| Full Name | Jon Stewart |
| Birthday | November 28, 1962 |
| Birthplace | New York City, New York |
| Spouse | Tracey McShane |
| Net Worth | $120 million |
| Social Media | Twitter, Instagram |
Jon Stewart is an acclaimed comedian and former television host best known for his sharp political and media satire. As host of Comedy Central‘s The Daily Show for over 15 years, Stewart became one of the most influential comedic voices in America.
Early Life and Career
Jon Stewart was born Jonathan Stuart Leibowitz in 1962 in New York City. He legally changed his name to Jon Stewart as his comedy career took off in the late 1980s. Stewart did a brief stint as a professional soccer player before getting into stand-up comedy.
Stewart got his first major hosting job on MTV‘s The Jon Stewart Show in 1993. But it was taking over as host of Comedy Central‘s The Daily Show in 1999 that catapulted Stewart to nationwide fame.
The Daily Show Legacy
For 16 years as host of The Daily Show, Jon Stewart skewered media bias and the absurdities of politics with biting wit and scathing satire. Some of his accomplishments include:
- 3,000+ episodes – Stewart hosted over 3,500 episodes of The Daily Show.
- 19 Emmy Awards – The show won Emmys each year from 2003 to 2015.
- Spotlight on overlooked issues – Stewart used The Daily Show‘s platform to highlight underrepresented issues like 9/11 first responder healthcare.
- Hosted the Oscars twice – Stewart brought his comedic talents to hosting Hollywood‘s biggest night in 2006 and 2008.
- Bestselling books – Stewart authored books like 2004‘s America (The Book) which offered hilarious political satire.
- Rally to Restore Sanity – In 2010 Stewart organized this rally attended by over 200,000 people advocating for more reasoned dialogue in politics.
Stewart stepping down as host in 2015 marked the end of an era. But the impact he made on political comedy and discourse remains immense.
Life Outside The Daily Show
Beyond his television fame, there are many interesting facets to Jon Stewart‘s life:
- Stewart has been married to Tracey McShane since 2000. They met in 1996 and have two children.
- An animal lover, Stewart owns an animal sanctuary in New Jersey that rescues abused farm animals.
- Advocacy work is important to Stewart. He‘s lobbied for healthcare for 9/11 first responders and veterans.
- Responsible journalism is another one of Stewart‘s passions. In 2019, he criticized Congress during testimony defending 9/11 victims for lack of support.
- Stewart directed the 2014 film Rosewater starring Gael Garcia Bernal about an Iranian journalist‘s imprisonment.
- Since retiring from The Daily Show, Stewart has been selective about projects, focusing on political advocacy and producing short pieces for HBO as he figures out "what the next iteration of this is for me."
Jon Stewart‘s Post-Daily Show Projects
Even after leaving his Daily Show hosting duties in 2015, Stewart has remained active and relevant:
HBO Digital Shorts
- Stewart signed a deal to produce timely short-form digital content for HBO.
- This has included short series like The Donald J. Trump Presidential Twitter Library mocking Trump‘s tweets.
TV Appearances
- Stewart has popped up on Stephen Colbert‘s late night shows, Samantha Bee‘s Full Frontal, and other talk shows.
- Fans loved when Stewart made a surprise cameo on Colbert‘s Late Show debut, passing the comedic torch.
Film Projects
- Wrote and directed the 2020 political comedy Irresistible starring Steve Carell.
- Is executive producing upcoming biopic The Woman King starring Viola Davis.
At only 60 years old, Jon Stewart still likely has much left to contribute. His comedic voice and sharp commentary continues to remain relevant in today‘s complex political and media landscape. Though he‘s shied away from hosting regular television, fans hope Stewart has more in store in his next chapter.