Two years before he took the reins at "The Daily Show," Jon Stewart headlined the 1997 Correspondents Dinner after both Rosie O'Donnell and Dennis Miller denied to do the gig. A young Jon Stewart showed up and fortunately delivered. Although he spends a lot of time ridiculing Senator Robert Byrd for his (apparently) notorious hatred of dogs. The performance is nonetheless compelling, for the way it captures, in embryonic form, the earnest sarcasm that eventually won Stewart the hearts of Blue America.

Stewart also roasts Kennedy:
'I love Senator Kennedy. I think that guy's the coolest. Although I do think he has kind of an enormous head," he joked. "Honestly, it doesn't even look like a head. It looks more like a container for a head.''

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