Ep 1. Premier Episode

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart premiered in 1996 as a satirical news program that poked fun at the daily headlines. Season 1, episode 1, titled “Premier Episode,” was no exception.

The show began with an introduction of Stewart, the new host, who took over from Craig Kilborn. Stewart described himself as a “fool” who would be guiding viewers through the news alongside his correspondent team. He then dove right into the headlines of the day, which included stories about the Clinton/Dole presidential race, the game of chess becoming more popular due to the Cold War, and a new “healthy” cigarette.

Throughout the episode, Stewart and his correspondents used satire and humor to comment on these news stories. For example, while discussing the Clinton/Dole race, correspondent Brian Unger compared Dole to “the ex-president from The Simpsons,” while also making fun of Clinton’s saxophone skills. Unger also went on to discuss conspiracy theories about Ross Perot, who was also running for president at the time.

Stewart himself made fun of the news cycle, remarking at one point, “We all know that it takes about 24 hours to produce a fresh news cycle, so we’ll all have to wait and see what happens tomorrow.”

One of the more memorable segments of the episode was an interview with comedian Denis Leary. The interview, which took place on a couch positioned in front of what looked like a living room set, was equal parts humor and banter about Leary’s latest project. Leary made some jokes about drug testing, noted that he’d been “kissing a lot of babies lately,” and even sang a song about his love for cigarettes.

Another highlight of the episode was when correspondent Stephen Colbert donned a pith helmet and went on a safari in New York City to investigate the “big-game hunters” who were sneaking into the city to hunt for rats. The segment was shot in a mockumentary style, complete with interviews with “hunters” and footage of Colbert running through alleyways while dramatic music played in the background.

Other correspondent segments included a piece on “fuzzy math” in politics (which involved skits with stuffed animals) and a feature called “The Sport of Kings,” which poked fun at polo and featured correspondent Steve Carell wearing a ridiculous outfit while playing the sport.

As the episode ended, Stewart signed off by saying, “Thanks for joining us on this, our maiden voyage. You may have noticed that we didn’t solve any of the world’s problems tonight, but don’t worry – we’ll get to that eventually.”

Overall, the premier episode of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart set the tone for what would become an iconic show in the years to come. The show’s mix of humor and satire, along with its willingness to tackle serious news stories with a lighthearted approach, would redefine political satire in the years to come. “Premier Episode” was a strong start to what would go on to become a cultural touchstone, and fans still look back on it fondly as the beginning of an era.