Give Us This Day Our "Daily" Stewart

Well, folks: it's the end of an era. Jon Stewart has left the building after 16 years as the host of Comedy Central's "The Daily Show." On paper, the basic concept and execution of the program is pretty straightforward, but who knew how influential and groundbreaking it would be over the years? Stewart and "Daily" have become practically synonymous; the success of the show and (I dare say) the legitimization of Comedy Central as a prestigious network owe an incredible debt to Stewart and his incisive blend of smarts and snarks.

When "The Daily Show" first premiered in 1996 with Craig Kilborn at the helm, it offered a more pop culture-based skewering of entertainment-related news. Kilborn's departure in 1998 opened the door not only for a new host but also for a new format centered around the circus of politics. By the time Stewart took over the desk in 1999, he was hardly a household name. Sure, he had an easy-going, charming delivery style and he was quite easy on the eyes (he still succeeds at both), yet his potential for greater things was increasingly apparent. The comedian only had a few Comedy Central and MTV hosting gigs as well as smaller film and television roles to his credit, so "Daily" was arguably the first platform where Stewart and his knack for artfully exasperated observations were truly front-and-center.

At this point, Comedy Central was busy grabbing headlines and critical acclaim thanks to "South Park," the irreverent cultural satire disguised as a cartoon, so it was only a matter of time before something else would come along to help distinguish the network among its peers and competitors. To many fans and critics, the turning point that began to define the impact and eventual legacy of "The Daily Show" was "Indecision 2000," a recurring segment that pointedly satirized the myriad of problems surrounding that year's presidential election. This coverage earned "Daily" its first Peabody Award (its second was for the next round of "Indecision" in 2004), and the show was on its way to 18 Emmy wins over the next decade. Not too shabby for a show that, on several occasions, featured a segment (however hilarious) with the word "clusterf*ck" in its name!

In addition to Stewart's no-holds-barred critiques of current events and public figures, "The Daily Show" made exemplary use of its correspondents when stories called for travel and/or interviews. Many of these relative newcomers were able to parlay their early promise into future stardom. "Daily" was a launching pad for the current career booms of Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert, and John Oliver, while other key players such as Rob Corddry and Rob Riggle have found steady work in other comedic avenues. When all is said and done, though, it's Stewart's name that appears below the title. The passion and energy with which he dove into every topic -- no matter how big or small -- kept the show timely and relevant, even when the news cycle ran low on political material.

Even more impressive is the growing reputation that "Daily," still in its prime with no signs of stopping, carries within the TV news industry. Viewers may tune in for laughs, but they're also being challenged to really think about the issues at stake. Traditional news outlets tend to go for either a just-the-facts approach or an extreme, party-line slant. "Daily" is one of the few news sources that, despite its liberal leanings, manages to juggle the spectrum and paints a complete picture of the political landscape, even when the results are less than flattering on either side. Furthermore, the show encourages people to make informed, thoughtful decisions about how they absorb information from elected officials and the media. It also helps that many of the show's easier targets essentially set themselves up for lampooning; the "Daily" writers barely have to stretch the truth to drive home the majority of their jokes.

Considering its network, "The Daily Show" always was and always will be considered first and foremost a comedy series. However, its honest and intelligent commentary on not only the political arena but also the agendas of various media outlets makes "Daily" a rare breed: the human side of the news with full use of its brain, heart, and smile. True, the show will live on under the guidance of new host Trevor Noah, but it wouldn't have gotten nearly this far without Stewart and his team of writers and correspondents being willing to "go there" and absolutely nail what no one else was saying.

One of Stewart's many hallmarks was ending each broadcast with a "moment of Zen," a clip, quote, or otherwise memorable moment that was meant to be a parting thought as well as a reminder of life's little quirks, for better or for worse. While I wasn't a daily viewer of every single episode of "The Daily Show," the countless times when I did watch were always reliably entertaining and thought-provoking experiences. And of course, I'll continue to watch. But as strong as it is on its own merits, hopefully Noah and the producers won't try to artificially force the wholly irreplaceable dynamic that Stewart brought to the screen and to the stories. My personal moment of Zen will be unabashedly supporting whatever he decides to tackle next.