Jon Stewart cries on set of 'The Daily Show' while talking about the death of his beloved dog

NEW YORK (DT) Jon Stewart, who recently returned to “The Daily Show” as a weekly host until the 2024 election, cried in the anchor's office during a show while talking about the death of his dog, Dipper.

Dipper died yesterday. He was ready. He was tired, but I wasn’t,” Stewart said Monday, fighting back tears.

Stewart said he and his family met Dipper at Animal havena no-kill animal shelter in New York, after her children wanted to raise money for the nonprofit.

He said the pit bull was hit by a car in Brooklyn and lost a front leg. He said his family fell in love with him and eventually adopted the dog.

That was about 12 or 13 years ago, Stewart said. Now Dipper has crossed the Rainbow Bridge.

In a world of good boys, he was the best. He came to the “Daily Show” every day. He was part of the dog team on the OG 'Daily Show,'” Stewart says, noting that he and others used to bring their dogs to the set. “We would come and tape the show and Dipper would wait for I'm finished. He met actors, authors, presidents and kings – and he did what the Taliban couldn't do, which scared Malala Yousafzai. »

Stewart then showed footage of Dipper meeting Yousafzai, a Pakistani education activist who was shot in the head by a Taliban gunman as she walked home from school.

In the video, Yousafzai walks away from Dipper as the dog barks in a backstage hallway.

Stewart smiles briefly at the end of the sequence, but becomes emotional, saying that he and his family were with Dipper when the dog took his last breath.

My wish for you is that one day you find that dog, that dog that is simply the best,” he told the audience.

He then showed a video of Dipper playing outside in the snow.

“Here’s your moment of zen,” Stewart said.

Since the show aired, Stewart said he has received an outpouring of support. He said fans comforted him after Dipper's death.

Good morning! A quick thank you for all the kind words and great photos and stories of your special furballs. A reminder that social media isn't entirely a cesspool…just for the most part. Here are some snaps from the meet cute that started our love story. #Dipperisthebestboy @AnimalHaven,” he wrote on X.

He also received a shout-out from Yousafzai.

“I'm sorry to hear of your loss, @jonstewart. I know Dipper was a very good boy. I got over my fear of dogs and hope I come back to meet your next puppy,” Yousafzai noted on X .

Stewart, actor and comedian, made his return to The daily show as part-time host and executive producer on February 12.

Comedy Central, which said a rotating lineup of show regulars was available to host the rest of the week, is thrilled to have him back.

Jon Stewart is the voice of our generation, and we're honored to have him return to Comedy Centrals The Daily Show to help us all understand the madness and division shaking the country as we enter election season, Chris McCarthy, who is the chairman and CEO of Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios, previously said in a statement. In our age of staggering hypocrisy and performative politics, Jon is the ideal person to cut through the hollow rhetoric and bring much-needed clarity with his brilliant mind.

The 61-year-old previously hosted the satirical news show, which won an Emmy Award for best talk series in January, from 1999 to 2015.

Over the years, The Daily Show — first hosted by Craig Kilborn, then Stewart and Trevor Noah — has confused the left and the right by making the media a character and playing it absolutely straight, no matter how ridiculous it is. It was created in 1996.

There has not been a permanent host since Noah left last year.

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EDITOR'S NOTE: The Associated Press contributed to this report.