'His voice is more important now than ever'

Jon Stewart gratefully took advantage of Donald Trump's candidacy for the US presidency in 2015. The subject of his satire The Daily Show Much, but boredom drove him back into the wing. Now, nine years later, he's back — but Trump.

“It's a godsend,” Jon Stewart began broadcasting The Daily Show On June 16, 2015. The host and comedian turned his gaze upwards and clasped his hands together. “A madman is running for president!”

Earlier, Donald Trump took the escalator at his Trump Tower in New York to announce his bid for the White House. Stewart expressed gratitude: In his last six weeks on his sitcom, he won't have to worry about material — thanks to “Crazy Billionaire.” Just before his farewell, Trump treated him to a “joke treat,” which Stewart said was “only morphine.”

A year later, to everyone's surprise, Trump won the US presidential election. Stewart had already paved the way for his successor, South African comedian Trevor Noah. Behind his desk The Daily Show He's been bored for years, Stewart explained in an interview Guardian. “I have already conducted four elections. These don't seem to be very different.

Stewart disappeared from television. His loyal supporters have had to do without his sharp political satire during Trump's presidency.

True anger

On Monday, Stewart, now sporting a thinning gray beard and more sunken cheeks, returns as host after nearly nine years. The Daily Show – Only on Mondays, when most people watch. He will of course stay on until the presidential election and will also be involved in the show's content as an executive producer on other days.

Stewart didn't say why he was coming back. Between 1999 and 2015 The Daily Show He had a modest but loyal following as host, but his show still had great cultural value. Clips of Stewart with his rubber face and suppressed, or sometimes unleashed, anger have been viewed millions of times.

The former stand-up comedian from New Jersey is considered the founder of modern American political satire because he combined comedy with genuine anger and truth-telling. Also, he proved to be a sharp and well-prepared interviewer.

'Trusted Reporter'

Stewart's satire has become an alternative for some Americans to serious news channels like CNN, MSNBC and Fox. In The New York Times He has been compared to beloved American newsreader Walter Cronkite. In an online poll Time Stewart emerged as the nation's most trusted reporter in 2009.

Progressive America, in particular, is glad of his return. As a presenter The Daily Show He didn't spare the Democrats either, but he often aimed his venomous arrows at the hypocrisy of conservative policymakers and the media.

Right-wing Fox News was a favorite target. “Stuart is going to hell,” then-Fox celebrity and archivist Bill O'Reilly once said. “I already am,” the comedian replied. “I have to see you for work for eight hours every day.”

Dangerously absurd

In a realistic scenario for a second term for Trump, the US left hopes that Stewart can make a small difference before the election. Stewart is expected to essentially take the former president to task in the coming months. “I underestimated how dangerous his sarcasm and shamelessness made him,” Stewart said. The Hollywood Reporter About Trump. “I thought that would disqualify him.”

After his retirement, Stewart took on an activist role. He stood up for firefighters and police officers who were injured during rescue operations during the 9/11 attacks. He later did the same to soldiers who were victims of so-called 'burnpits' where harmful waste was incinerated.

He made sporadic appearances on television until launching a new project on the Apple TV+ streaming service in 2021. The problem with Jon Stewart. “This The Daily Show, but less entertaining,” Stewart tempered expectations. According to critics, the show was too serious and viewers were disappointed, however Stewart's interview went viral on social media in which he tackled the Republican senator the old fashioned way.

Summarized estimates

A third season was in the works when the show's end was announced in October. According to US media, there were creative differences between Stewart and Apple. The tech giant is said to particularly fear the effects of the planned broadcast across China.

In the coming months, Stewart will have to overcome falling ratings The Daily Show, with a series of guest presenters and less than 600,000 interested parties. Her fans also hope she will expose the hypocrisy of Trump and his supporters. “His voice is more important now than ever,” CNN wrote in an op-ed. The question remains whether Stewart can regain his old form in a fragmented media landscape and new political reality. In any case, he will have enough material.