Denis Leary Wants To Know What’s Wrong With Jon Stewart

Denis Leary has long been known for expressing his frustrations in exasperated rants, and now he’s turning his sharp tongue on Daily Show host Jon Stewart, who is preparing to retire from the show after nearly 16 years on the air.

Entertainment Weekly reports that Denis Leary was the guest on Tuesday’s episode of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Making the most of what would be his last appearance on the show before Jon Stewart retired, Denis Leary made an impassioned plea for the host to reconsider. While some, like President Barrack Obama have made similar requests to Jon Stewart, none were quite like the one from Denis Leary.

In typical Denis Leary style, the comedian began his bit with a set up at the expense of Jon Stewart.

“I think I speak for everybody here, and the people who work for you obviously […] When we found out you were offered this big contract and basically turning it down to spend time with your family. It was a big contract. They said it was $50 million,” Denis Leary began. “It was a lot of money. We all thought the same thing: This is a guy who’s very brave and courageous and wants to spend time with his family.”

Jon Stewart seemed to know something was up, asking Denis Leary if the comedian was going to rip on him. And, of course, Denis Leary did just that.

“What the f— is wrong with you? Do you know how much f—ing therapy you could buy for your kids with $50 million f—ing dollars?” Denis Leary said. “They could hate your guts into perpetuity. Who cares? They have mansions to hate your guts in.”

Denis Leary went on to say that although the hosting spot Jon Stewart was leaving was already promised to Trevor Noah, it wasn’t too late to call off the retirement and offer Noah some other show. Denis Leary then offered a deal in which he, Chris Rock and Colin Quinn would take over writing duties on the show for half of the $50 million he thought Jon Stewart had been offered to stay.

CNN reports the exchange between the two funnymen did have at least a moment of sincerity, however. Denis Leary put the joking aside to tell Jon Stewart he understood the timing of the decision to leave the show.

“From the heart… the decision you made was right,” Denis Leary told Jon Stewart. “You’re retiring at the top of your game.”

Of course, the jokes resumed immediately thereafter with Denis Leary telling Jon Stewart that not only would he get bored with retirement, but his kids would as well.

“It could be two months from now, it could six months from now, six weeks from now, you’ll be on that farm in New Jersey with your family hanging out and your kids will turn to you one day and say, ‘dad, we love you, get a f—ing job,'” Denis Leary said.

After Jon Stewart commented that what he would miss most about the show was the people he worked with and that he was glad they would continue to have jobs in the new version of the show with Trevor Noah, Denis Leary asked if he’d be allowed to come back too. Denis Leary appeared on the show 17 times during the years Jon Stewart was host.

“I’ll be honest with you… I don’t think he’s crazy about Irish people,” Jon Stewart teased Denis Leary. “And if he is, you wouldn’t be the one I’d start him with.”

Jon Stewart will host his last episode of The Daily Show on Thursday.

[Image via Comedy Central]