America’s most trusted newsman is stepping down. And I don’t mean Brian Williams.
During today’s taping of The Daily Show, host Jon Stewart announced that he will be leaving the series. While tonight’s episode hasn’t been shown yet, the crowd who attended the taping have been tweeting about it (via The AV Club). In response, Comedy Central confirmed the news and released this statement.
“For the better part of the last two decades, we have had the incredible honor and privilege of working with Jon Stewart. His comedic brilliance is second to none. Jon has been at the heart of Comedy Central, championing and nuturing the best talent in the industry, in front of and behind the camera.
Through his unique voice and vision, The Daily Show has become a cultural touchstone for millions of fans and an unparalleled platform for political comedy that will endure for years to come. Jon will remain at the helm of The Daily Show until later this year. He is a comic genius, generous with his time and talent, and will always be a part of the Comedy Central family.”
Stewart succeeded Craig Kilborn as host of The Daily Show in 1999, and under his guidance, The Daily Show became more of a political satire series that proved to be more popular than actual news programs. This is the second big departure from Comedy Central in recent memory, after Stephen Colbert left The Colbert Report to replace David Letterman as the signature host of Late Night on CBS
Since Comedy Central has made it clear that The Daily Show will continue without Stewart, the question is who will replace him as the host of the series? And will The Daily Show promote someone from within or look outside of the series to fill the void left by Jon Stewart?
