Fans of Jon Stewart will no longer have to rely on impromptu late-night appearances in order to get their comedic fix. HBO announced Wednesday that Stewart will star in a stand-up special, his first HBO presentation since the 1996 special “Jon Stewart: Unleavened.”
“We’re excited to bring Jon to the network with this pair of specials,” president of HBO programming Casey Bloys said in a statement. “We’ve all missed his uniquely thoughtful brand of humor.” Stewart will also appear in HBO's “Night Of Too Many Stars,” a live broadcast telethon benefitting autism charities scheduled for November 18. No date for his solo stand-up special has been announced.
“I’m really thrilled to be able to return to stand-up on HBO,” Stewart added in the statement. ”They’ve always set the standard for great stand-up specials. Plus, I can finally use up the last of the Saddam Hussein jokes left over from my first special.”
Stewart's upcoming show will be his first solo appearance since his hosting days of "The Daily Show." The comedian has briefly shown his face — and scruffy beard — on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," but he has yet to offer his fans a full performance.
His retirement could not have come at a more inopportune time, as President Donald Trump and the feckless GOP have taken over the government. He was set to produce an animated political program for HBO this year, but the technology needed for the show was not yet ready.
Stewart, who was a regular of New York City's Comedy Cellar before he segued to TV, has done a few stand-up shows after he left "The Daily Show." Last November he performed a routine at an event honoring veterans and their families. Stewart joked that Trump probably won America's last election.
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