Jon Stewart gets big sendoff from Comedy Central’s Daily Show with #JonVoyage

“We are better people for having known you“, Colbert said to an emotional Stewart.

Stewart even earned acknowledgement from one of his most frequent targets – Fox News.

“Actually Jon, please sit down, we’re not quite done”, Colbert said.

The taping will start around 6 p.m., and the episode will air at its usual time, 11 p.m. “You said to me and to many other people here many years ago never to thank you because we owe you nothing”, Colbert said, chasing a sheepish Stewart around his desk in their rolling chairs.

Also among the former correspondents who showed up for the final show was Wyatt Cenac.

Comedian Louis C.K. appeared as Stewart’s final announced guest Wednesday.

For Comedy Central President Michele Ganeless, who was in the audience on Thursday evening, the moment was bittersweet as her channel lost a legend. So are a couple of vintage ones we’d forgotten about – the Rochester prison’s program to reduce inmate stress through crochet, and a northern Minnesota man (Loyl Stromberg, right) crusading to preserve America’s chicken heritage.

The Daily Show may be born to run, but for Stewart it was time to finally bid farewell.

Colbert did a bit based on Lord of the Rings – he called Stewart “Frodo” – and then Stewart thought it was over and threw to commercial.

While many are devastated at his departure – former Daily Show correspondent Ed Helms said he was “heartbroken” – Jon Stewart still has a sense of humor about leaving.

With an extended Thursday night finale that mixed the Daily Show’s usual biting humor with a totally unusual dose of sentiment, Stewart’s sixteen year run as host of Comedy Central’s late night staple came to an end. “They probably don’t even know about – you guys should really check out the show online, you’ll be eviscerated”.

The episode concluded with one final moment of zen: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band’s first performance together in over a year. ‘Hey Trevor, can you give me 20 more minutes, ‘ Stewart politely asked the South African comedian.

Truth be told, Stewart oftentimes took liberal positions, but his satire crossed party lines and demonstrated how humor can be used to hold politicians and cable news pontificators accountable.

“The world is demonstrably worse than when I started”, Stewart wailed.

The only way to combat the relentless intrusions of dishonest people, Stewart said, was through vigilance.

Stewart ended the show by thanking his staff, fans and family.

“The show isn’t ending, we are merely taking a small pause in the conversation – which, by the way, I have hogged”, said the host.

“The good news is the bull–ers have gotten pretty lazy, and looking for it is a pretty pleasant way to pass the time”, he said.

Stewart’s fans will be forced to navigate the first presidential election since 1996 without his commentary, a loss that felt particularly acute with Thursday’s GOP debate.