I’m not sure what else can be said about Jon Stewart and The Daily Show beyond what’s already been wrote about them and, to be honest, part of me wonders why I’m even bothering to throw in my two cents given the accolades the show and the host have received over the last few months when Stewart announced his retirement from the show he has hosted for 16 years.
The thing is, though, even with my unoriginal thoughts on the matter and my meaningless and unimportant opinions, I feel like I would be doing The Daily Show a disservice by not saying something about it. Watching Jon Stewart sign off for the last time is the literal end of an era — the last honest newsman is sauntering out of the spotlight and, despite what he maintained in the second to last episode, Jon Stewart has left the world a better place – more interested in politics, more informed, and definitely laughing through the process. The importance of Jon Stewart and this silly little show that could cannot be measured.
The Daily Show ended in perhaps the most appropriate way possible. Almost all of the corespondents dropped by to tell Jon good-bye, Steven Colbert made Stewart tear up as he went off script to tell his friend and mentor how he positively impacted the lives of those he worked with. There was a Goodfellahs inspired tribute to the backstage crew and sage words from Jon Stewart himself about how to recognize bull when it is heaped out by public servants. It was heartfelt, it was sarcastic, it was funny, and at the end it felt like something epic had passed from this world.
I know that The Daily Show will continue with Trevor Noah, but after 16 years it’s hard to imagine anyone else sitting in that chair. Then again, when Jon Stewart took over for Craig Kilborn, I thought the same thing — a lot of other people did. They complained, they doubted and, in the end, they were won over.
I’m giving Trevor a fair chance and you should too.
That being said, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah will be a completely different show than The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and I do not envy Mr. Noah and the deep Jewish shoes he has to fill.
At the very least, I’m sure that Fox News is breathing a heavy sigh of relief as they look to the skies and set their sights on the rebuilding of Bulls**t Mountain.
Jason Gaston 