- You know, this might become
a surprise to many of you. I didn't prepare a speech. (audience laughing) but that's not because I didn't care. In fact, it's because I cared so much. If you could imagine sitting down and trying to write
something about someone, that you feel so much about, the way I feel about
Jon is very difficult. I won this prize two years
ago, and I've imagined Jon that this is a surreal experience. I imagine you probably
didn't even give a **** 'till last night. (audience laughing) And then last night you saw
all your friends gathering. You saw everyone dressed nice, and you realized you were
still alive to see this. It's like getting a
preview to your funeral. (audience laughing) In our line of work, context is everything. And me and Jon have a
very unlikely friendship. The context of that friendship happened in a comedy club in New York city. Jon being 10 years, my senior, I was 17. The first time I saw Jon Stewart right before he walked in the
door, I heard two waitresses at the club talking about
how handsome he was. And then they go, oh
my God, there he goes. And I looked over and
I said, he's all right. (audience laughing) - [Jon] So what happened was at night, I would go to the comedy cellar, and they'd put me on as
the last guy, every night. There's 6 billion people in the world. You can't make 6 billion,
anything without some of them being very ******* up,
open up a bag of potato chips. What are there 40 in there at least five of them are ******* burnt
and bent over and... ******* - [Jon] It's the slot
that they give someone that for some reason they think, let's just see
what happens to this guy. - The thing I remember
being 17 in an adult world trying to make something to
myself is how kind he was. People like Jon made me feel safer. He's a friendly guy. Now the early part of any
comedian's career is embarrassing in hindsight, because so many
of us imitate our influences or try on different
personalities to see what works. But Jon has been been
the same since the very first time I met him. Nice and present. In 1999, he got The Daily Show, that show languished for
three years before he got it. No disrespect to Craig Kilborn,
but you know what I mean? Yuck. (audience laughing) It was like the body
of the show was there. But when Jon got the show, it had a soul. It made people take notice. And in 2002, suddenly,
somehow he became the most popular news show on television. Actually, I know how
he had a good lead in, Chappelle's Show. (audience clapping) In that context, it was post 9/11. My career was the first time
that I can really remember that there was a stove too hot to touch. No comedian was allowed
to talk about the war, or Janet Jackson's titty
coming out the super bowl. You remember that you remember
that memo that went around. (audience laughing) As we've all learned in our lives. Wartime is crazy in America. They do what Noam Chomsky
called manufacture consent. And the news was off the chain. And Jon was the only
voice that helped people decipher that madness. It was a really remarkable thing to watch. - We told you that it
wasn't gonna go so well. Yes, we called it shock and awe, but we meant that in the way of you'll be shocked at
how it doesn't go so well. And that will make you say, oh. - He's been a great friend to me. I'm not here because I love Jon Stewart. I'm here because he loves me. (audience laughing) Because there's never been a time that I called on him and
asked him for his help that he wasn't the first
responder when it was half baked. And I was doing my first movie and I needed a celebrity lift Jon was the first one to say Well **** it, I'll do it. (audience laughing) I didn't even know if you smoke weed. You seem like a coke guy. (audience laughing) The city close to where
I lived Dayton, Ohio had a terrible mass shooting. Nine people were killed
and I called my friends and they all pulled up. But Jon, you were the
first one that said, oh I'll be there. And just days after that massacre,
we took that neighborhood and made a much better memory for them. They saw love and support
from voices that they trust. When we were on Comedy Central, I picked the brand of irreverence I said, I'll touch everything
they say I can't touch. But Jon's voice became one
that was synonymous with trust. And he left right before
the Trump administration, the most cynical time
in American politics. The time when nobody trusts
our media, where a guy like Donald Trump can just say fake news. And you say, **** it, I just believe this orange head guy. And we missed you very much. (audience clapping) During the pandemic. When my town was dying and I needed to help raise
money to get the economy of the town straight, Jon
was the first responder. He was terrified of COVID
and he got on a plane anyway after his friends had died
and he lost loved ones he had the courage to get on a plane. He came out and met me and we did shows that whole weekend and
every comic who came out there had been off for
at least a hundred nights. They were all nervous. And they were all scared. Except for Jon. Jon did 25 minutes off the rip because he
had something to say, because he actually means what he says, because he actually
thinks about what he says. A lot of comics will take this genre for granted the younger comics. They do what I call wokes. They're not jokes. They don't know the difference between a good point and a good joke. Jon is very true to the muse. He takes a good point and
he makes a good joke of it. Jon it is a miracle to watch you work. You are a cure to what ails our culture. You are a voice that
people consistently trust. I wish that you'd run for president. (audience clapping) But I imagine that would be
hard for a coke guy to do. (audience laughing) When you started your
career, you never imagined that you would reach a point like this. And the Mark Twain prize might feel like a finish line or an end to a movie. It is not. It is a starter gun. You are still young. You are still strong. You are still funny. And I do not have the words to
say in front of these people how much I love you and
how much I respect you, but just know whenever you call on me, I will come because you have been one of the greatest friends
that I've made in 35 years. Congratulations. I'm honored
that you got this award. (audience clapping) I'm sorry, I got it before you, (audience laughing) but I'm your lucky lead in. Jon Stewart, ladies and gentlemen. (audience clapping) - Thank you baby. I can't thank you enough. - I love you man. - Thank you - I love you. (fast music)
Hard for a coke guy to run as President? Our UK PM just had surgery on his nose.
It is a well-known fact that those people who must want to rule people are, ipso facto, those least suited to do it... anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job.
Douglas Adams
Damn, that was a hell of a speech
The points he makes about Jon cutting through the bullshit post 9/11, how we missed him sorely during the trump administration & "you are a cure for what ails our culture" were my fav parts. I need like a box set of TDS or something even if the material is only relevant for that period of time
I’m more surprised Jon Stewart hadn’t been given the Mark Twain prize until now. He seems like the prototype for that award.
Wow, that was really nice! very moving.
I miss Jon Stewart so much.
I miss the Daily Show so much
Heartfelt message