<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><div><span></span></div><div><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><div><span></span></div><div><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><div><span></span></div><div><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><div><span></span></div><div><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><div><span></span></div><div><div>Courtesy of today's (February 11, 2015) Spokesman-Review.</div><div><br></div><div>--------------------------------------</div><div><h1 style="margin: 0px 0px 10px; clear: both; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; line-height: 1.2; font-size: 28px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(17, 17, 17);">Jon Stewart to leave ‘The Daily Show’</h1><p style="margin-bottom: 21px; overflow: visible !important;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><strong style="overflow: visible !important;">Jon Stewart</strong>, who turned his biting and free-wheeling humor into an unlikely source of news and analysis for viewers of “The Daily Show,” will leave as host this year, Comedy Central said Tuesday. </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 21px; overflow: visible !important;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">His departure was announced by Comedy Central President <strong style="overflow: visible !important;">Michele Ganeless </strong>after Stewart, host of the show since 1999, broke the news to the audience at Tuesday’s taping in New York.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 21px; overflow: visible !important;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Ganeless called Stewart, 52, a “comic genius.” He will remain as host until later this year, she said, but did not specify his exit date or what led to his decision. </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 21px; overflow: visible !important;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Stewart’s influence is seen in the work of <strong style="overflow: visible !important;">Stephen Colbert</strong>, <strong style="overflow: visible !important;">John Oliver </strong>and <strong style="overflow: visible !important;">Larry Wilmore</strong>, who went on to earn shows of their own. Other “Daily Show” alumni include <strong style="overflow: visible !important;">Steve Carell</strong>, <strong style="overflow: visible !important;">Ed Helms</strong>, <strong style="overflow: visible !important;">Josh Gad </strong>and new “Saturday Night Live” Weekend Update anchor <strong style="overflow: visible !important;">Michael Che</strong>. </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 21px; overflow: visible !important;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Stewart leaves a substantial void for Comedy Central, which has no heir apparent to replace him – unless Oliver bolts his HBO show to return to the fold. </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 21px; overflow: visible !important;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">For political junkies who depended on Stewart for his acumen as well as comic relief, the 2016 presidential election may be looking bleak. </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 21px; overflow: visible !important;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Reaction was swift from Stewart’s past targets as well as admirers. </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 21px; overflow: visible !important;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Just had the honor of being the great Jon Stewart’s guest (on ‘The Daily Show’), where he announced he’s leaving. Emotional night,” <strong style="overflow: visible !important;">David Axelrod</strong>, former adviser to President Barack Obama, posted on Twitter. </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 21px; overflow: visible !important;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Stewart’s departure represents a second big blow for Comedy Central: Colbert left “The Colbert Report” last year to take over for CBS late-night host <strong style="overflow: visible !important;">David Letterman </strong>when he retires in May. </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 21px; overflow: visible !important;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Wilmore’s “The Nightly Show” replaced Colbert’s show. </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 21px; overflow: visible !important;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Stewart and Colbert shows created templates for a comedic form that offered laughs along with trenchant political and social satire. Authors and politicians were as common as Hollywood celebrities on the self-described “fake news” programs. </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 21px; overflow: visible !important;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Stewart took a several-months-long hiatus in 2013 to direct “Rosewater,” a well-reviewed film about an Iranian-born journalist who was imprisoned for 118 days in Tehran and accused of being a spy. The Comedy Central statement did not indicate what his plans are after leaving. </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 21px; overflow: visible !important;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">In a November interview with the Associated Press for “Rosewater,” Stewart was asked about his future with the Comedy Central show. He replied that the format he works in doesn’t matter. </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 21px; overflow: visible !important;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“It’s a journey. It’s a conversation,” he said. “One thing I won’t do is write music or sing.” </span></p></div><div>--------------------------------------</div><div><br></div><div><div data-block="true" data-offset-key="eld43-0-0" class="_209g _2vxa" data-reactid=".y.1:3:1:$comment10152803911333585_10152803974208585:0.0.$right.0.0.0.0.1.0.0.1.0.$eld43" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="eld43-0-0" data-reactid=".y.1:3:1:$comment10152803911333585_10152803974208585:0.0.$right.0.0.0.0.1.0.0.1.0.$eld43.0:$eld43-0-0" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Closing comments by Jon Stewart at the "Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear", held in </span></div><div data-block="true" data-offset-key="3sqk-0-0" class="_209g _2vxa" data-reactid=".y.1:3:1:$comment10152803911333585_10152803974208585:0.0.$right.0.0.0.0.1.0.0.1.0.$3sqk" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="3sqk-0-0" data-reactid=".y.1:3:1:$comment10152803911333585_10152803974208585:0.0.$right.0.0.0.0.1.0.0.1.0.$3sqk.0:$3sqk-0-0" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Washington, DC, on October 30, 2010.</span></div><div data-block="true" data-offset-key="d9a5v-0-0" class="_209g _2vxa" data-reactid=".y.1:3:1:$comment10152803911333585_10152803974208585:0.0.$right.0.0.0.0.1.0.0.1.0.$d9a5v" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="d9a5v-0-0" data-reactid=".y.1:3:1:$comment10152803911333585_10152803974208585:0.0.$right.0.0.0.0.1.0.0.1.0.$d9a5v.0:$d9a5v-0-0" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br data-reactid=".y.1:3:1:$comment10152803911333585_10152803974208585:0.0.$right.0.0.0.0.1.0.0.1.0.$d9a5v.0:$d9a5v-0-0.0"></span></div><div data-block="true" data-offset-key="196ah-0-0" class="_209g _2vxa" data-reactid=".y.1:3:1:$comment10152803911333585_10152803974208585:0.0.$right.0.0.0.0.1.0.0.1.0.$196ah" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="196ah-0-0" data-reactid=".y.1:3:1:$comment10152803911333585_10152803974208585:0.0.$right.0.0.0.0.1.0.0.1.0.$196ah.0:$196ah-0-0" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><a href="http://www.TomandRodna.com/Sounds/JonStewart_Closing_103010.mp3">http://www.TomandRodna.com/Sounds/JonStewart_Closing_103010.mp3</a></span></div><br><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Seeya 'round town, Moscow, because . . .</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"Moscow Cares"</span></div><div><a href="http://www.moscowcares.com/" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000">http://www.MoscowCares.com</font></a></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></div><div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Tom Hansen</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Moscow, Idaho</span></div></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div>"<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I don't care about wealth. What seems to be upsetting is institutionalizing the advantages that wealth gives you."</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">- Jon Stewart </span></div><br></div></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>