“Before Jon, we had no idea you could make a TV show where you play clips from another TV show and say, ‘Boy, that other TV show sucks,'” Mr. Kimmel said. “He took Fox News every night and he exposed their hypocrisy, their cynicism and lies – and thanks to his heroic work, they were never heard from again.”
But his impact was not lost in the world of comedy.
“He inspired a generation of imitators,” said Samantha Bee, another former correspondent who praised him for paving the way for other satire programs that excite politics, media, and culture, including her own “Full Frontal,” on TBS; “The Colbert Report”; and “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.”
His influence was not limited to the United States.
“You are the origin story of each of us,” said Bassem Youssef, an Egyptian comedian who was expelled from his country after his own satirical news show, “Al Bernameg,” took over the government.
Mr. Stewart was also recognized Sunday night for his activism and advocacy on behalf of aid workers and veterans. Pete Davidson, the star of ‘Saturday Night Live’ whose father, a Brooklyn firefighter, died in the September 11 attacks, thanked Mr Stewart for the work he had done. That included Mr. Stewart’s emotional rebuke over Congress’ failure to secure funding for ailing victims, which led to the Sept. 11 re-approval of the Victim Compensation Fund.
“If my father were here,” Mr. Davidson said, “I know he’d be happy to have you looking after him and his friends after all these years.”
The award itself, a bust of Mark Twain, was presented to Mr Stewart onstage by John Feal, an advocate for survivors of the September 11 attacks, and Sgt. Israel Del Toro, a wounded Air Force veteran.