Jon Stewart is an American entertainer, encompasses various roles including comedian, writer, producer, director, political commentator, actor, and television host.
Notably, he helmed The Daily Show, a satirical news program on Comedy Central, from 1999 to 2015, and has returned to host on Mondays since 2024. Additionally, he hosted The Problem with Jon Stewart on Apple TV+.
Get to know more about Jon Stewart’s family background as we explore details about his parents.
Jon Stewart Parents: Meet Donald Leibowitz and Marian Leibowitz
Stewart, originally born Jonathan Stuart Leibowitz to Donald Leibowitz and Marian Leibowitz at Doctors Hospital in New York City’s Upper East Side, hails from an Ashkenazi Jewish background, with roots tracing to Poland, Ukraine, Belarus, and possibly Lithuania.
His father, Donald Leibowitz (1931–2013), served as an energy coordinator for the New Jersey Department of the Treasury, while his mother, Marian Leibowitz (née Laskin), worked as a teacher and later as an educational consultant. Stewart is the second of four sons, with Lawrence as the eldest, followed by Dan and Matthew.
The family faced upheaval when Stewart’s parents divorced when he was eleven years old, leading to a strained relationship with his father. This strained dynamic prompted Stewart to adopt his middle name, shedding his surname, albeit legally changing it to “Stewart” in 2001. Despite his father’s passing in 2013, Stewart described their relationship as “still complicated” in 2015.
Growing up in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, Stewart and his brother Lawrence attended Lawrence High School. Stewart recalls encountering significant antisemitism during his childhood, often subjected to bullying due to his Jewish identity. He also reminisces about his high school years, characterizing himself as politically inclined towards figures like Eugene Debs and leaning towards leftist ideologies.