I have always loved politics, even when I didn't fully understand the intricacies of our nation's largest organizational body. I believe it is vitally important to know how these things work. One of the first introductions I had to that type of news was through "The Daily Show."
Jon Stewart made learning about politics interesting. He opened up the complicated world of government to many who would have never previously watched a show about it, and he cut through the muck of it all to deliver the news in an interesting way.
So when he called it quits after nearly two decades with his final correspondence this past week, I was struck with a feeling of sadness. It is highly unlikely we will forget the legacy he has left behind.
To celebrate the incredible body of work this man has accumulated, let's look at my top five favorite moments of "The Daily Show":
5. His Incredible Post 9/11 Speech
I watched this long after the fact, as I was very young when the tragedy took place, but the poignancy and truth with which he spoke touched me and many others during one of our nation's darkest moments.
I'm sorry to do this to you," he said. "It's another entertainment show beginning with an overwrought speech of a shaken host, and television is nothing if not redundant. So I apologize for that. It's something that, unfortunately, we do for ourselves, so that we can drain whatever abscess is in our hearts and move on to the business of making you laugh — which we haven't been able to do very effectively lately."
4. Anytime Bill O'Reily Comes on the Show
The polar opposite people in the same building leads to incredible debate and great hilarity.
3. When he hosted the 2008 Academy Awards
Not technically on his show, but the manner in which he faced the mirror towards Hollywood while still making it funny in the wake of the writer's strike is too good to leave off the list.
Does this town need a hug? What happened? All I can say is thank god for teen pregnancy. They needed that kind of light hearted affair.
2. Guantanamo Baywatch
No words. I don't know why I love this so much, but I do.
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1. The Game Changing Speech about the Confederate Flag
His moving speech in a segment entitled "Huh, I Guess It Is Pretty F*****' Weird That We Fly A Flag In Honor Of A Pro-Slavery Secessionist Army" is my all time favorite. You should really read or watch the whole thing.
"...a small part of a much larger problem. Ideally, this debate is only the start of a longer conversation addressing the kind of institutional and systemic racism that we have yet to disassemble that continues to this very day."
Along with many more speeches, opinions, jokes and monologues, too many to list.
