Tonight is the final episode of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. It’s truly the end of an era, and it stings even more coming fresh on the heels of David Letterman’s departure from Late Show just a few months ago. Stewart has not only been a consistent comedic force of late night television for the last 16 years, he’s also been a calming presence when things aren’t looking great out there for ol’ humanity. His level-headedness, sharp wit, and determinedness to keep our politicians (on both sides of the aisle, mind you) and media in check will be sorely, sorely missed, but he’s solidified a legacy in the annals of television that’s not soon to be forgotten.
But last night, on the penultimate episode, Stewart had a little fun with The Daily Show’s reputation as a “watch dog” of sorts for crazy. You’ve no doubt seen numerous morning-after headlines over the years that lead with something like “Jon Stewart Eviscerates/Slams/Annihilates/Etc.,” teasing the show’s more pointed satirical bits. Well so has Stewart, and he and the Daily Show staff took last night’s first segment to run down some of their more epic “slams” and, more importantly, their impact.
Obviously The Daily Show isn’t a political mouthpiece whose purpose is to sway opinion and enact change, but I’d argue the show has had an impact on the world we live in, in a positive way. Check back here on Collider tomorrow as Chris and I break down Jon’s final episode and the legacy of his run on The Daily Show.
