Jon Stewart facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jon Stewart |
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Stewart in 2016
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| Birth name | Jonathan Stuart Leibowitz |
| Born | November 28, 1962 New York City, U.S. |
| Medium |
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| Education | College of William & Mary (BA) |
| Years active | 1987–present |
| Genres |
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| Spouse |
Tracey Lynn McShane
(m. 2000) |
| Children | 2 |
Jon Stewart (born Jonathan Stuart Leibowitz; November 28, 1962) is an American comedian, writer, actor, and television host. He is famous for hosting The Daily Show on Comedy Central from 1999 to 2015. On the show, he used humor to comment on news and politics. This style of comedy is called political satire.
Stewart is known for his smart and funny takes on current events. He has won many awards, including 23 Primetime Emmy Awards and two Grammy Awards. In 2024, he returned to host The Daily Show on Mondays. He also hosted The Problem with Jon Stewart on Apple TV+ from 2021 to 2023. Besides television, Stewart has acted in movies like Big Daddy and directed his own films.
After leaving The Daily Show in 2015, Stewart became a strong voice for the health care of 9/11 first responders and military veterans. He fought to help pass important laws that give them the medical benefits they need.
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Early Life and Education
Jon Stewart was born Jonathan Stuart Leibowitz in New York City. His mother, Marian, was a teacher, and his father, Donald, worked for the state of New Jersey. His family is Ashkenazi Jewish, with roots in Poland, Ukraine, and Belarus. He is the second of four brothers.
Stewart's parents divorced when he was eleven. He had a difficult relationship with his father and later legally changed his last name to Stewart in 2001. He grew up in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, where he sometimes faced bullying because of his Jewish background. He said that growing up during the Vietnam War and the Watergate scandal made him question what he was told by people in power.
After high school, Stewart went to the College of William & Mary in Virginia. He played on the men's soccer team and graduated in 1984 with a degree in psychology. Before becoming a comedian, he had many different jobs. He was a busboy, a bartender, a puppeteer for children with disabilities, and a soccer coach.
Career
Starting in Comedy
In 1986, Stewart moved back to New York City to become a stand-up comedian. He started performing at comedy clubs like The Bitter End, where famous comedian Woody Allen also got his start. He began using the stage name Jon Stewart.
His first TV job was as a writer for Caroline's Comedy Hour. He then hosted shows on Comedy Central and MTV. In 1993, he got his own talk show on MTV called The Jon Stewart Show. It was a big hit and was known for its funny interviews with celebrities and musicians. The show was later canceled in 1995.
Hosting The Daily Show
In 1999, Jon Stewart became the host of The Daily Show on Comedy Central. The show was a "fake" news program that used humor to report on real news, politics, and media. Stewart's smart and funny style made the show very popular. Many young people said they got their news from watching him.
Under Stewart, The Daily Show won many awards, including 20 Primetime Emmy Awards. The show was praised for its smart coverage of U.S. presidential elections, which it called "Indecision 2000" and "Indecision 2004."
One of his most memorable shows was on September 20, 2001, the first show after the September 11 attacks. Instead of his usual jokes, he gave a tearful and heartfelt speech about the tragedy. He ended by saying that even though the World Trade Center was gone, the view from downtown Manhattan was now the Statue of Liberty, a symbol that "you can't beat."
Stewart and the show's writers also wrote two best-selling books: America (The Book) (2004) and Earth (The Book) (2010).
In 2010, Stewart and fellow comedian Stephen Colbert hosted the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear in Washington, D.C. It was a large public gathering that called for a more reasonable and less angry discussion of politics. About 215,000 people attended.
Leaving and Returning to The Daily Show
On February 10, 2015, Stewart announced he would be leaving The Daily Show. His final show was on August 6, 2015. It was a big event with many former correspondents like Stephen Colbert, Steve Carell, and John Oliver returning to say goodbye. Comedian Trevor Noah took over as the new host.
After nine years, Stewart made a surprise return to The Daily Show in February 2024. He now hosts the show every Monday, where he continues to share his funny and critical views on the news. He also serves as an executive producer for the show.
