Stephen Colbert made joined The Daily Show in June 1997. Since The Late Show with Stephen Colbert will be off the air when the anniversary takes place, Colbert is going to be celebrating next week.
On May 9th, Colbert will play host to Daily Show alumni Jon Stewart, Samantha Bee, John Oliver, Ed Helms and Rob Corddry. Sadly, Steve Carell will not be appearing in the episode.
A number of The Daily Show‘s senior correspondents have had the opportunity to host their own late night series. It started with Colbert, whose Colbert Report was spun-off and first aired on October 17, 2005 before the series finale aired on December 18, 2014.
Bee departed after 12 years in 2015 to host Full Frontal with Samantha Bee on TBS. The series debuted on February 8, 2016 and is airing the second season now. Bee just hosted the Not The White House Correspondents Dinner this past weekend.
Oliver joined in 2006 and left in 2013 following a guest hosting stint during the summer when Jon Stewart was off to direct a film in Jordan. HBO liked what they saw and he debuted as the host of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver on April 27, 2014. His initial contract was for two-years and it was extended through 2017. The fourth season premiered this year.
In addition to his work for The Daily Show, Helms is best known for his performance as Andy Bernard in The Office (US) and Stuart Price in The Hangover. Helms appeared from April 2002 through mid-2006 but did some back from some guest spots.
As for Corddry, he was on the series from the spring of 2002 through August 2006. From 2008 through 2016, Corddry served as a creator, writer, director, executive producer of Childrens Hospital, airing on Adult Swim.
It’s a shame that they couldn’t get Carell in the special. He’s become just as big as anyone else on the series. If not for The Daily Show, he doesn’t get cast in Anchorman or The Office, where did a fine job as Dundler Mifflin manager Michael Scott despite never winning an Emmy for the role.
The episode is one that you won’t want to miss so set those DVRs now!