Jon Stewart Signs Off from “The Daily Show”

Martin Crook(NEW YORK) — After 16 years, Jon Stewart signed off from The Daily Show Thursday night with an emotional hour-long finale that served as a reunion of sorts for the host. 

Past correspondents were trotted out throughout the show, including Steve Carell, his wife Nancy Carell,Stephen Colbert, John Oliver, Ed Helms, Larry Wilmore and Samantha Bee.

Colbert — who left The Daily Show a decade ago to host another Comedy Central program, The Colbert Report, and will take over CBS’ Late Show this fall — offered a stirring tribute to Stewart. 

“You were infuriatingly good at your job, OK?” Colbert said. “And all of us who were lucky enough to work with you — and you can edit this out later — all of us who were lucky enough to work with you for 16 years are better at our jobs because we got to watch you do yours.”

Of note: former correspondent Wyatt Cenac had a brief, intentionally awkward conversation with Stewart. He recently told Marc Maron’s podcast he once had a heated exchange with Stewart over an impression on the program he felt was racially insensitive. 

Stewart’s successor, Trevor Noah, showed up at one point, using a measuring tape to examine Stewart’s desk and suit. He’ll make his debut as Daily Show host on September 28.

The man who hosted The Daily Show before Stewart, Craig Kilborn, delivered a taped cameo, joking, “You’re finally getting cancelled, Jon. I hate to say it, but I knew you’d run this thing into the ground.” 

Several politicians, like Hillary Clinton and Chris Christie, repaid Stewart for his frequent jabs with unkind remarks in a montage. John McCain declared, “So long, jacka**.”

Stewart spoke fondly of the colleagues he worked with in front of the camera and behind the scenes. AGoodfellas-inspired sketch highlighted the crew, and featured the film’s director, Martin Scorsese, warning Stewart, “You’ve ripped me off for the last time.” 

Stewart, 52, closed his finale by expressing how much he admires fellow New Jersey resident Bruce Springsteen describing his career as an ongoing dialogue with fans. He elaborated, “Nothing ends. It’s just a continuation, it’s a pause in the conversation.

“Rather than saying ‘goodbye’ or ‘good night,’ I’m just going to say, I’m going to go get a drink, and I’m sure I’ll see you guys before I leave,” he added. 

With that, Stewart introduced what he called “my moment of Zen”: Springsteen and the E Street Band performing “Land Of Hope And Dreams” and “Born to Run.”

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