize
25:18named for one of the most renowned satirists ever known.
25:22When I first got the call
25:24from the Kennedy Center,
25:26I would receive the Twain Prize.
25:28I said to my wife,
25:30don't give them any of our credit card information.
25:33The Mark Twain Prize for American Humor
25:35is an honor bestowed upon comedians
25:37who have made an undeniable impact on society.
25:40And many, including members of Stewart's Daily Show staff,
25:44pay touching and humorous tribute to their former boss.
25:46So from the bottom of my heart,
25:48thank you for everything, John,
25:51wherever you are.
25:53When it was his turn to speak,
25:55Stewart was honored and humbled,
25:56speaking from the heart about his journey
25:59and the people who've inspired him,
26:00Stewart shows his wonderfully relatable side.
26:03If any of you want to have a transcendent experience,
26:05get in the car with your daughter
26:07and drive down the Jersey Shore
26:09and listen to J. Cole,
26:11She's Mine, Parts 1 and 2.
26:13Best of all,
26:14he leaves us feeling inspired
26:16about the hope of a better world.
26:17That what we have is fragile and precious.
26:23And the way to guard against it
26:25isn't to change how audiences think.
26:29It's to change how leaders lead.
26:32Number 5.
26:33Interview with Malala Yousafzai,
26:35The Daily Show.
26:36For a guy who meets with everyone
26:38from movie stars to world leaders,
26:40you wouldn't expect Jon Stewart to be humbled by much.
26:43However,
26:43he was reduced to childlike wonder and amazement
26:46when he met with Pakistani activist
26:48and Nobel Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai.
26:50Thank you for being here.
26:52Thank you so much.
26:53It's an honor for me.
26:54It is an honor for us.
26:56I know me.
26:58As Malala relayed her inspirational story to Jon,
27:02he couldn't help but listen with his hands up to his face,
27:04reduced to speechlessness
27:06at the amazing things she said.
27:07And I'll tell him,
27:09that's what I want to tell you.
27:10Now do what you want.
27:13Malala remained a source of inspiration
27:17for Jon and The Daily Show
27:19as her one-of-a-kind activism brought light
27:21after some of the darkest times in recent history.
27:24I will say this.
27:25I don't know where you come from,
27:27but I am very glad you're here.
27:30Number 4.
27:31Daily Show Farewell,
27:32The Daily Show.
27:34When Jon Stewart first announced
27:35he would be leaving The Daily Show,
27:37it didn't feel real.
27:38It is time for someone else
27:40to have that opportunity.
27:41After more than 16 years behind the desk,
27:48Stewart had gone from late-night host
27:49to cultural icon.
27:51His final episode was everything you would hope for,
27:54with past correspondents
27:55and plenty of other exciting cameos.
27:57I'm Jon Stewart.
27:59I'm dumb.
27:59I'm stupid.
28:01Nah, nah, nah.
28:03So long, Jacko.
28:04But as it often goes with Stewart,
28:07the best part was just hearing him speaking
28:09with self-deprecating sincerity.
28:11This show is an ending.
28:14We're merely taking a small pause in the conversation.
28:18A conversation which, by the way,
28:19I have hogged.
28:20And I apologize for that.
28:22In the closing moments of the show,
28:24he talked about his immense gratitude for the job
28:26and those who helped make it possible.
28:28Now that's how you do a proper goodbye.
28:31Rather than saying goodbye or goodnight,
28:35I'm just gonna say,
28:37I'm gonna go get a drink.
28:38And I'm sure I'll see you guys before I leave.
28:42Number 3.
28:43Crushing Crossfire.
28:45Crossfire.
28:46The political debate show Crossfire
28:47had been a staple of CNN's lineup since 1982.
28:51Then, Jon Stewart came to visit.
28:53While hosts Paul Begala and Tucker Carlson
28:55thought Stewart was coming on to promote America the book,
28:57he was really there to ask them to stop hurting America.
29:01Here's just what I wanted to tell you guys.
29:02Yeah.
29:03Stop.
29:06Stop, stop, stop, stop hurting America.
29:09He spent the whole segment taking the show
29:11and the host to task,
29:12calling it partisan hackery
29:14and saying that instead of nuanced debate,
29:16they just showcased both extremes of the political spectrum.
29:19If your idea of confronting me
29:22is that I don't ask hard-hitting enough news questions,
29:26we're in bad shape, fellas.
29:28The confrontation even resulted in Stewart
29:31referring to Carlson by a rather unflattering term.
29:34You know what's interesting, though?
29:35You're as big a d*** on your show
29:37as you are on any show.
29:38The segment immediately went viral
29:40and CNN canceled the program in 2005,
29:43with the network noting that they agreed
29:45with Stewart's criticisms.
29:46Number 2.
29:47September 11th Response.
29:49The Daily Show.
29:509-11 affected nearly all TV shows produced in New York,
29:53and The Daily Show was no exception.
29:55The show returned on September 20th, 2001
29:58for the first time since the attacks,
29:59opening with a monologue from Stewart.
30:01I just, I wanted to tell you why I grieve.
30:08But why I don't despair.
30:10After offering condolences to the victims,
30:12he began to break down.
30:13To John, this was not a time for despair,
30:16because he saw the purpose of America realized.
30:19He closed the emotional monologue with a message of hope,
30:22saying what the view from his home is now.
30:24The view from the south of Manhattan
30:26is now the Statue of Liberty.
30:32You can't beat that.
30:34Stewart's response to the tragedy
30:35set the tone of the show for years to come,
30:37and served as a reminder of how powerful he can be,
30:40even when he's not telling jokes.
30:42And that's why we've already won.
30:45They can't, it's light.
30:48It's democracy.
30:50We've already won.
30:51Before we continue,
30:52be sure to subscribe to our channel
30:54and ring the bell to get notified
30:55about our latest videos.
30:57You have the option to be notified
30:58for occasional videos or all of them.
31:01If you're on your phone,
31:02make sure you go into your settings
31:03and switch on notifications.
31:07Number one, advocating for first responders.
31:10One of the causes that seems closest to Jon Stewart's heart
31:13is healthcare coverage for the 9-11 first responders.
31:16And what better reason to work together
31:19than on a bill providing healthcare
31:22for 9-11 first responders and relief workers
31:26currently suffering chronic health problems.
31:28Because of their work at Ground Zero
31:30after the September 11th attacks,
31:32these members of the NYPD and Fire Department of New York
31:35face health risks,
31:36including respiratory illnesses and cancer.
31:38On The Daily Show,
31:39Stewart campaigned tirelessly for the Zadroga Act,
31:42a bill that would provide financial aid to those affected,
31:45while also criticizing Congress for dragging their heels
31:48and other media members for not covering the subject more.
31:51Imagine the seismic, pundit ripples of anger
31:55when politicians put craven political expedience
31:59over the well-being of our nation's most deserving heroes.
32:02Ultimately, the bill was passed in 2011.
32:04However, Stewart was back in front of lawmakers in 2019
32:07to oppose cuts to the 9-11 victim fund
32:10and to ensure compensation past the 2020 expiry date.
32:14Behind me,
32:16a filled room
32:19of 9-11 first responders
32:21and in front of me,
32:25a nearly empty Congress.
32:27Stewart choked up as he chastised the half-empty room,
32:30earning himself a standing ovation.
32:32They did their jobs
32:33with courage, grace,
32:38tenacity,
32:40humility.
32:4418 years later,
32:46do yours!
32:47Did we forget another entertaining clip from Stewart's career?
32:50Let us know in the comments below.
Be the first to comment