Join or Sign In

Continue with Facebook Continue with email

By joining TV Guide, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy.

Jon Stewart Biography

Birth Name:Jonathan Stuart Leibowitz

Birth Place:New York City, New York, United States

Profession Actor, Producer, Writer, Soundtrack, Director

Fast Facts

Won two Television Critics Association Awards for outstanding achievement in news and information in 2003 and 2005, beating out all traditional news shows in the same category
Received Peabody Awards for coverage of the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections on "The Daily Show․"
Graduated from the College of William and Mary with a degree in psychology in 1984
Became the host of MTV's first talk show, "The Jon Stewart Show," in the early 1990s after years as a stand-up comic in Manhattan
Worked as a stock boy, a puppeteer for the State of New Jersey and a mosquito tester in the New Jersey Pine Barrens before becoming a comedian
Quote: "Liberal and conservative have lost their meaning in America․ I represent the distracted center․"
Quote: "The [more] you spend time with the political [world] and media, the less political you become and the more viscerally upset you become at corruption․"
Quote: "I'm not going to censor myself to comfort your ignorance․"
Became the co-creator and executive producer of "The Colbert Report" in 2005 and co-hosted the "Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear" with Stephen Colbert in 2010
Best known as the host and executive producer of "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart․"
Published "America (The Book): A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction" in 2004 and "Earth (The Book): A Visitor's Guide to the Human Race" in 2010
Proposed to his wife by creating a personalized crossword puzzle with the help of New York Times crossword editor Will Shortz
Roomed with future New York Congressman Anthony Weiner after graduating from college

Awards

1998OFTA Television Award-Best Guest Actor in a Cable Series: nominated
1999OFTA Television Award-Best Host or Performer in a Variety, Musical, or Comedy Series: nominated
2000OFTA Television Award-Best Host or Performer in a Variety, Musical, or Comedy Series: nominated
2001OFTA Television Award-Best Host or Performer in a Variety, Musical, or Comedy Series: nominated
2001OFTA Television Award-Best Host or Performer of a Variety, Musical, or Comedy Special: nominated
2001Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series: nominated
2001Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program: winner
2002OFTA Television Award-Best Host or Performer in a Variety, Musical, or Comedy Series: nominated
2002Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series: nominated
2002Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program: nominated
2002Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program: nominated
2003OFTA Television Award-Best Host or Performer in a Variety, Musical, or Comedy Series: nominated
2003Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program: nominated
2003Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series: winner
2003Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program: winner
2003TCA Award-Individual Achievement in Comedy: winner
2004Gold Derby TV Award-Variety Performer: nominated
2004OFTA Television Award-Best Host or Performer of a Variety, Musical, or Comedy Program: nominated
2004Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program: winner
2004Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series: winner
2004TCA Award-Individual Achievement in Comedy: nominated
2005Gold Derby TV Award-Variety Performer: nominated
2005OFTA Television Award-Best Host or Performer of a Variety, Musical, or Comedy Program: winner
2005Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program: winner
2005Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program: nominated
2005Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series: winner
2005TCA Award-Individual Achievement in Comedy: winner
2006Gold Derby TV Award-Variety Performer: nominated
2006OFTA Television Award-Best Host or Performer in a Miscellaneous Series or Special: nominated
2006Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program: winner
2006Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series: nominated
2006Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series: winner
2006TCA Award-Individual Achievement in Comedy: nominated
2007Astra Award-Favourite International Personality or Actor: nominated
2007Gold Derby TV Award-Variety Performer: nominated
2007OFTA Television Award-Best Host or Performer of a Variety, Musical, or Comedy Program: nominated
2007Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program: nominated
2007Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series: nominated
2007Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program: nominated
2007Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series: winner
2007TCA Award-Individual Achievement in Comedy: nominated
2007WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety - (Including Talk) Series: nominated
2008OFTA Television Award-Best Host or Performer of a Variety, Musical, or Comedy Program: winner
2008PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Competition Television: winner
2008Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program: nominated
2008Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series: nominated
2008Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series: winner
2008WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series: nominated
2009BAFTA TV Award-Best International: nominated
2009Gold Derby TV Award-Variety Performer: nominated
2009OFTA Television Award-Best Host or Performer of a Variety, Musical, or Comedy Program: nominated
2009PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Competition Television: winner
2009Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Series: winner
2009Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series: nominated
2009Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series: winner
2009WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety - (Including Talk) Series: nominated
2010Dorian Award-Savage Wit of the Year: nominated
2010Gold Derby TV Award-Variety Performance of the Decade: nominated
2010OFTA Television Award-Best Male Performance in a Fiction Program: winner
2010PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Competition Television: winner
2010Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series: winner
2010Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series: nominated
2010Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Series: nominated
2010WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety - (Including Talk) Series: winner
2011Dorian Award-Wilde Wit of the Year: nominated
2011OFTA Television Award-Best Male Performance in a Fiction Program: nominated
2011PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Competition Television: winner
2011Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Series: nominated
2011Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Series: winner
2011Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Series: winner
2011TCA Award-Individual Achievement in Comedy: nominated
2011WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series: nominated
2012OFTA Television Award-Best Male Performance in a Fiction Program: winner
2012PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Talk Television: winner
2012Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series: winner
2012Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Variety Series: nominated
2012Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Variety Series: winner
2012WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series: nominated
2013OFTA Television Award-Best Male Performance in a Fiction Program: nominated
2013PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Talk Television: winner
2013Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Variety Series: nominated
2013Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Variety Series: winner
2013Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series: nominated
2013WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series: nominated
2014OFTA Television Award-Best Male Performance in a Fiction Program: winner
2014PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Talk Television: winner
2014PFCS Award-Breakthrough Performance Behind the Camera: nominated
2014Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series: nominated
2014Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Variety Series: nominated
2014Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Variety Series: winner
2014WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series: nominated
2015Gold Derby TV Award-Variety Performer: nominated
2015OFTA Television Award-Best Male Performance in a Fiction Program: winner
2015PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Talk Television: nominated
2015Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Variety Talk Series: nominated
2015Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series: winner
2015Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Variety Talk Series: winner
2015WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series: nominated
2016PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Talk Television: nominated
2016WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety - Talk Series: nominated
2017Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Variety Talk Series: nominated
2018PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Talk Television: nominated
2018Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Variety Talk Series: nominated
2019PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Talk Television: nominated
2019Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Variety Talk Series: nominated
2020PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Talk Television: nominated
2020Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Variety Talk Series: nominated
2021Oglethorpe Award for Excellence in Georgia Cinema-: nominated
2021PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Talk Television: nominated
2021Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Variety Talk Series: nominated
2022Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Variety Talk Series: nominated
2022Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Nonfiction Program: nominated
2022Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series or Special: nominated
2022WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety Talk Series: nominated
2023PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment, Variety, Sketch, Standup & Talk Television: nominated
2023Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Talk Series: nominated
2023WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety Talk Series: nominated
2023WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety Specials: nominated
2024Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Talk Series: winner
2024Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Talk Series: nominated
2024Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series: nominated
2024Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Short Form Nonfiction or Reality Series: nominated
2024WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety Talk Series: nominated
2025Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Talk Series: winner
2025Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Talk Series: nominated
2025Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series: nominated
2025WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety Series – Talk or Sketch: nominated
2026WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety Series – Talk or Sketch: nominated