For anyone who hoped the announcement of Jon Stewart’s impending departure from The Daily Show was just a cruel joke, we have some bad news for you.
The host of the late-night talk show revealed this week that his last episode behind the desk will be broadcast August 6.
“I will be wearing a suit. I will more than likely be showered,” he joked during the closing moments of the episode. “I’m sorry, I’ll be wearing overalls and I won’t shower. … I hope that you will join us for that program.”
Stewart also announced that fans will have a chance to win tickets to witness his final bow as host of the show via Omaze.com, with the proceeds from the contest supporting the upcoming “Night of Too Many Stars” telethon and the New York Collaborates for Autism charity.
Stewart’s departure brings an end to a tenure as host of The Daily Show that lasted more than 16 years and saw the program win multiple Primetime Emmy and Peabody Awards. He took over as host in January 1999 from Craig Kilborn, and his tenure brought a shift away from pop-culture commentary and a greater focus on political themes and guests.
The success of the series during Stewart’s tenure spawned several careers and multiple spin-off programs, including the recently concluded series The Colbert Report and the show that replaced it this year, The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore. John Oliver, a former correspondent and guest host for The Daily Show also went on to host his own talk show on HBO, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. Comedians still enjoying their rise from the The Daily Show launchpad include Rob Riggle, Samantha Bee, and Steve Carell.
South African comedian Trevor Noah was announced as the new host of The Daily Show in March, after appearing on the series several times as a contributing commentator. It’s unknown when Noah’s first episode as host will air. A popular talk-show host in his own country already, Noah is one of Africa’s best-known comedians.
For Stewart, the future may hold more promise behind the scenes. Following his hiatus in 2013 to direct the film Rosewater, the longtime host may be looking to make a permanent transition to the director’s chair.
