Synopses & Reviews
A New York Times Bestseller Since his arrival at
The Daily Show in 1999, Jon Stewart has become one of the major players in comedy as well as one of the most significant liberal voices in the media. In
Angry Optimist, biographer Lisa Rogak charts his unlikely rise to stardom. She follows him from his early days growing up in New Jersey, through his years as a struggling standup comic in New York, and on to the short-lived but acclaimed
The Jon Stewart Show. And she charts his humbling string of near-misses—passed over as a replacement for shows hosted by Conan OBrien, Tom Snyder, and even the fictional Larry Sanders—before landing on a half-hour comedy show that at the time was still finding its footing amidst roiling internal drama.
Once there, Stewart transformed The Daily Show into one of the most influential news programs on television today. Drawing on interviews with current and former colleagues, Rogak reveals how things work—and sometimes dont work—behind the scenes at The Daily Show, led by Jon Stewart, a comedian who has come to wield incredible power in American politics.
Review
Praise for
Angry Optimist"Including both humorous and serious insights from colleagues, Rogak presents a detailed picture of the Comedy Central show, revealing exhausting writing schedules, dogs in the office, interns running around at top speed and people who aren't particularly enamored with the host. … An inside look at the man who changed the face of comedy talk shows." —Shelf AwarenessPraise for
And Nothing but the Truthiness: The Rise (and Further Rise) of Stephen Colbert"Enthusiastic fans will delight in Rogaks lengthy, detailed behind-the-scenes coverage. . . . This engaging, entertaining biography. . . succeeds in capturing Colberts anarchic, iconoclastic spirit."—Publishers Weekly
"In this carefully crafted, behind-the-scenes biography, Rogak succeeds in uncovering the ‘truthiness about the real Colbert."—Booklist
"A conversational, multiperspective account of his life . . . This is the first major biography of Colbert and one [which] fans will appreciate."—Library Journal
"Gives us insight into the man behind the mouth."—Kirkus Reviews
Synopsis
Since his arrival at
The Daily Show in 1999, Jon Stewart has become one of the major players in comedy as well as one of the most significant liberal voices in the media and on television today. In
Angry Optimist, Lisa Rogak charts his unlikely rise to political stardom, from his early stand-up days and the short-lived but acclaimed
The Jon Stewart Show. Drawing on interviews with current and former colleagues, she reveals how things work behind the scenes at
The Daily Show.
With speculation simmering about Stewart's possible retirement from The Daily Show and a contentious midterm election ahead in 2014, this biography may come to serve as a capstone for a comedian who has wielded incredible power in American politics.
About the Author
LISA ROGAK is the author of more than forty books, including the biographies And Nothing but the Truthiness: The Rise (and Further Rise) of Stephen Colbert and the Edgar- and Anthony-nominated Haunted Heart: The Life and Times of Stephen King. She is the editor of the New York Times bestselling book Barack Obama: In His Own Words.