C-SPAN clip of Robert Novak, conservative columnist: “Somebody mentioned the Jon Stewart program. I’ve never seen that in my life, and I will go to my grave never having seen it.”
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Jon Stewart: “Really? You’ll go to your grave never having seen it? When’s that scheduled for?”
Brian Lamb, C-SPAN: “Why?”
Novak: “I don’t see any reason for it. It's a self-righteous comedian taking on airs of grandeur, and I don't really need that.”
Stewart: “‘Self-righteous comedian taking on airs of grandeur’?! You just said you’ve never seen it. You don’t even, listen, I’m not going to deny I’m a pompous ass, but ‘airs of grandeur,’ that couldn’t have been what he said. I should check, let me check this transcript. Airs of grandeur. This is ridiculous, let me just, hold on, oh, it’s not. Hold on. Let me just, oh, God, that’s insane!”
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Stewart: “Yes, Robert Novak does not watch ‘The Daily Show’ or myself, not surprising. You know, I keep reading all these articles about how ‘The Daily Show’ is big amongst 115-year-old vampire demons, but why does Robert Novak - hate?”
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Stewart: “We can work this out because I know that you’re a good person deep down in your [pauses for comedic effect, makes a series of circular gestures with his chest], the thing that they replaced your heart with that pumps the, I know you have redeeming qualities! I see your redeeming qualities. For example, when you’re on television, you let others shine while you generously absorb all light and oxygen. When you leave an area, it stops raining. And I know that in the past I have referred to you as a douche bag. But that’s not an air of grandeur, that’s just mean and sophomoric, and I only said those things to you because I sincerely believe you’re a terrible person. I hope that helps.
— Jon Stewart on Comedy Central’s The Daily Show, September 18, 2006.