The First ‘Daily Show’ After 9/11 – Watch the Entire Episode [VIDEO]
As the tenth anniversary of 9/11 nears, several outstanding examples of how TV dealt with the tragedy come to mind, including David Letterman’s first broadcast after the attacks and Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s appearance on ‘Saturday Night Live.’ But perhaps none was more powerful than the first post-9/11 ‘Daily Show With Jon Stewart‘ and Comedy Central is streaming the entire episode free on their site.
“I’m sorry to do this to you. It’s another entertainment show beginning with an overwrought speech of a shaken host,” Stewart said in his opening monologue. “I apologize for that. It’s something that, unfortunately, we do for ourselves so that we can drain whatever abscess is in our hearts and move on to the business of making you laugh.”
Stewart’s entire show that night was raw and agonized, but also somehow cathartic. In keeping with this, Stewart abandoned the usual “eccentric or quirky” footage during the Moment of Zen and showed an adorable puppy instead. He did so, he said, in the hopes of “getting a smile” out of his viewers.
Watch the monologue below and head to Comedy Central to watch the entire ‘Daily Show’ episode.