Top 10 Jon Stewart Moments
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VOICE OVER: Rebecca Brayton
WRITTEN BY: Noah Levy
When Jon Stewart makes a public appearance, you have to hear what he says. After Jon Stewart's emotional speech at the house of Congress this week, we decided to take a look at his long career as a comedian, political activist and commentator. Was is your favorite Jon Stewart moment? Let us know in the comments!
He’s responsible for making the news funny and turning a whole generation politically active. Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Jon Stewart Moments.
For this list, we’re looking at the funniest, most emotionally impactful, and most memorable moments from the career of the former host of “The Daily Show.” Because of Jon’s massive influence, we’re expanding the list beyond “The Daily Show,” and including guest appearances on other shows.
#10: First Interview with Barack Obama
Jon Stewart had interviewed both former Presidents and Presidential hopefuls in the past, but the prospect of interviewing a sitting President always seemed too far away. That is, until President Obama agreed to an interview in October of 2010. Obama had appeared on the show before, but the stakes were very clearly different this time around. Stewart held the President’s feet to the fire, contrasting the campaign of hope he ran on with the results of his first two years in Washington. The interview showed how much Stewart’s position in the media landscape had shifted since he started, and that he was able to stand toe to toe with the most powerful man in the world.
#9: Trump Pizza Rant
When former Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin came to the Big Apple to meet with future President of the United States Donald Trump, Stewart was initially pleased at their choice of meal: New York pizza. He became skeptical, though, when The Donald took her to a run-of-the-mill pizza place. Strike two came when it was revealed that Trump stacks his slices on top of each other. The final blow came when “True New Yorker” Donald Trump was filmed eating his pizza with a fork. This led to a rant for the ages from Jon, validating the sacred item that is New York pizza, and even questioning Trump’s claim of being a true New Yorker.
#8: Conservative Libertarian [aka Burning Glenn Beck]
Republican pundit Glenn Beck moved to Fox News from HLN in 2009, and his visibility skyrocketed despite some questionable views and actions. Stewart, meanwhile, found the animated Conservative a target ripe for parody. Through a series of segments over the course of Beck’s run on Fox News, Stewart performed a pitch perfect impression of Beck’s crazy mannerisms and outlandish theories. The impression reached its peak with “Conservative Libertarian,” where Jon attempted to connect Progressivism to everything from Nazism to Bert from “Sesame Street,” using printed pictures and blackboards. Despite the massive praise the segments received, Jon never did performance art of this scale on the show again, proving Beck was truly a one-of-a-kind figure – for better or worse.
#7: You Don’t Own This Country
After a crazy week involving the resignation of Roger Ailes from Fox News and the Republican National Convention, Stephen Colbert wished for someone to share his emotions with. Luckily, Jon Stewart emerged from under Colbert’s desk and asked to get something off his chest. From there, he embarked on an epic rant railing against the Republican Party, Fox News and Donald Trump for the mess that took place in Cleveland that week. It concluded with an emotionally charged tirade that told the Right that they don’t and never have owned America. It was a brief, but fantastic, return to what made Jon famous, and he thankfully made subsequent appearances on “The Late Show” once the Trump Administration began.
#6: Owning Jim Cramer
Following a week of Jon bashing CNBC for their failure to warn consumers of the 2008 financial crisis, “Mad Money” host Jim Cramer came on the show after speaking out against Jon’s criticism of the network. While the interview started off civil, Stewart ultimately tore into Cramer, asking him what he thought the purpose of CNBC should be, and even exposing his own hypocrisy by playing clips of him from a 2006 interview. These clips were responsible for inducting the phrase, “Roll 212,” into “The Daily Show” lexicon, basically as code for “Your career is over.” Stewart was praised for his passion and integrity during the interview, even though it didn’t really affect Cramer.
#5: Owning Bill O’Reilly
Despite Fox News being one of the main targets of “The Daily Show,” Jon Stewart and Bill O’Reilly always managed to maintain a civil, if competitive, relationship. The two appeared on each other’s shows several times, but the best moments were when Stewart was on O’Reilly’s turf. There, the two debated everything, including Jon’s role as a comedian, Obama inviting rapper Common to the White House, and the threat of terrorism. With a couple of exceptions of dramatic embellishment, the two kept their conversations restrained and respectful. Stewart’s appearances showed he was more than able to hold his own against O’Reilly, even out of his element, and made smart, relevant points in the process.
#4: Interview with Malala Yousafzai
For a guy who meets with everyone, from movie stars to world leaders, you wouldn’t expect Jon Stewart to be humbled by much. However, he was reduced to childlike wonder and amazement when he met with Pakistani activist and Nobel Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai. As Malala relayed her inspirational story to Jon, he couldn’t help but listen with his hands up to his face, reduced to speechlessness at the amazing things she said. Malala remained a source of inspiration for Jon and “The Daily Show,” as her one-of-a-kind activism brought light after some of the darkest times in recent history.
#3: Crushing “Crossfire”
The political debate show “Crossfire” had been a staple of CNN’s lineup since 1982. Then Jon Stewart came to visit. While hosts Paul Begala and Tucker Carlson thought Stewart was coming on to promote “America (The Book),” he was really there to ask them to “stop hurting America.” He spent the whole segment taking the show and the hosts to task, calling it partisan hackery and saying that instead of nuanced debate, they just showcased both extremes of the political spectrum. The confrontation even resulted in Stewart calling Carlson a “dick” on air. The segment immediately went viral and CNN cancelled the program in 2005, with the network noting that they agreed with Stewart’s criticisms.
#2: September 11th Response
9/11 affected nearly all TV shows produced in New York and “The Daily Show” was no exception. The show returned on September 20th, 2001 for the first time since the attacks, opening with a monologue from Stewart. After offering condolences to the victims, he began to break down. To Jon, this was not a time for despair, because he saw the purpose of America realized. He closed the emotional monologue with a message of hope, saying what the view from his home now is. Stewart’s response to the tragedy set the tone of the show for years to come, and served as a reminder of how powerful he can be, even when he’s not telling jokes.
Before we get to our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- Indecision 2000
- Indecision 2004
- Bush v. Bush
#1: Advocating for the First Responders
One of the causes that seems closest to Jon Stewart’s heart is healthcare coverage for 9/11 First Responders. Because of their work at Ground Zero after the September 11th attacks, these members of the NYPD and Fire Department of New York face health risks, including respiratory illnesses and cancer. On “The Daily Show,” Stewart campaigned tirelessly for the Zadroga Act – a bill that would provide financial aid to those affected – while also criticizing Congress for dragging their heels and other media members for not covering the subject more. Ultimately, the bill was passed in 2011; however, Stewart was back in front of lawmakers in 2019 to oppose cuts to the 9/11 Victim Fund and to ensure compensation past the 2020 expiry date. Stewart choked up as he chastised the half-empty room, earning himself a standing ovation.
