Jon Stewart to leave 'The Daily Show'

Jon Stewart, who turned Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” into a sharp-edged commentary on current events, delivering the news in layers of silliness and mockery, said on Tuesday that he would step down after more than 16 years as its anchor.

Stewart's contract with the network ends in September. He disclosed his plans during a taping of the program, saying he has yet to iron out details of his departure, but that it “might be December, might be July," according to the New York Times.

“I don’t have any specific plans,” Stewart said, addressing the camera at the end of his show, at times seeming close to tears. “Got a lot of ideas. I got a lot of things in my head. I’m going to have dinner on a school night with my family, who I have heard from multiple sources are lovely people.”

Comedy Central did not elaborate on the future of show, except to say it would continue.

Stewart, 52, became host of the show in 1999.

Stephen Colbert used “The Daily Show” to refine his persona as a blowhard commentator and parlay it into his own companion series on Comedy Central, “The Colbert Report.” In April, CBS announced that Colbert would succeed David Letterman as the host of its “Late Show.”

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