It is a fantastic year to run a satirical cable news program on television. Last Week Tonight with John Oliver and Jon Stewart’s revamped The Daily Show both earned awards at the 2024 Emmys. As America reaches crunchtime on the presidential election, this will hopefully energize their staff members with a boost of confidence heading into the endgame.
Jon Stewart Winning Out of Retirement
Jon Stewart’s first year back hosting Comedy Central’s The Daily Show wowed Television Academy voters. He picked up the statue for Outstanding Talk Series at last Sunday’s 76th Annual Emmy Awards. But the new old host is no stranger to acceptance speeches. Stewart ran an oft-rewarded telecast in his day. Before his original hosting retirement, The Daily Show’s previous iteration had been nominated for 60 Emmys, winning 23.
Any Comedy Central fan who grew up during the Bush presidency can recall the cultural significance of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Stewart and his team of improv performers, standup comedians, and comedy writers pumped out world-class jokes about current events every day. As they impersonated cable news, the team rejuvenated political satire for a young American audience. In doing so, they became a somewhat efficient way of digesting the day’s headlines, always served with a hefty dollop of farcical commentary.
John Oliver: A Worthy Awards Successor
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As one of Jon Stewart’s more successful protégés and the heir apparent to his brand of comedic punditry, John Oliver also took home an award on Sunday. He accepted the trophy for Outstanding Scripted Variety Show, beating out Saturday Night Live.
His HBO show Last Week Tonight with John Oliver has garnered tremendous critical acclaim in its ten-year run. Once a prominent Daily Show with Jon Stewart correspondent, Oliver followed his mentor’s lead when he departed from Comedy Central.
The path of a Daily Show graduate is not clear-cut. While Stephen Colbert and Samantha Bee pursued their hosting gigs, Steve Carrell became an Academy Award-nominated movie star. But, Oliver – playing to his strengths – moved on to expand upon the skills he honed working at The Daily Show.
Putting his spin on the comedy news show format, Oliver and his writers capitalize on their weekly schedule to dig deep and research their pieces. Last Week Tonight, though often hilarious, tackles investigative reporting with a surprisingly deft touch. The Television Academy has awarded this dedication several times, honoring the program with 67 nominations and 30 wins.
Final Thoughts
It’s not all a frolic through the meadow for the British comedian, however. In a suitably on-brand tragicomic circumstance, the orchestra started to play as John Oliver marked the passing of his beloved family dog in his acceptance speech. “We had to say goodbye to her. I feel like Sarah McLaughlin right now. She was an amazing dog.” After the loss of such a crucial long-term partner, we can be glad that he still has Jon Stewart to see him through the foreseeable future.
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