Comedian, talk show host and political influencer Jon Stewart has been named the 23rd recipient of the Kennedy Center’s Mark Twain Award for Lifetime Achievement in Comedy.
Stewart, 59, – born Jonathan Stuart Leibovitz – rose to prominence as a standup comic and host of several failed talk shows before taking over Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” in 1999. His 16-year run as a “Daily Show” host has turned him into a cultural and political force as Stewart trains his satirical eye on both politics and the increasingly polarized national media.
In perhaps his most iconic moment, Stewart went on CNN’s popular “Crossfire” debate show in 2004 and challenged the entire premise of the show’s left-wing versus right-wing debate. Stewart told co-hosts Tucker Carlson and Paul Begala that he had a “responsibility for the public discourse” that he was getting cheap with playing insincere political roles.
“You’re doing theater when you should argue,” Stewart said in an openly hostile exchange with Carlson. “What you do is not honest. What you do is partisan hackery.”
Stewart’s appearance catapulted him to new levels of prominence and may have sealed the fate of “Crossfire”, which was canceled three months later.
Since retiring from “The Daily Show” in 2015, Stewart has become a vocal supporter of many social causes and one of the most prominent voices in support of health care for the September 11 first responders in New York City. He recently returned to television as the host of “The Problem with Jon Stewart” on Apple TV+.
Kennedy Center President Deborah F. “To me, tuning into his television programs over the years has always been the equivalent of entertainment and truth,” Rutter said in a statement. “In these often divisive and challenging times, someone like John, through his indomitable advocacy for first responders and veterans, also demonstrates that we can all make a difference in this world through humor, humanity, and patriotism. “
Stewart will be presented with the award during a grand ceremony on April 24, which will include testimonials from comedians and surprise guests. He was one of the comedians speaking during Dave Chappelle’s Mark Twain Awards ceremony in 2019.
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