Advertisement

Stephen Colbert explains why he didn't take over 'The Daily Show' from Jon Stewart

By Karen Butler
Stephen Colbert at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. on Dec. 8, 2014. Photo by Andrew Harrer/Pool
1 of 2 | Stephen Colbert at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. on Dec. 8, 2014. Photo by Andrew Harrer/Pool | License Photo

NEW YORK, April 18 (UPI) -- Stephen Colbert says he didn't want to take over The Daily Show from Jon Stewart because he didn't think he'd ever be able to get out of his old boss' shadow.

Variety said Colbert made the statement while interviewing filmmaker George Lucas during a Tribeca Film Festival panel discussion in New York Friday.

Advertisement

Lucas asked Colbert why he didn't lobby to lead the faux news program now that Stewart is departing.

"Um," Colbert began. "I don't want to be the guy to take over for Jon Stewart. I worked for Jon Stewart at that show. My memories will always be of him being the keenest, most intelligent, most beautifully deconstructive mind, the clearest thinker I've ever worked with or for. I would never get underneath his shadow."

Colbert was a correspondent on The Daily Show before moving on to his own comic, political-analysis series The Colbert Report. He will soon take over for the retiring David Letterman as host of The Late Show, while Trevor Noah is to replace the exiting Stewart.

Advertisement

Latest Headlines