Satellite television programs exemplify the enormous influence of The Daily Show

Comedy Central’s The Daily Show has had a major impact on television, comedy, and society in general since Jon Stewart took over as host in 1999. Since then, the show has become one of the most popular shows on satellite TV, but more than that. , has also become one of the most influential shows of all time. Many people have been surprised and impressed with the level of power Jon Stewart has risen to, but part of the appeal of him is certainly that he has never been as self-centered as so many other TV show hosts. Stewart effortlessly pokes fun at the likes of Bill O’Reilly, Shepard Smith, and Glenn Beck, while also providing the viewer with valuable perspective on today’s major political events and social trends.

The Daily Show has been so successful that it inspired a spin-off show, The Colbert Report, hosted by Stephen Colbert, a former Daily Show correspondent. Stewart and Colbert have a healthy rivalry, which they make the most of on television. Their satellite TV audiences love to watch these two brilliant comedians battle it out, but both men don’t just want to entertain audiences, they want to educate them too. Both Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert have published several humorous but informative books on politics and history. In 2006 Stewart published America: A Citizen’s Guide to Democracy Inaction, a year later in 2007 Colbert published I Am America (And So Can You!) and in late 2010 Stewart published Earth: A Visitor’s Guide to the Human Race. These books have sold millions of copies in large part because both Stewart and Colbert fans who tune in to his satellite TV shows are so enamored with them. The popularity of these two hosts is so great that they even held a joint mock political rally in Washington DC called “The Rally to Restore Sanity/And Fear”, which brought together around a quarter of a million people to talk about politics.

In addition to encouraging young people to be politically active, the influence of the Jon Stewart show has allowed numerous comedians to build successful careers by starting out on The Daily Show. As you browse through the satellite TV channels, you’ll come across various TV shows and movies that feature central characters played by Daily Show alumni. On NBC’s hit show The Office, the main character, Michael, is played by none other than Steve Carell, a former Daily Show correspondent who worked with the show for five years. Similarly, Ed Helms, who was a correspondent on the show for four years, until he also graduated and became a regular cast member on The Office. These are just two of the big names who got their start on the amazing Jon Stewart Show, and many more correspondents have gone on to other TV and movie projects as well. To really understand how important The Daily Show has been in society, you can watch several funny movies and shows on satellite TV that include great performances from the show’s alumni.