How to Watch The Daily Show Live For Free To See Jon Stewart’s Awaited Return

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After his exit nine years ago, comedian Jon Stewart will return to The Daily Show as the Monday night host through the 2024 Presidential Election. Want to learn how to watch The Daily Show for free without cable? We have all the info below.

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The Daily Show is a satirical news program that airs on Comedy Central and later on Paramount+. The show was created by Lizz Winstead and Madeleine Smithberg and was originally hosted by Craig Kilborn. Jon Stewart hosted the acclaimed series from 1999 to 2015 before South African Comedian Trevor Noah succeeded him. In September 2022, Noah shocked the world by announcing that he was stepping down as host after seven years.

“Maybe this comes with not being raised in America, but I believe that everything should end,” Noah told our sister site The Hollywood Reporter about his exit. “A lot of American business and American media is just like, ‘Keep it going as long as possible,’ but I think it’s healthy for things to end when they’re still in a good place. I want to leave before I’m burnt out because there are many other things I’d like to do.”

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While searching for Noah’s replacement, the show successfully featured celebrity guest hosts, including Sarah Silverman, Leslie Jones, Chelsea Handler, Kal Penn, and Charlamagne Tha God. But in January 2024, The Daily Show announced that Stewart would take over the program on Monday nights through the 2024 election cycle. He’s also expected to play an oversight role that could extent through 2024, according to Variety.

“Jon Stewart is the voice of our generation, and we are honored to have him return to Comedy Central’s The Daily Show to help us all make sense of the insanity and division roiling the country as we enter the election season,” Chris McCarthy, president and CEO of Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios, said in a statement. “In our age of staggering hypocrisy and performative politics, Jon is the perfect person to puncture the empty rhetoric and provide much-needed clarity with his brilliant wit.”

When does The Daily Show air?

The Daily Show airs weeknights, starting on Monday, February 12 at 11 p.m. ET, on Comedy Central.

How to watch The Daily Show for free

The Daily Show airs on Comedy Central, which is available to stream live on services like DirecTV Stream, Sling, and Philo. DirecTV Stream offers a five-day free trial and starts at $79.99 per month after the trial ends. Philo offers a seven-day free trial and costs $25 per month after the free trial ends. Sling TV starts at $20 for your first month.

Best Overall Pick to Watch The Daily Show: DirecTV Stream’s Free Trial

Watch The Daily Show With DirecTV Stream

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Direct TV is our best overall pick to watch The Daily Show for free for its free trial, price, and channel selection. DirecTV Stream offers a five-day free trial. DirecTV offers four plans: Entertainment, which costs $79.99 per month; Choice, which costs $108.99 per month with the first two months at $83.99 per month; Ultimate, which costs $84.99 per month with the first two months at $94.99 per month; and Premiere, which costs $159.99 per month.

As for other differences between the plans, Entertainment includes more than 75 channels, the ability to stream on unlimited devices in your home, unlimited cloud DVR storage, and a special offer on premium channels. Choice, which is the most popular plan, includes more than 105 channels, regional sports networks, and everything included in Entertainment. Ultimate includes more than 140 channels and everything included in Entertainment and Choice. Premiere includes more than 150 channels including premium channels like HBO and Starz and everything included in Entertainment, Choice, and Premiere. Read on for step-by-step instructions on how to watch The Daily Show with DirecTV Stream’s free trial.

  1. Visit streamtv.directv.com‘s packages page

  2. Click “Try It Free” for the plan of your choice

  3. Enter your information and payment method

  4. Search for Comedy Central and start watching The Daily Show

Best Free Trial Pick to Watch The Daily Show: Philo’s Free Trial

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Philo is our best free trial pick to watch The Daily Show for its price and free trial length. Philo offers a seven-day free trial and costs $25 per month after the trial ends. Along with Comedy Central, Philo also offers similar channels like Catchy Comedy, Comedy Dynamics, and Portlandia IFC. As for what else it includes, Philo offers more than 70 channels, as well as an unlimited DVR service. Read on for step-by-step instructions on how to watch The Daily Show with Philo’s free trial.

  1. Visit Philo.com

  2. Click “Start Free Trial”

  3. Enter your information and payment method

  4. Search for Comedy Central and start watching The Daily Show

Comedian Leslie Jones hosting "The Daily Show" on Comedy Central.
Comedian Leslie Jones hosting "The Daily Show" on Comedy Central.

Best Upgrade Pick to Watch The Daily Show: Sling TV

Watch The Daily Show With Sling TV

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Sling TV is our best budget pick to watch The Daily Show for its channel selection. Sling TV offers three plans: Sling Orange for $40 per month; Sling Blue for $45 per month; and Sling Orange + Blue for $60 per month. Sling also has a current deal where subscribers can sign up for 50 percent off their first month, bringing Sling Orange’s price down to $20 for your first month; Sling Blue’s to $22.50 for your first month; and Sling Orange + Blue’s to $30 for your first month. All three plans include Comedy Central.

As for the differences between the plans, Sling Orange, which is most suited toward sports and family channels, includes 32 channels and the ability to stream on one device at a time. Sling Orange, which is most suited toward news and entertainment channels, includes 42 channels and the ability to stream on three devices at a time. Sling Orange + Blue includes all the channels offered on both Sling Orange and Sling Blue, as well as the ability to stream on three devices at a time. Read on for step-by-step instructions on how to watch The Daily Show with Sling TV.

  1. Visit Sling.com

  2. Click “Try Us Today”

  3. Create an account

  4. Select your plan

  5. Enter your payment information and check out

  6. Search for Comedy Central and start watching The Daily Show

Who is hosting The Daily Show?

Jon Stewart hosting "The Daily Show" on Comedy Central.
Jon Stewart hosting "The Daily Show" on Comedy Central.

Who is hosting The Daily Show? Comedian Jon Stewart is returning as the host of The Daily Show on Feb. 12. However, Stewart will step into the hosting seat only on Mondays from Feb. 12 through the 2024 presidential election cycle. A rotating lineup of show regulars will fill in the rest of the week.

Why did Jon Stewart leave The Daily Show?

Jon Stewart hosting "The Daily Show" on Comedy Central.
Jon Stewart hosting "The Daily Show" on Comedy Central.

Why did Jon Stewart leave The Daily Show? After 16 years, Stewart left The Daily Show in the fall of 2015. Stewart joined the program in 1999 to succeed Craig Kilborn, the program’s first host.

“It’s not like I thought the show wasn’t working any more, or that I didn’t know how to do it. It was more, ‘Yup, it’s working. But I’m not getting the same satisfaction,’” Stewart said about his exit to The Guardian.

He continued, “These things are cyclical. You have moments of dissatisfaction, and then you come out of it and it’s OK. But the cycles become longer and maybe more entrenched, and that’s when you realise, ‘OK, I’m on the back side of it now.’”

After exiting, Stewart hosted the Apple TV+ show The Problem with Jon Stewart, but the streamer canceled it after two seasons.

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