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LA Times, The Guardian

Jon Stewart Announces End Date for His Run on ‘The Daily Show’ — and Reveals Why He’s Leaving

Apr 21, 2015  •  Post A Comment

Jon Stewart has set the date when he will end his 16-year run on Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show.” The Los Angeles Times reports that Stewart’s last show as host will be televised Aug. 6.

As we reported last month, South African comedian Trevor Noah will take over after Stewart’s exit.

Stewart announced the date on Monday’s installment of the show, the Times notes. As part of the announcement, Stewart quipped: “I will be wearing a suit. I will more than likely be showered. I’m hoping that you will join us for that program.”

The Times adds: “His is the latest high-profile retirement in the world of late night, following the departures of Jay Leno and Craig Ferguson last year. David Letterman will also step down later this year, to be succeeded by Stewart’s friend and former Comedy Central colleague Stephen Colbert.”

In an interview with the U.K. publication The Guardian, Stewart talked about his decision to leave “The Daily Show.”

Stewart told the publication the decision didn’t come all at once: “Life doesn’t really work that way, with a finger pointing at you out of the sky, saying, ‘Leave now!’ That only happens when you’re fired, and trust me, I know about that.”

But Stewart made clear that the thrill was gone, telling The Guardian: “It’s not like I thought the show wasn’t working any more, or that I didn’t know how to do it. It was more, ‘Yup, it’s working. But I’m not getting the same satisfaction.’”

He added: “These things are cyclical. You have moments of dissatisfaction, and then you come out of it and it’s OK. But the cycles become longer and maybe more entrenched, and that’s when you realize, ‘OK, I’m on the back side of it now.’”

But why leave the politically oriented show just as a presidential election is on the horizon? Oddly enough, the election cycle may have helped fuel Stewart’s decision.

“I’d covered an election four times, and it didn’t appear that there was going to be anything wildly different about this one,” he told The Guardian.

Stewart added: “Honestly, it was a combination of the limitations of my brain and a format that is geared towards following an increasingly redundant process, which is our political process. I was just thinking, ‘Are there other ways to skin this cat?’ And, beyond that, it would be nice to be home when my little elves get home from school, occasionally.”

Click here for a taste of Stewart’s replacement, Trevor Noah, doing standup.

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