In August, Jon Stewart said goodbye (or rather, “I’m gonna go get a drink”) after a 16.5-year run as the host of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.
To put this in perspective — and to make anyone over 40 feel old — during the time Jon Stewart spent at the helm (1999-2015), I graduated middle school, high school and college, adopted a cat and got married. To me, Jon Stewart is like a funny uncle; he’s that grownup who, when he talks to you, keeps it real because that’s what funny uncles do. And we love them for it.
It’s tough to imagine the show without him (or even that there was a show before him), but we’ll forever respect how he changed the way we report news. Stewart’s honest, factual and humorous take on the news made it more approachable for many. Even the most old-school news buffs could appreciate The Daily Show because, let’s be honest, Stewart is a sharp, witty guy who knows what he’s talking about.
If changing the fabric of American journalism wasn’t enough, The Daily Show also has given birth to a remarkable number of A-list comedians, from Stephen Colbert and Steve Carell to John Oliver, Ed Helms and Rob Corddry. They all had roles as correspondents on the show before launching into movies or as hosts of their own programs.
Time.com recently compiled Stewart’s five greatest The Daily Show moments, like his candid, post-9/11 opening monologue that did exactly what he does best — make us laugh.