Other Projects
Stewart has also worked in movies. He acted in films like Big Daddy and Death to Smoochy. He also became a director. In 2014, he directed the movie Rosewater, a true story about a journalist who was jailed in Iran. In 2020, he directed the political comedy Irresistible, starring Steve Carell.
From 2021 to 2023, he hosted a new show on Apple TV+ called The Problem with Jon Stewart. Each episode focused on one major issue facing the country. The show ended after two seasons.
Public Life and Activism
Hosting and Fun Appearances
Stewart has hosted major award shows, including the Grammy Awards twice and the Academy Awards twice, in 2006 and 2008.
He is also a big fan of professional wrestling. In 2015, he had a funny, pretend feud with WWE wrestler Seth Rollins. He even appeared on WWE Raw and hosted the WWE event SummerSlam. He got involved in a match, hitting John Cena with a steel chair to help Seth Rollins win.
Fighting for First Responders and Veterans
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One of the most important parts of Stewart's public life is his work for 9/11 first responders and military veterans. For years, he has used his fame to fight for them to get proper health care.
Many first responders who worked at Ground Zero after the September 11 attacks got very sick. Stewart pushed Congress to pass the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, a law that provides money for their medical treatment. In 2019, he gave a powerful and emotional speech to Congress, criticizing politicians for not helping the sick and dying heroes. The bill was passed soon after.
He also fought for the Honoring our PACT Act of 2022. This law helps veterans who were exposed to toxic smoke from "burn pits" during their service in Iraq and Afghanistan. When some politicians blocked the bill, Stewart went on TV and spoke at press conferences. He angrily called out the politicians for their cruelty. His advocacy helped get the bill passed in August 2022. President Joe Biden thanked Stewart personally for his work on the issue.
Personal Life
In 2000, Stewart married Tracey Lynn McShane. They have two children. In 2015, Stewart became a vegetarian for ethical reasons, and he is now a vegan.
In 2013, he and his wife bought a farm in New Jersey. They turned it into a sanctuary for rescued farm animals. They later opened a larger sanctuary to provide a home for animals saved from slaughterhouses.
Stewart is a lifelong fan of the New York Mets baseball team. He is also a fan of the New York Knicks, Giants, and Rangers.
Influences
Stewart has said his comedy was influenced by comedians like George Carlin, Lenny Bruce, Woody Allen, David Letterman, and Richard Pryor.
Many of today's famous comedians say Stewart was a major influence on them. These include Stephen Colbert, John Oliver, Hasan Minhaj, Samantha Bee, and Trevor Noah.
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Mixed Nuts | Rollerblader | |
| 1996 | The First Wives Club | Elise's lover | Scenes deleted |
| 1997 | Wishful Thinking | Henry | |
| 1998 | Half Baked | Enhancement Smoker | |
| The Faculty | Prof Edward Furlong | ||
| Playing by Heart | Trent | ||
| 1999 | Big Daddy | Kevin Gerrity | |
| 2000 | The Office Party | Pizza Guy | Short film |
| Committed | Party Guest | Uncredited cameo | |
| 2001 | Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back | Reg Hartner | |
| 2002 | Death to Smoochy | Marion Frank Stokes | |
| The Adventures of Tom Thumb and Thumbelina | Godfrey (voice) | ||
| 2006 | Doogal | Zeebad (voice) | |
| 2007 | Evan Almighty | Himself | Cameo |
| 2008 | The Great Buck Howard | ||
| 2011 | The Adjustment Bureau | ||
| The Beaver | |||
| 2014 | Rosewater | None | Director, producer, and writer |
| 2016 | Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice | Himself | Cameo; Ultimate Edition only |
| 2020 | Irresistible | None | Director, producer, and writer |
