Who should replace Jon Stewart? Twitter knows.
When Jon Stewart leaves, social media has some intriguing ideas about who should take over on The Daily Show.
This Nov. 30, 2011 file photo shows television host Jon Stewart during a taping of "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" in New York. Comedy Central announced Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2015, that Stewart will will leave "The Daily Show" later this year.
Brad Barket/AP Photo/File
It’s official: After 16 years on the air, comedian Jon Stewart is leaving Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show.”
"Through his unique voice and vision, 'The Daily Show' has become a cultural touchstone for millions of fans and an unparalleled platform for political comedy that will endure for years to come," Comedy Central President Michele Ganeless said of Mr. Stewart in a statement.
The announcement stunned American viewers, many of whom have come to trust Stewart’s satirical newscast more than more serious sources, according to Forbes. In fact, a case could be made that Stewart is this generation's Walter Cronkite, who left the CBS anchor desk in 1981.
But as the public comes to accept Stewart’s inevitable departure, the question that looms: Who will replace him?
True to form, people took to Twitter with their suggestions – and the candidates range from the good, to the bad, to the downright absurd.
One idea is to get someone who has both experience in news reporting and now has time on his hands:
Another is that The Daily Show's current correspondents deserve a chance to shine.
Also among the most likely nominees are the established comedians.
There were those with more outlandish ideas, such as characters who don’t actually exist. After all, who better to do fake news than fake people (or aliens)?
Others thought only of themselves.
In the end, there were those who held on to the idea that no one could truly replace Jon Stewart... except, perhaps, Jon Stewart.