Jon Stewart

TV Personality

Name at birth: Jonathan Stuart Leibowitz

Jon Stewart has been the host of Comedy Central's comedy and news show The Daily Show with Jon Stewart since 1999. A former stand-up comedian known for his biting sarcasm, Stewart began hosting television shows in 1989, beginning with Short Attention Span Theater. Before Stewart's gig on The Daily Show he hosted You Wrote It, You Watch It (1992) and The Jon Stewart Show (1993-95), and appeared several times in HBO's The Larry Sanders Show (1992-2001). He has also appeared in small roles in the movies, including Half Baked (1998), The Faculty (1998, starring Elijah Wood) and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001).

Extra credit: Stewart hosted the Academy Awards in 2006 and 2008. Chris Rock hosted the 2005 edition of the show; Ellen Degeneres had the job in 2007.