Jon Stewart's Kevo

List of Daily Show Videos

Cia Leak

Condoleezza

Fear at CNN

Net Neutrality

on Bush

Snakes on a Plane

Daily Show with Jon Stewart

Jon Stewart took over as host on Monday, January 11, 1999. In contrast to Kilborn, who had been a popular ESPN anchor, Stewart was already a recognizable mainstream celebrity after hosting several television shows, including his own eponymous talk show on MTV and later in syndication. As part of their negotiations with him, Comedy Central agreed to give Stewart an executive-producer credit and change the name of the show from simply The Daily Show to The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. In return, Stewart, previously famous for his casual on-stage attire often consisting of a leather jacket and jeans, had to wear a suit in keeping with the newscast theme of the show. His first guest was Spin City's Michael J. Fox, who jokingly quipped, "I've been on this show more than you have!"

Unlike Kilborn, whose dialogue and character were written entirely by others, Stewart served not only as host but also as a writer and co-executive producer of the series. His influence is noted for heading a significant shift in the way the show handled news. Stewart had a markedly different style, bringing a sharper political focus to the humor than the show previously exhibited. This satirical edge, combined with the show's 2000 Election coverage, helped to catapult Stewart and The Daily Show to new levels of popularity and critical respect. With Stewart on board, the show's ratings have more than doubled according to a 2003 Newsweek article and has won seven Emmy Awards and two Peabody Awards. By 2004, the show had emerged into a pop culture hit and one of the most popular programs on cable television.