Who is the Original Host of The Daily Show?
The Daily Show is a staple of late-night comedy on TV. A fan favorite of many, it has seen plenty of hosts, correspondents, and sidekicks come and go over its many years on the air. But who is the original host of The Daily Show?
Craig Kilborn
The original host of The Daily Show was Craig Kilborn. Kilborn was born in 1962 in Kansas City, Missouri. After completing a degree in broadcast journalism from the University of Montana, Kilborn headed the sports anchor at WCCO-TV in Minnesota.
In 1993, Kilborn began his hosting stint with Comedy Central’s The Daily Show, then known as “The Daily Show with Craig Kilborn”. It was Kilborn’s distinctive humor and style that gradually built the show’s reputation as a platform for informing audiences in a light-hearted fashion. Kilborn remained host of The Daily Show until 1998, with Jon Stewart replacing him as the fourth host of the show.
Kilborn’s Impact on The Daily Show
Internally, Kilborn nurtured the then-completely unknown Daily Show squad in those early years. With his corny humor and bro-like attitude, he carved out an identity that the show ran with over the years.
Among the stars of The Daily Show, Kilborn is especially remembered as the original host. After Kilborn’s departure, the show grew in popularity, making a name for itself as a platform for political comedy. However, without Kilborn’s smart humor and quick wit, the show would likely have never seen the success or reach that it now enjoys.
Kilborn after The Daily Show
Craig Kilborn left The Daily Show in 1998 and since then has had a low key presence in many aspects of entertainment. In the years following his departure from The Daily Show, he worked in various capacities for Fox Sports Network, hosting episodes of Sports Central and I, Max.
Kilborn later hosted a syndicated late-night talk and comedy show, The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn from 1999 to 2004 on CBS. In December of 2004, Kilborn stepped down from hosting on the Late Late Show and completed his last episode the following August.
Kilborn today is mostly retired from television and lives in Northampton, Massachusetts.
Craig Kilborn was the original host of The Daily Show back when it was known as “The Daily Show with Craig Kilborn”. With his distinctive humor and style, Kilborn gradually brought The Daily Show to the heights of popularity that films enjoys to this day. After leaving The Daily Show, Kilborn went on to host the Late Late Show on CBS before retiring from television and settling down in Northampton, Massachusetts. Kilborn’s impact on The Daily Show’s success and growth, along with his own career, is greatly remembered and appreciated by fans.
