Jon Stewart marks ‘The Daily Show’ return | CNN (2024)

Jon Stewart poses for a portrait in 2014.

Stewart plays soccer for the College of William & Mary, which is in Williamsburg, Virginia. He graduated in 1984.

Stewart is interviewed by late-night TV host Conan O'Brien in 1993. Stewart held various jobs after college but eventually gravitated to stand-up comedy. In 1993, he also got his own talk show, "The Jon Stewart Show," which aired on MTV.

Baseball star Mike Piazza puts Stewart in a headlock during MTV's annual Rock n' Jock softball game in 1994.

Stewart waves goodbye backstage after taping the last episode of "The Jon Stewart Show" in 1995.

Stewart signs an autograph in New York while attending the premiere of the film "The Basketball Diaries" in 1995.

Stewart appears with Jennifer Beals in the 1997 romantic comedy "Wishful Thinking."

Stewart has a scene with Guillermo Diaz in the 1998 stoner comedy "Half Baked."

Stewart and his future wife, Tracey McShane, are photographed in New York in 1998. They were married in 2000, and they have two children.

Stewart and Adam Sandler appear in a scene from the 1999 comedy "Big Daddy."

In 1999, Stewart became host of "The Daily Show" on Comedy Central.

Stewart holds an award won by "The Daily Show" in 2003. It was recognized by the Television Critics Association for individual achievement in comedy.

Stewart appears on an episode of CNN's "Crossfire" with Paul Begala, left, and Tucker Carlson in 2004. Stewart criticized the show and both men, accusing them of "partisan hackery."

Stewart and Stephen Colbert perform together at an MTV Networks Upfront event in 2005. Colbert was a breakout star on "The Daily Show," playing a correspondent character. He eventually got his own show.

Stewart poses for a portrait in New York in 2004.

Stewart, along with his "Daily Show" writing staff, accepts an Emmy Award in 2004 for outstanding writing for a variety, music or comedy program.

Stewart talks to members of "The Daily Show" audience before a taping in 2005.

Stewart sits between some of his "Daily Show" co-stars — from left, Colbert, Rob Corddry, Ed Helms and Samantha Bee — at an Emmys afterparty in 2005.

Stewart signs an autograph on the Emmys red carpet in 2009.

Stewart attends a "Daily Show" writers meeting in 2010.

Colbert and Stewart take part in Comedy Central event — a "Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear" — on the National Mall in Washington, DC, in 2010.

Stewart and his two children, Nathan and Maggie, take a ride on the Tomorrowland Speedway at Walt Disney World in Florida in 2011.

Stewart works with staff members on script rewrites after a "Daily Show" on-set rehearsal in 2011.

Stewart debates conservative media host Bill O'Reilly in Washington, DC, in 2012. The event was called "The Rumble in the Air-Conditioned Auditorium."

Stewart and his family pose with a rescued calf named Valentino at a farm sanctuary in New York in 2015. Stewart and his wife, Tracey, are both vegans.

Stewart talks with President Barack Obama between segments of "The Daily Show" in 2015.

Trevor Noah, left, appears with Stewart on a his last episode of "The Daily Show" in 2015. Noah replaced Stewart as host.

Stewart and other members of "The Daily Show" share a group hug after his last episode in 2015.

Stewart sits next to then-Vice President Joe Biden, who was speaking during a roundtable on the Cancer Moonshot Initiative in 2016. Biden held the roundtable to discuss military and first responder care. Stewart has been a consistent advocate for the first responders on 9/11.

Stewart and his son, Nathan, cheer during a New York Knicks basketball game in 2019. Next to Nathan is actress Emmy Rossum.

FealGood Foundation co-founder John Feal hugs Stewart during a House Judiciary Committee hearing in 2019. Stewart delivered an emotional statement in favor of the reauthorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund. The fund provides financial assistance to responders, victims and their families who require medical care related to health issues they suffered in the aftermath of 9/11 terrorist attacks. Stewart also gave a blistering condemnation of the apparent lack of attendance by House members.

Stewart appears on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" in 2019.

Stewart smiles as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell walks by him on Capitol Hill in 2019. Stewart, who was in Washington, DC, to advocate for an extension of the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund, had been sharply critical of McConnell in the past. Later in the day, the Senate passed the extension, which would permanently compensate individuals who were injured during the 2001 terrorist attacks or the cleanup and rescue efforts.

Stewart is introduced at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, where he received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2022.