Jon Stewart, host of The Daily Show and a pioneer in modern political satire, turned 50 yesterday.
Born Jonathan Stuart Leibowitz to a Jewish family in New York, Stewart is one of the country’s most successful— and arguably influential—comedians. The Daily Show, which airs on Comedy Central, surged in popularity under his leadership and to date, it’s picked up some 16 Emmy awards.
Stewart was profiled by Moment in its 200 November-December issue, where you can read about his low-budget bar mitzvah, the English teacher that inspired him, and his thwarted dreams of professional soccer.