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| Jon Stewart mini-bio:The career of comedian/talk show host Jon Stewart (born Jon Stewart Leibowitz) has been filled with critical praise but is absent of the kind of widespread success that his talents suggest. A graduated of College of William and Mary, Stewart held several mundane jobs until a stint as a puppeteer performing for children convinced him to go into standup comedy. Moving to New York, the comedian spent several years on the comedy circuit before landing a job as the host of Comedy Central's Short Attention Span Theatre. After leaving the cable network, Stewart spent a brief stint hosting MTV's ill-fated You Wrote It, You Watch It series before landing a job as the network's first talk show host. Premiering in 1993, The Jon Stewart Show became a hit with the college crowd, due mainly to Stewart's self-effacing humor,quick wit, and ridiculous antics, such as sitting on William Shatner's lap and playing ping-pong with Gabriella Sabatini. The show became syndicated in 1994, and although it garnered critical praise in publications such as the Village Voice and New York Magazine, Stewart's off-beat brand of humor and penchant for the obscure didn't catch on with middle-American viewers, and the show was eventually canceled. The comedian has since found success and added critical acclaim as host of Comedy Central's The Daily Show. His combination of biting critical humor and giggly self effacement made him an icon, and in 2006 he was well received as host of the Academy Awards. | | Full Name: | Jonathan Stuart Leibowitz
Most sources incorrectly list Jon's middle name as Stewart. It is confirmed that Stuart is the correct spelling. |
Eye color: |
Blue |
Height:
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5' 6" (1.68 m) | | Nickname(s): | - Lefty
- Soupy
- Poochy
Susceptible Boy
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Education:
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Yeshiva Kindergarten
Public schools thereafter
Graduated from Lawrence High School in 1980. Graduated third in his class and "barely studied" according to his best friend [US Magazine 2/99 "Heeeere's Jonny!" by Chris Smith]
College
Attended College of William and Mary in Virginia
Originally majored in Chemistry
Changed majors after two years to Psychology
Played on the soccer team (wing)
Was briefly a member of a fraternity. Quit after six months, in part because he did not agree with the hazing. [San Francisco Chronicle, 4/23/02, "Comic Release 'Daily Show' Host Jon Stewart is King of Irony," by Jane Ganahl]
About William and Mary, says, "I was miserable there." [San Diego Union-Tribune, 1/31/94, "Watch Out, Conan; Heeeeeeeere's Jon!" by Phil Rosenthal]
Graduated in 1984 with a B.A. in Psychology
After graduation, required surgery to repair a hernia and knee due to injuries sustained playing soccer for William and Mary. [TV Guide (large edition) 12/11/99, "The Cat in the Hats," by David Handelman.
The College of William and Mary soccer team still gives out an award called the "Liebo", named after Jon's birth name of "Liebowitz". It is given to the clown/sweetheart of the team. |
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| | Votes: | Was voted the second funniest person in America by Entertainment Weekly in 2004, behind Chris Rock |
Family:
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Parents:
Donald Leibowitz, Physicist
Marian Leibowitz, Educational Consultant (former elementary special education teacher)
Siblings:
- Larry Leibowitz, older brother
- Two younger half-brothers (on father's side) [TV Guide (large edition) 12/11/99 "The Cat in the - Hats," by David Handelman]
Spouse:
Tracey Lynn Stewart (formerly Tracey McShane)
Publicly announced engagement on June 1999.
Married since approximately November 1999
Children:
Nathan Thomas Stewart July 3, 2006
Maggie Rose Stewart Feb 4, 2006 |
Resides in: |
Downtown Manhattan, New York |
On why he "loves the Daily Show" 1996:
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It saves me from sitting at home in my underwear screaming at the television set. If I didn't do this show I'd be the crazy guy at the bar sitting at the corner screaming "He doesn't know shit about what he's talking about!" That's the reason I do it. [January, 2003]. |
Personal interests/hobbies:
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Enjoys crossword puzzles
Loves video games
Basketball Team: NY Knicks
Baseball Team: NY Mets (also frequently photographed wearing a Giants cap)
Musician: Tom Waits
Ice Cream: Mint Chocolate Chip |
A few things you may not know about Jon Stewart:
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- He once worked as a live mosquito
- New Jersey's health department, he couldn't hold down a late-night TV hosting gig in the mid '90s, and every year his alma mater honors him by handing out the "Leibo Award" to the funniest member of the men's soccer team (in tribute to Jon's original last name).
- Made his first television appearance as a child on a local Philadelphia children's show "Captain Noah and His Magical Ark". He appeared as a trumpet player for "The Lawrence Stage Band".
- After graduating college, he drifted between numerous jobs including busboy in a Mexican restaurant. His production company, Busboy Productions, is a reference to this job.
- 1st Standup Joke: What do they call lunch hour in the diamond district when all the Hasidim are causing a traffic jam in the streets? Yidlock.
- Nicknamed "Susceptible Boy" while working at The Jon Stewart Show due to his propensity for catching colds and sinus infections.
- Took all the Mirrors down from his office at the Daily Show immediately after taking over for Craig Kilborn.
- Has a gumballl machine in his office. Chews gum as "cigarette substitute."
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AWARDS AND ACCOLADES
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Won 10 Primetime Emmys.. Another 3 wins & 19 nominations
"Best Sense of Humor," Lawrence High School Yearbook, 1980
One of "Hot New Artists of the '90's," New York Post
One of "People Magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People", 1999
2000 George Foster Peabody Award for "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart: Indecision 2000"
"America's Best Talk Show Host," Time Magazine, July 9, 2001
Emmy Nomination for "Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series," as Co-Executive Producer of "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart"
Emmy for "Outstanding Writing in a Variety, Music or Comedy Series," as one of the writers of "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
"Cutest Celebrity on Show," by female staff members of celebrity edition of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire.
Hosted the Academy Awards(February 2006) for the first time. |
Habits:
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- Workaholic
- Insomniac
- Hypochondriac
- Former chain smoker (quit cold turkey on 12/28/2000)
- Social drinker
- Used to use pot
- Modest (a recent Google search
- revealed 198 web pages containing both the terms "Jon Stewart" and "self-deprecating")
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Jon the Author:
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America (The Book): A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction.
Naked Pictures of Famous People | | |
Swordfishtrombone99posted 97 days ago
