It’s the question every political junkie and comedy fan asks the second the sun goes down. Honestly, tracking the Daily Show time tonight can feel like a part-time job depending on which day of the week it is or whether Paramount is shuffling the deck on its streaming apps. People get frustrated. They miss the first ten minutes.
The show generally stays locked into its 11:00 PM ET slot on Comedy Central. Usually. But if you’re looking for Jon Stewart’s specific Monday night residency or trying to figure out why the "Global Edition" isn't showing up on your DVR, there are a few nuances you’ve gotta know.
When and Where: The Daily Show Time Tonight Basics
Let’s get the hard data out of the way first. Comedy Central airs The Daily Show Monday through Thursday at 11:00 PM ET / 10:00 PM CT. That’s the "linear" broadcast, which is a fancy way of saying "traditional cable." If you’re on the West Coast, you’re usually looking at an 11:00 PM PT start time unless you’re watching a live feed via a service like YouTube TV or Hulu + Live TV, which might serve it to you at 8:00 PM PT.
It’s weird.
Then there’s the Jon Stewart factor. Since his massive return to the desk, he’s only there on Mondays. Tuesday through Thursday is handled by the "News Team"—think Jordan Klepper, Desi Lydic, Ronny Chieng, Michael Kosta, and Grace Kuhlenschmidt. They rotate. Sometimes they co-anchor. It keeps the energy high, but if you’re specifically looking for Jon’s take on the weekend news, you’ve basically got one shot on Monday night.
Why Your App Might Be Lying to You
Streaming has ruined the concept of "showtime." If you’re waiting for the Daily Show time tonight on Paramount+, you won't find it live. Unlike some other late-night programs that experiment with live streaming, The Daily Show typically drops on the Paramount+ platform the next morning.
Usually, this happens around 3:00 AM ET. So, if it’s currently 11:15 PM on a Tuesday and you’re refreshing your app, stop. You’re going to be waiting a while.
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The Jon Stewart Monday Phenomenon
When Jon Stewart signed back on through 2025, the schedule got a bit more rigid. He’s the anchor for the start of the week. This matters because Monday nights often see a spike in viewership, which sometimes leads to "extended" episodes.
Have you ever noticed your recording cuts off right during the interview?
It’s a common gripe. Most episodes are scheduled for 30 or 31 minutes. However, Stewart’s interviews—especially when he’s grilling a high-level politician or a tech CEO—can push the Daily Show time tonight past the half-hour mark. If you’re using a DVR, you absolutely should set it to record an extra five minutes. Don't let the algorithm rob you of the final punchline.
Breaking Down the 2026 Schedule Variations
- Monday: Jon Stewart (The Big Night).
- Tuesday - Thursday: The News Team (Rotating Hosts).
- Friday - Sunday: Dark. No new episodes. Comedy Central usually runs "Best Of" compilations or movies like Step Brothers for the thousandth time.
The show takes frequent hiatuses. They follow the school calendar more than a corporate one. If it’s a federal holiday, or if it’s just the middle of July, don't be shocked if the Daily Show time tonight is just a rerun of an episode from three weeks ago.
Beyond the Linear Broadcast: YouTube and Socials
Maybe you don't have cable. A lot of people don't anymore.
The "main" clips—the opening monologue and the "Headline" segments—usually hit YouTube about an hour or two after the show airs on the East Coast. If you’re looking for the Daily Show time tonight specifically to see a viral clip, check the YouTube channel around 1:00 AM ET.
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The full interview often follows a few hours later. Interestingly, the YouTube versions sometimes include "Between the Scenes" content that you can't get on the television broadcast. It’s often the best part of the show because the hosts are unscripted and interacting with the live audience in the Sullivan Street studio.
How to Watch if You’re Traveling
If you’re abroad, the Daily Show time tonight becomes a giant math equation. Comedy Central's website is geoblocked in many regions. In the UK, it often airs on Comedy Central UK with a 24-hour delay. In Australia, it’s a similar story via Paramount+.
Basically, if you aren't in North America, you're almost always watching yesterday's news.
Technical Snafus: When the Schedule Shifts
Live events can mess everything up. During election cycles or major breaking news events, the Daily Show time tonight might shift for a live special.
In the past, they’ve done "Indecision" specials that air live at 11:00 PM ET rather than being pre-taped at 6:00 PM. These are rare but chaotic. The energy is different. The jokes are rawer. If there’s a massive news story breaking at 9:00 PM, the writers are often rewriting the script while the audience is literally walking into the building.
It’s a high-wire act.
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Why the 11:00 PM Slot Still Matters
You might wonder why they don't just move to 11:35 PM to compete directly with Colbert or Fallon.
Legacy.
Comedy Central has owned that 11:00 PM slot since the Craig Kilborn days. It gives them a head start on the network late-night shows. By the time Stephen Colbert is walking out to his monologue, The Daily Show is already halfway through its first segment. It’s a strategic advantage that hasn’t changed in decades.
Actionable Steps for the Perfect Viewing Experience
If you want to ensure you never miss the Daily Show time tonight, stop relying on your memory and start using these specific tweaks.
- Pad your DVR. Set your recording software to end 5–10 minutes late. Late-night TV is notorious for "soft" ends where the credits bleed into the next program’s start time.
- Check the "Guest" list. Visit the official Daily Show social media pages (X or Instagram) around 4:00 PM ET. They post the guest and the host for that night. This tells you if it's a "must-watch" or a "catch-up-later" episode.
- Use the Comedy Central App. If you have a cable login, you can watch the live stream of the channel directly. This is the only way to watch "live" on a mobile device without a multi-channel streaming service like Fubo or Sling.
- Listen on the go. If you missed the Daily Show time tonight and can't watch video the next morning, subscribe to The Daily Show Ears Edition podcast. It’s the full audio of the episode, and it usually hits podcast feeds by 5:00 AM ET.
- Monitor the Hiatus Calendar. Late-night shows take about one week off every month. Before you get settled in with your popcorn, check if it’s a "dark" week. If the previous night was a rerun, tonight probably is too.
Watching the news can be exhausting. Watching people make fun of the news makes it bearable. Just make sure you’re actually tuned in when the cameras start rolling.