Nothing could have prepared us for what American Television host Jon Stewart had in stock past Tuesday, while recording "The Daily Show": the announcement that he's quitting by late 2015. This news satire television show is the second longest-running on Comedy Central, and it is probably due to the irreverence and strong views of Jon Stewart, who took over as host in 1999.
While no details were given about why he's leaving the show or what he'll be doing next, it is highly unlikely he will retire from public life and political commentary altogether.
The announcement itself was first passed along on social media by people who participated on Tuesday's taping, where he shared his decision. Only later on, Comedy Central issued a confirmation of the news, and a "thank you" note to the host.
"For the better part of the last two decades, we have had the incredible honor and privilege of working with Jon Stewart", said the company in a statement shared with the public on Twitter. "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," they added, calling him "a comic genius." According to the statement, Stewart will "remain at the helm of The Daily Show until later this year".
The internet obviously reacted in shock, with thousands of tweets and Facebook shares expressing everything from sadness, gratitude, admiration, and curiosity about who is going to replace him. Mashable noted that Stewart "has changed the landscape of political satire and helped launch the careers of some of today's most celebrated comedians," while the A.V.
Club described him as having had "one of the most venerable and trusted careers in making a complete mockery of the news."
The announcement comes shortly after Stephen Colbert aired the last episode of "The Colbert Report" and that we learned NBC Nightly News' anchor Brian Williams has been suspended without pay for six months. Some Twitter users hinted that Jon Stewart was replacing Brian Williams, who came under fire last week after admitting he lied about being on an helicopter that was shot down during the Iraq war.