| 2024 | IF | Robot (voice) |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990–1993 | Short Attention Span Theater | Himself (host) | Various episodes |
| 1992–1993 | You Wrote It, You Watch It | ||
| 1993–1995 | The Jon Stewart Show | 160 episodes; also creator, executive producer, and writer | |
| 1994 | The State | Fanmail Guy | Episode: "2.4" |
| 1995 | 1995 Billboard Music Awards | Himself (host) | TV special |
| 1996 | Where's Elvis This Week? | 5 episodes | |
| Jon Stewart: Unleavened | Himself | Stand-up special | |
| 1996–1997 | The Larry Sanders Show | 6 episodes | |
| 1997 | The Nanny | Bobby | Episode: "Kissing Cousins" |
| NewsRadio | Andrew | Episode: "Twins" | |
| Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist | Jon (voice) | Episode: "Guess Who" | |
| White House Correspondents' Dinner | Himself (host) | TV special | |
| Space Ghost Coast to Coast | Himself | Episode: "Mayonnaise" | |
| Mr. Show with Bob and David | Episode: "A White Man Set Them Free" | ||
| 1998 | Elmopalooza | Himself (host) | TV special |
| Since You've Been Gone | Todd Zalinsky | TV movie | |
| 1999 | Spin City | Parker | Episode: "Wall Street" |
| 1999–2015, 2024–present |
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart | Himself (host) | 2,579 episodes; also executive producer and writer |
| 2001 | 43rd Annual Grammy Awards | TV special | |
| 2002 | 44th Annual Grammy Awards | ||
| Saturday Night Live | Episode: "Jon Stewart/India.Arie" | ||
| 2005–2014 | The Colbert Report | None | 1,447 episodes; co-creator and executive producer |
| 2006 | 78th Academy Awards | Himself (host) | TV special |
| American Dad! | Himself (voice) | Episode: "Irregarding Steve" | |
| 2007 | Jack's Big Music Show | Brunk Stinegrouber | Episode: "Groundhog Day" |
| 2008 | The Simpsons | Himself (voice) | Episode: "E Pluribus Wiggum" |
| 80th Academy Awards | Himself (host) | TV special | |
| A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All! | Himself | ||
| 2009–2010 | Important Things with Demetri Martin | None | 17 episodes; executive producer |
| 2010 | The Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear | Himself (host) | TV special on |
| 2012 | Robot Chicken | Matt Trakker, Serpentor (voice) | Episode: "Executed by the State" |
| 2013 | Big Time Rush | Himself | Episode: "Big Time Invasion" |
| 2014 | Phineas and Ferb | Mr. Random (voice) | Episode: "The Klimpaloon Ultimatum" |
| 2014 | Last Week Tonight with John Oliver | Himself | Episode "1.24", Cameo appearance |
| 2015–2016 | The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore | None | 259 episodes; creator and executive producer |
| 2015 | The Jim Gaffigan Show | Himself | Episode: "The Bible Story" |
| Gravity Falls | Judge Kitty Meow Face-Shwartstein | Voice; Episode: "Weirdmageddon 2: Escape from Reality" | |
| 2015–present | The Late Show with Stephen Colbert | None | Executive producer |
| 2021–2023 | The Problem with Jon Stewart | Himself (host) | Also creator, executive producer, and writer |
| 2021 | Live in Front of a Studio Audience | Carl | Episode: "Diff'rent Strokes and The Facts of Life" |
| No Responders Left Behind | Himself | Documentary film | |
| 2024 | John Mulaney Presents: Everybody's in LA | Episode: "Palm Trees" |
Awards and Honors
Stewart has won many of the most important awards in television and comedy.
- Primetime Emmy Awards: Stewart has won 23 Emmys, mostly for his work writing and producing The Daily Show.
- Grammy Awards: He has won two Grammy Awards for Best Comedy Album.
- Peabody Awards: He and The Daily Show won three Peabody Awards, which honor excellence in broadcasting.
- Mark Twain Prize for American Humor: In 2022, he received this award, which is considered the highest honor in comedy.
- Bronze Medallion: In 2019, New York City gave him its highest civilian award for his work helping 9/11 victims.
See also
In Spanish: Jon Stewart para niños
- New Yorkers in journalism
- Political satire
