With Jon Stewart’s final episode as host of The Daily Show airing today (Aug. 6), you’re likely to find several lists of his “best” or “funniest” moments online over the next few days. Of course, Stewart is, first and foremost, a comedian and a satirist. But not unlike a bonafide newsman, Stewart has also earned the absolute trust of his audience. At our most serious times, there was rarely a more thoughtful voice than Stewart’s. Much of what made his Daily Show so effective was his ability to balance levity with occasional earnestness. It was not all jokes, all the time. After all, tragedy and comedy are two sides of the same coin, and Stewart knew exactly when—and how—to use each side. The fact that Stewart could navigate sensitive situations so delicately only made the laughs hit even harder when they came.

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