In a move that is both shocking and expected, Jon Stewart, the long time host of Comedy Central’s ‘The Daily Show’ is leaving the show.
The news leaked this evening as fans in attendance of ‘The Daily Show’ began to tweet after leaving the show’s taping:
Got to be present when the great @TheDailyShow Jon Stewart announced his retirement. #OneOfTheGreats #JonStewart
— Jonathan Reyes (@Jonathan2Reyes) February 10, 2015
BuzzFeed is reporting that a representative for Stewart has CONFIRMED that he will be leaving the show, and Jon Stewart himself just sent out this very ominous tweet:
Tonight! For once, you wanna stay through the interview.
— The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) February 11, 2015
And as this news comes as quite a shock, I think it’s fair to say after Stephen Colbert left ‘The Colbert Report’ we all saw a move of this nature on the horizon.
It’s hard for me to imagine what the late night TV landscape will be like without Stewart, who’s always been my favorite late-night host. But I’m sure in the coming days we’ll begin to see a clearer picture as to who Comedy Central will get to replace the irreplaceable Jon Stewart.
NPR/AV Club are reporting that Jon Stewart will leave the show ‘sometime this year’:
“Jon has been at the heart of Comedy Central, championing and nurturing the best talent in the industry, in front of and behind the camera,” Michele Ganeless, Comedy Central’s president, said in a statement. “Through his unique voice and vision, The Daily Show has become a cultural touchstone for millions of fans and an unparalleled platform for political comedy that will endure for years to come. Jon will remain at the helm of ‘The Daily Show’ until later this year. He is a comic genius, generous with his time and talent, and will always be a part of the Comedy Central family.”
UPDATE:
Comedy Central has just sent out this heartfelt tweet about Jon Stewart stepping down from ‘The Daily Show’
https://twitter.com/ComedyCentral/status/565296357792284676