Jon Stewart And ‘Daily Show’ Replacement Jon Oliver Both Looking To Boost Careers

Jon Stewart replacement Jon Oliver is ready to hit the ground running in his stint as The Daily Show host, and Stewart is ready to try his hand outside of comedy.

Both men are looking to use a three-month period in June — during which Stewart is leaving the show for a directing project — to take their careers to a new phase.

As Jon Stewart leaves the comedy news show to his replacement, he embarks on a project that is quite serious. Rosewater is based on a book by BBC journalist Maziar Bahari titled, Then They Came For Me: A Family’s Story Of Love, Captivity And Survival. The book, and subsequent movie, are about Bahari’s experience covering the 2009 Iranian presidential election. During that time he was accused of being a spy and thrown into an Iranian prison for three months. Part of the evidence to back up the charge was an appearance Bahari made on The Daily Show where correspondent Jason Jones dressed in an outlandish spy outfit.

The hiatus from The Daily Show could represent a significant opportunity for Jon Stewart as well as his replacement. Stewart has helmed the show for more than a decade and a half, and during that time has dabbled in comedic movies like Half Baked and Big Daddy.

The three months working on Rosewater could mark a significant turning point for Stewart, whose work on The Daily Show isn’t all comedy. Stewart has gained a reputation as a tough interviewer and the show seeks out well-known authors and politicians in addition to actors.

Jon Stewart’s replacement could also use the three-month hiatus to boost his career. As one of the show’s longest-serving correspondents — he joined the show in 2006 — Oliver has made a name for himself within Comedy Central but may look to grow his career.

The Daily Show itself has become quite a springboard, launching the film and television careers of Steve Carell, Ed Helms, Jason Jones, and Stephen Colbert. Oliver could be the next.

Jon Stewart gives the show to replacement Jon Oliver starting June 10.