Entertainment

12 influential comedy careers Jon Stewart helped launch on 'The Daily Show'

Ian Phillips

2015-08-06T13:48:00Z

Daily Show Emmy — Jon Stewart with Stephen Colbert, Rob Corddry, Ed Helms, and Samantha Bee at the Emmys in 2005. Getty Images

"The Daily Show" has made host Jon Stewart into a pop-culture icon.

In Stewart's path to success, he has also helped a lot of other people launch their careers.

"The Daily Show" pulled many comedians out of obscurity.

After their time on the Comedy Central show has ended, former correspondents starred in and wrote movies and TV shows. Others hosted their own late night shows, taking what Stewart likely taught them and turning it into their own unique thing.

Thursday, August 4 marks Jon Stewart's final episode of "The Daily Show." Once his tenure ends, nobody knows what exactly he will do (though a return to stand-up seems very likely). No matter what he ends up doing, his legacy and influence will be seen in all the future comedy stars he helped find.

Here are some of the biggest stars that found success on "The Daily Show," and where you can find them today:

THEN: Stephen Colbert was a correspondent from 1997 through 2005. While he started while Craig Kilborn was still host, it was during Stewart's tenure he really developed the distinct character which defined his comedy career. As a correspondent, Colbert covered a variety of topics and even filled in as anchor for Stewart on a few occasions.

Stephen Colbert Daily Show — One of Colbert's best known recurring segments was the hilarious "This Week in God." The Daily Show/Comedy Central

NOW: Colbert took on the ignorant persona he developed on "The Daily Show" and turned it into political satire gold on "The Colbert Report". Starting September 8, he will be the new host of "The Late Show" on CBS.

Stephen Colbert Late Show — Colbert in the first ever promo for "The Late Show." CBS

Colbert has also written three books and has also hosted the White House Correspondents Dinner in 2006. His bashing of both the Bush Administration and the press immediately went viral.

THEN: After many years at Chicago's famed Second City, Steve Carell got his big comedy break as a "Daily Show" correspondent. He was best known for his "Produce Pete" segment, as well as "Even Stevphen," where he faced off with Stephen Colbert on a variety of pressing issues.

NOW: Carell left "The Daily Show" in 2005. It was that same year he skyrocketed to stardom with both "The Office" and "The 40-Year-Old Virgin". In 2014, he was nominated for an Oscar for "Foxcatcher."

THEN: Ed Helms served his time on "The Daily Show" from 2002 to 2006. He was known for his many field pieces and frequents "visits" to Iraq.

NOW: Helms achieved breakout movie fame with the success of "The Hangover" in 2009. He also starred alongside Steve Carell in "The Office." Most recently, he starred in a "Vacation" reboot.

THEN: John Oliver made a name for himself as one of the most consistently funny correspondents on the show. He became a household name during the summer of 2013, when he guest hosted the show while Stewart was in the Middle East filming "Rosewater".

John Oliver Daily Show — While filling in for Jon Stewart as host in 2013, Oliver broke stories about Anthony Weiner and Edward Snowden. The Daily Show/Comedy Central

NOW: In 2014, John Oliver began hosting "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver". Oliver has earned praise for getting the public's attention on difficult issues such as net neutrality and the IRS.

THEN: Rob Corddry served as a correspondent on "The Daily Show" from 2002 through 2006. His younger brother Nate also served as a correspondent briefly. Corddry still occasionally stops by the show as a guest.

Rob Corddry Daily Show — Corddry talking about Bird Flu in 2006. The Daily Show/Comedy Central

NOW: Corddry created and stars in the Adult Swim series "Children's Hospital." He also starred in "Hot Tub Time Machine" and its sequel.

THEN: Jason Jones joined "The Daily Show" in 2005 and enjoyed a hugely successful 10-year run. He's best known for his field pieces which took him everywhere from the Middle East to India and Alaska.

Jason Jones Daily Show — Jason Jones speaks to an Iranian in Tehran in 2009. Daily Show/Comedy Central

Jones' segments in Iran, and his interview with Iranian journalist Maziar Bahari, eventually became the inspiration for Jon Stewart's film "Rosewater."

NOW: Jones most recently starred in the hit sequel "Pitch Perfect 2." Jones and his wife Samantha Bee (also a "Daily Show" alum) are working on a show together TBS called "The Detour."

THEN: After 12 years on the show, Samantha Bee was the longest-serving correspondent in the show's history.

NOW: Bee left "The Daily Show" in 2015. She will be getting her own late night show on TBS.

Samantha Bee in a promo for her upcoming TBS late night show. TBS via YouTube

Bee is married to her "Daily Show" colleague Jason Jones.

THEN: Kristen Schaal first made a name for herself as the show's senior women's issues correspondent. She has a busy schedule, but she still finds time to talk to Stewart.

Kristen Schaal Daily Show — Schaal recently stopped by to discuss "Dad Bod." Comedy Central

NOW: Schaal is a regular on Fox's "The Last Man on Earth". She also does a lot of voiceover work, lending her distinct voice to such animated shows as "Bob's Burgers" and "BoJack Horseman".

THEN: Afghanistan war veteran Rob Riggle joined "The Daily Show" in 2006 after a brief stint on "Saturday Night Live." In 2008, "The Daily Show" sent him to China to report on the Beijing Olympics.

Rob Riggle Daily Show — Riggle at the Beijing Olympics. Daily Show/Comedy Central

NOW: Riggle has had a prolific post-"Daily Show" career. He has appeared in movies like "21 Jump Street" and TV shows such as "Modern Family" and "New Girl". Starting in 2012, Riggle took over the comedy skit portion of "FOX NFL Sunday."

Rob Riggle — Riggle hosted the NHL Awards this year. Getty Images

THEN: Michael Che, a fixture in the New York comedy scene, joined "The Daily Show" in 2014. He left after only a few episodes. But he had a good reason ...

NOW: In late 2014, Che took over for Cecily Strong as Weekend Update anchor on "Saturday Night Live." He co-anchors alongside Colin Jost.

Michael Che SNL — Before joining "The Daily Show", Che served as a writer for "Saturday Night Live." Saturday Night Live/YouTube

THEN: Larry Wilmore had a hugely successful career in Hollywood long before he became the show's "Senior Black Correspondent". Wilmore was a writer and producer on "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air". He also created "The Bernie Mac Show".

NOW: Wilmore took in the near impossible task of filling in Stephen Colbert's old spot after "The Daily Show". Wilmore has been the host of "The Nightly Show" since January.