Jon Stewart apologizes for election day voting comment

Jon Stewart’s botched joke during a CNN interview on Tuesday led to “The Daily Show” host issuing an apology and clarification at the top of his show on Tuesday night.

Tuesday was election day, of course, and early in the day Stewart appeared on journalist Christiane Amanpour’s show on CNN. When she asked him if he’d voted, Stewart gave a surprising answer.

“No,” he said. “I just moved. I don’t even know where my thing is now.”

Amanpour seemed shocked that Stewart, who has become the go-to voice for a certain portion of the population, did not exercise his civic duty. Especially considering the intense scrutiny he gives to Congress during the course of his show.

Between that interview and the taping of Stewart’s special live election night “Daily Show,” the host obviously rethought his comments and the effect they surely had on young voters.

“First of all, I’ve known where my thing is since I was 13,” Stewart said. “To set the record straight, I did vote today. I was being flip, and it kind of took off. I shouldn’t have been flip about that. It sent a message that I didn’t think voting was important or that I didn’t think it was a big issue. And I do, and I did vote. I was being flip, and I shouldn’t have done that. That was stupid. So, I apologize.”

Things weren’t all bad for Stewart on Tuesday, however. The night ended up being a big one for Republicans, who took control of the Senate. Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell won reelection and will become Senate majority leader, meaning Stewart will get six more years to perform McConnell’s cartoon-turtle-voice.

“Look, I’m trying to find any way to entertain people who are truly on a ledge tonight,” Stewart said.

The host waved off concerns from liberal audience members about the future of Congress with the GOP in control.

“As though the Senate was a functioning body before tonight,” Stewart said.

You can watch the rest of Stewart’s opening bit here.

Twitter: @patrickkevinday