Stewart’s time winding down
Jon Stewart has entered the home stretch of his 16 years on The Daily Show, with only a few more nights of jokes at the expense of those who make and report the news before he signs off for good Aug. 6.
Stewart’s exit, the latest in a year of upheaval in late- night television, will be felt most acutely over the next 15 months as the U. S. approaches its first presidential election since 1996 without his comic take.
Attesting to Stewart’s cultural import, U. S. President Barack Obama is booked for his seventh appearance on the show Tuesday, which airs in Canada on The Comedy Network.
Stewart, who started on The Daily Show in 1999, cited restlessness in announcing his exit last February.
Adam Lowitt, an executive producer on The Daily Show, said he’s had no sense his boss is secondguessing his decision.
“Even around the office, he seems to be relishing the place that he’s in right now and taking in every aspect of the show and the people that work there,” Lowitt said. “He’s aware that time is winding down.”
Still, as Stewart stifled laughter before delivering a comic lecture directed at New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie on the show last month, he couldn’t resist the aside, “I’m going to miss this a little bit.”
Stewart was animated, almost gleeful, on the day Donald Trump announced his candidacy for president. The jokes poured out as Stewart said Trump was putting him in a comedy hospice with injections of straight morphine.
Something about Trump is irresistible, even for retired comics. David Letterman resurfaced at a Steve Martin appearance in Texas earlier this month just to deliver a Top 10 list about Trump.
The day of Trump’s announcement was one of those special times in the office that Lowitt said he’ll always remember.
“Every moment was just better than the rest,” he said. “Everyone was just beaming with excitement. That is something that I will definitely miss — knowing that this material is out there and the greatest performer is about to deliver on that.”
Stewart’s value was evident for a different reason after the Charlestown church massacre. He opened the show by admitting he had no jokes, then delivered an impassioned monologue on his frustration about the lack of will in combating mass shootings.
Stewart was the only person in late- night TV with the gravitas to pull that off.
As the days wind down for Stewart, the show has done a handful of self- deprecatory clip packages — Stewart breaking into song, complaining about his health or admitting to interview subjects that he hadn’t read the book or seen the movie the guest was there to promote.
Stewart is conscious of making the final few weeks relatively lowkey, Lowitt said.
His last show is in August, prime vacation time.
Lowitt is staying on to work for Stewart’s successor, South African comedian Trevor Noah, who is essentially keeping the same staff when he starts on Sept. 28.
It ensures the sensibility of The Daily Show will remain, even if Stewart doesn’t.