Sep 17, 2026 · 9 min · 9 segments
Jon Stewart (born November 28, 1962) is an American comedian, writer, producer, director, progressive political commentator, actor, and television host. Stewart is known as the host of the satirical…
Nice and present.
In 1999, he got The Daily Show.
That show languished for three years before he got it.
No disrespect to Craig Kilburn, but you know what I mean? Yuck.
It was like the body of the show was there, but when John got the show, it had a soul.
It made people take notice.
And in 2002, suddenly, somehow, he became the most popular news show on television.
Actually, I know how.
Yeah.
In that context, it was post-9-11.
My career was the first time that I can really remember that there was a stove too hot to touch.
No comedian was allowed to talk about the war or Janet Jackson's titty coming out of the Super Bowl.
You remember that? You remember that memo that went around? As we've all learned in our lives, wartime is crazy in America.
They do what Noam Chomsky called manufactured consent, and the news was off the chain.
And John was the only voice that helped people decipher that madness.
It was a really remarkable thing to watch.
We told you that it wasn't going to go so well.
Yes, we called it shock and awe, but we meant that in the way of you'll be shocked at how it doesn't go so well.
And that will make you say, aww.
Nice and present.
In 1999, he got The Daily Show.
That show languished for three years before he got it.
No disrespect to Craig Kilburn, but you know what I mean? Yuck.
It was like the body of the show was there, but when John got the show, it had a soul.
It made people take notice.
And in 2002, suddenly, somehow, he became the most popular news show on television.
Actually, I know how.
Yeah.
In that context, it was post-9-11.
My career was the first time that I can really remember that there was a stove too hot to touch.
No comedian was allowed to talk about the war or Janet Jackson's titty coming out of the Super Bowl.
You remember that? You remember that memo that went around? As we've all learned in our lives, wartime is crazy in America.
They do what Noam Chomsky called manufactured consent, and the news was off the chain.
And John was the only voice that helped people decipher that madness.
It was a really remarkable thing to watch.
We told you that it wasn't going to go so well.
Yes, we called it shock and awe, but we meant that in the way of you'll be shocked at how it doesn't go so well.
And that will make you say, aww.
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