Jon Stewart: Authoritarian governments a threat, not comedy

By ASHRAF KHALIL
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Comedian Jon Stewart says speculation about the future of comedy amid increased audience cultural sensitivity is ignoring a true and enduring threat: authoritarian governments around the world. Stewart made that observation Sunday night in Washington, D.C., as he accepted the Kennedy Center’s Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. Stewart told the audience that “comedy doesn’t change the world, but it’s a bellwether,.” He also remarked that “when a society feels under threat, comedians are who gets sent away first.” Stewart set the modern template for mixing comedy and politics during his 16-year run hosting TV’s “The Daily Show.”