"The Daily Show" has made host Jon Stewart into a pop-culture icon.
In Stewart's path to success, he has also helped a lot of other people launch their careers.
"The Daily Show" pulled many comedians out of obscurity.
After their time on the Comedy Central show has ended, former correspondents starred in and wrote movies and TV shows. Others hosted their own late night shows, taking what Stewart likely taught them and turning it into their own unique thing.
Thursday, August 4 marks Jon Stewart's final episode of "The Daily Show." Once his tenure ends, nobody knows what exactly he will do (though a return to stand-up seems very likely). No matter what he ends up doing, his legacy and influence will be seen in all the future comedy stars he helped find.
Here are some of the biggest stars that found success on "The Daily Show," and where you can find them today:
THEN: Stephen Colbert was a correspondent from 1997 through 2005. While he started while Craig Kilborn was still host, it was during Stewart's tenure he really developed the distinct character which defined his comedy career. As a correspondent, Colbert covered a variety of topics and even filled in as anchor for Stewart on a few occasions.
NOW: Colbert took on the ignorant persona he developed on "The Daily Show" and turned it into political satire gold on "The Colbert Report". Starting September 8, he will be the new host of "The Late Show" on CBS.
Colbert has also written three books and has also hosted the White House Correspondents Dinner in 2006. His bashing of both the Bush Administration and the press immediately went viral.
THEN: After many years at Chicago's famed Second City, Steve Carell got his big comedy break as a "Daily Show" correspondent. He was best known for his "Produce Pete" segment, as well as "Even Stevphen," where he faced off with Stephen Colbert on a variety of pressing issues.
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