Since 1999 Jon Stewart had has been to host of the Daily Show, an Emmy- and Peabody Award-winning program on Comedy Central. Jon Stewart and his team“ take a sharp, hilarious look at current events, covering politics, technology, trends, pop culture, sports and entertainment”.
Stewart brings a variety of guests on the show including politicians, actors, writers, artists, philosophers, musicians, public figures, and more! He uses real news video footage, photos, and other news media to criticize recent national and global topics. The combination of these separate mediums helps Stewart bring together the pieces of a story that create the perfect recipe for informative satire.
According to assistant professor of telecommunications at Indiana University, Julia R. Fox, the Daily Show is just as much a substantive news source as network coverage. During the 2004 presidential elections 20% of the voting population relied on programming such as The Daily Show with Jon Stewart for updates on politics, the same amount that relied on staying updated by watching traditional news networks. In fact, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart rating surpassed the ratings of the Fox Network this past June.
Jon Stewart’s commentary on daily American life is both refreshing and eye opening. The Daily Show has easily become one of the most insightful fake news programs of our time. Take the Penn State sex scandal, for instance. Jon Stewart interviewed Bob Costas who had previously conducted a live interview with Jerry Sanducky that shocked viewers everywhere. Stewart was able to talk about the interview openly, bringing to light of the things that were said, helping the public realize just how ridiculous Sanducky’s legal defense is, unlike the strategies he employs during the football season.
After 12+ years and counting, Jon Stewart has gained the trust of Americans everywhere. The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, which employs humor, enlightens viewers on recent political and social changes while keeping them entertained. Jon Stewart tells stories in interesting and unique ways to draw an audience and presents information that sheds a new light on current issues.
