Jon Stewart

Today is Jon Stewart's 44th birthday and I offer a hearty and hale "Happy birthday!" to the Daily Show funny man. I don't agree with much of Stewart's politics (though I do agree that Tucker Carlson is an empty gong signifying nothing). That doesn't mean I don't enjoy his humor. Stewart signed an extension to his Daily Show contract back in March of 2004 that should keep him on the air until at least 2008 (assuming he doesn't move on to bigger things like taking over for David Letterman when Letterman decides to call it quits).

David Caruso used to be the butt of all career suicide jokes but with Caruso doing his lifeless acting on CSI Miami and getting well paid to do it - I think Craig Kilborn should now be the benchmark against which all poor show business career choices are made. When Kilborn left the Daily Show in 1999 - Jon Stewart took over. Now Jon Stewart is a household name while Kilborn is a distant memory. And for that Craig Kilborn - I thank you.

Jon Stewart and the Daily Show also provided us with what I think is the best summation of the Kerry campaign for President in 2004. After a Kerry appearance on the Daily Show (his only live TV appearance during the final months of the campaign) - Dana Stevens at Slate summarized the appearance thusly:

Kerry's charisma was less than zero: It was negative. He was a charm vacuum, forced to actually borrow mojo from audience members. He was a dessicated husk, a tin man who really didn't have a heart. His lack of vibrancy, his utter dearth of sex appeal made Al Gore look like Charo. . . .

That was Kerry in a nutshell.

And now for your moment of Zen. Jon Stewart interviewing Emma Bunton and Victoria Beckham (two of the Spice Girls) in one of the best moments of the show.