Angry Optimist: The Life and Times of Jon Stewart

Born Jonathan Stuart Leibowitz, Jon Stewart enjoyed the typical middle-class life in suburban New Jersey. He learned from an early age that despite his small stature, his humor could ward off the bullies. He was class clown and a troublemaker, but he excelled at soccer, even attending college on a sports scholarship. But after graduation at age 24, the late-night host headed to New York City to pursue his dream of being a stand-up comic. For seven years, Stewart suffered the usual indignities that new comics suffer, until MTV came knocking. The Jon Stewart Show debuted in 1993, and when it was canceled, Stewart moved to L.A., where he acted in films until he landed The Daily Show hosting gig in 1999. Rogak, author of biographies of Stephen Colbert, Stephen King, and others, sheds light on Stewart's personal life, what goes on behind the scenes at The Daily Show, how the show evolved from Stewart talking about the absurdity of current events to it becoming a major liberal voice in the United States, and where the TV host is headed next (directing).