I think that 20 years from now, we are going to look back with wonder and awe at Comedy Central's one/two punch of The Daily Show and The Colbert Report.
Has there ever been a more spot-on hour of political/social commentary and satire?
Colbert retired his character in late December to prepare for his new gig as host of the The Late Show, which he will be taking over later this year when current host David Letterman retires.
Now Jon Stewart is also stepping away from his iconic spot as host (and guiding light) of The Daily Show.
From NPR, written by Bill Chappell -
Taping last night's show shortly before the news of his departure became public, The Daily Show host Jon Stewart faced an awkward task: telling a studio audience that he's leaving the show.
In the process, Stewart couldn't resist making fun of himself.
"Seventeen years is the longest I have ever in my life held a job," he said, "by 16 years and 5 months."
Saying that he had been given "an incredible opportunity to pilot this wonderful franchise," Stewart later added, "in my heart I know it is time for someone else to have that opportunity."
Many in the media are waxing poetically over the news of Stewart's departure (probably because he won't be around to skewer their professional foibles), so I won't go overboard here, just noting that to me, he is (soon to be "was") TV's version of Molly Ivins - able to stoke their audience's fires of outrage while tickling their funny bones at the same time.
And that is the highest compliment that I can offer.
One group that probably isn't sad to hear about Stewart's impending departure?
Arizona electeds.
Arizona has been featured on The Daily Show numerous times during Stewart's tenure, and while a few may have been less scathing than others, none have be *positive*. However, almost all of them have aimed at the acts (and ideas and statements) of AZ's elected officials.
One of his commentaries on an event in AZ, this one from the immediate aftermath on the mass shooting in Tucson where six people were killed and more than a dozen others, including former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, were wounded (the commentary isn't "funny", per se, but it is spot on) -
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