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So this is it, the last of the Jon Stewart era of The Daily Show. I will miss his wit. While his show was not perfect, it was helpful and entertaining during things that would otherwise have been maddening. You could turn on the television to the 24 hour news channels and find naked emperors running about and commentators, hosts and anchors all declaring how amazing their clothes were. If was enough to make you reconsider your own sanity. Stewart saw the naked emperors and called them out on it. He didn't stop there. He called out the media for their failure and called on them to do better. He created a show that was informative and entertaining while being snarky and never full of itself. It gave voice to the 99% long before that phrase entered the lexicon.
There is a quote from Richard Lewis in The New York Times that sums up Jon's most lasting contribution
He started a tree of really magnificent political satirists. Most of them got their [guts] from working on that show and being able to say what they wanted to say, and have it aired.There is no way Jon would want his final show to be anything other than fun and while he is going to a farmIt’s hard to call Jon Stewart a genius without him just laughing at you. But if you look at the overall history of that show, the way he that he did it, who he interviewed, how fearless he was and how beloved he was, you would have to say there was genius involved to pull it off so magnificently. He can mock me all he wants.
RICHARD LEWIS
I went back through videos on Comedy Central's website digging up things I remembered. I loved the Great Moments in Political Punditry As Read By Children segments. Children reading what was supposed to be adults discussing serious topics absolutely nailed how pathetic the punditry is and how much they really on childish name calling. Since Comedy Central does not embed well here, you will have to follow links :(
Children read from a transcript of James Carville and Tucker Carlson going at it on "Crossfire."
A little girl reads what Bill O'Reilly has to say about Howard Dean
Do you remember the Even Stevphen segments?
Steve Carell would rather debate over Dutch prostitutes than stem cell research.
These show what the Daily Show has done best, amazingly talented people poking at the really amazingly bad way the media covers news.
Indecision 2004
The Daily Show won a Peabody for their coverage.
Indecision 2004 - Zell On EarthDemocratic Senator Zell Miller goes for the batsh*t crazy thing and challenges Chris Matthews to a duel.
Zell On Earth AnalysisStephen Colbert analyzes the Zell Miller speech and sees it as yet another example of the Democratic attack machine.
I get it Jon, you feel like now is a good time to step away. However, look what your departure has caused, the following paragraph would not exist had you stayed on.
BillO is trying to be funny, and he is not. This is like giving a lit firework to a toddler, it is going to end badly. Stay on and prevent the unfunny from trying to do comedy.Far more than a comedian dependent upon a squad of jaded writers, Stewart actually thinks about things from time to time. He’s good at spotting phonies and is quick with a quip when challenged. I always looked forward to verbally jousting with the man even though, at times, I confused him with facts and I felt bad doing it.Of course, Jon Stewart is being held captive by a self-imposed left wing view of society. That has served him well in the marketplace as his audience of young stoners and aging guys with ponytails lap up his snarky liberal talking points. I’m sure he would reply with a sardonic put down of my audience as out of touch white people, but then again most folks who watch me actually held a job at some point.
The thing about Stewart is that he will concede a well made point. My debate with him over so called white privilege was instructive in that regard. Stewart sincerely believes that most African-Americans are still being victimized because of their skin color. I put forth that organized bias has vanished in this country although individual prejudice remains a part of the human condition and will always be there. Stewart made his points, I made mine. At the end of the discussion we had a few laughs as we always do.Bill O’Reilly: A Jon Stewart Appreciation
Look at what your leaving is doing to the media, Jon.
They interviewed your college soccer coach.
You are supposed to be calling them out for such nonsense! Are we supposed to do this ourselves now?
Anyway, there are some nice goodbyes on Twitter
Celebrating the end of an era with @StephenAtHome and @SteveCarell. #JonVoyage@TheDailyShow#JonStewartpic.twitter.com/3nTIdDuc0Q
— Ed Helms (@edhelms) August 6, 2015"You've been a great gift to the country."—President Obama to Jon Stewart on @TheDailyShow#JonVoyagepic.twitter.com/ku6QZx2nE1
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) August 6, 2015Mayor Bill De Blasio declares 8/6/15 as "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" Day. https://t.co/...
— The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) August 6, 2015On with the show!