Jon Stewart
Jon Stewart (born Jonathan Stuart Leibowitz) is an American comedian, satirist, actor, writer, pundit, and producer. He is best known for hosting Comedy Central’s The Daily Show from 1999 to 2015 and for his political satire.
Stewart started as a stand-up comedian, but later branched out to television, hosting Short Attention Span Theater for Comedy Central. He went on to host his own show on MTV, called The Jon Stewart Show, and then hosted another show on MTV called You Wrote It, You Watch It.
Stewart became the host of The Daily Show on Comedy Central in early 1999. He is also a writer and co-producer of the show. After Stewart joined, The Daily Show steadily gained popularity and critical acclaim leading to his first Emmy Award in 2001. Stewart himself has also gained significant notoriety as a vocal, outspoken critic of the Bush administration and of personality-driven media shows, in particular Bill O'Reilly and the Fox News Channel. Critics say Stewart benefits from a double standard: he critiques other news shows from the safe, removed position of his "mock news" desk. However the validity of this distinction is challenged by a number of critics, researchers, and even supporters, some of whom have awarded The Daily Show with news and journalism awards.
Stewart co-wrote America (The Book), which was one of the top fifteen best-sellers in the US in 2004. Stewart hosted the 78th Academy Awards and the 80th Academy Awards.
“Why did the Articles [of Confederation] fail so completely? Most historians believe the founding fathers spent a great deal of their first constitutional convention drafting the delaration of independence and only realized on July 3rd the Articles were also due.”
“Wait a minute! Wait a minute! I figured this out.I know what's wrong with what we've done in Iraq.We've been following time as it goes forward.What a classic mistake. Linear time is so pre-9-11.”
“You have to remember one thing about the will of the people: it wasn't that long ago that we were swept away by the Macarena.”
“Insomnia is my greatest inspiration.”
“By the way, when you finish the bottle of Crown Royal, you can still use the pouch to hold your broken dreams.”
“If America leads a blessed life, then why did God put all of our oil under people who hate us?”
“Religion. It's given people hope in a world torn apart by religion.”
“Yes, reason has been a part of organized religion, ever since two nudists took dietary advice from a talking snake.”
“Yesterday, the president met with a group he calls the coalition of the willing. Or, as the rest of the world calls them, Britain and Spain”
“I've been to Canada, and I've always gotten the impression that I could take the country over in about two days.”
“If the events of September 11, 2001, have proven anything, it's that the terrorists can attack us, but they can't take away what makes us American -- our freedom, our liberty, our civil rights. No, only Attorney General John Ashcroft can do that.”
“I was born with an adult head and a tiny body. Like a 'Peanuts' character.”
“I celebrated Thanksgiving in an old-fashioned way. I invited everyone in my neighborhood to my house, we had an enormous feast, and then I killed them and took their land.”
“Yes, the long war on Christianity. I pray that one day we may live in an America where Christians can worship freely! In broad daylight! Openly wearing the symbols of their religion... perhaps around their necks? And maybe -- dare I dream it? -- maybe one day there can be an openly Christian President. Or, perhaps, 43 of them. Consecutively.”