With Jon Stewart’s final Daily Show episode just a week away, attention has shifted from who will stop by the finale to tell him to fuck off to what his plans are for “retirement.” If last night’s impromptu drop-in at New York City’s famed Comedy Cellar—which The A.V. Club was lucky enough to attend—is any indication, they might include a return to his standup origins.
As patrons are commanded to turn off their phones on the way in, taking pictures of the brief 10-minute set would have been a great way to get kicked out and subsequently hate yourself for missing a rare treat. However, former Daily Show executive producer Rory Albanese was on hand to document Stewart’s return to the mic:
Following Louis C.K.—who also dropped by unannounced—Stewart started by acknowledging how lucky the small crowd was to see both Louis C.K. and himself in the same night. “It’s been 20 years!” he shouted, although according to The Comic’s Comic, “Club owner Noam Dworman told The Comic’s Comic he remembers seeing Stewart drop in closer to a decade ago when he needed to test out bits before a big charity function.” The late-night host was also spotted hanging out with Louis C.K. before the show—just a couple comedy legends shooting the shit.
It’s unclear how much of the performance was driven by nostalgia and how much a real desire for getting back into the standup scene, but Stewart was heard saying, “I could do this again,” after his set. Wherever he goes, hopefully he keeps ditching his suits and sticks with the t-shirt/Mets hat combo. Casual looks good on the guy.