About This Show
This one-night only special event benefitting the Geffen Playhouse’s Capital Campaign features a conversation between Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and comedian Jon Stewart plus an “open mic” opportunity for guests to direct their questions straight to these notable personalities.
ANTONIO R. VILLARAIGOSA is the 41st mayor of Los Angeles. Villaraigosa is known for his exceptional skill at building broad bi-partisan coalitions and is considered one of the leading progressive voices in the country. His mayoral platform emphasizes finding solutions to the major issues facing Los Angeles including education, transportation, public safety, economic development and ethics. In 1994, Villaraigosa was elected to the California State Assembly; four years later, his colleagues elected him the first Assembly Speaker from Los Angeles in 25 years. While Speaker, Villaraigosa oversaw passage of landmark state legislation including the modernization of public schools, the toughest assault weapons ban in the country, the largest urban neighborhoods parks initiative in America, and the “Healthy Families” program that provides healthcare for over a half a million California children. He ran for mayor of Los Angeles in 2001 and narrowly lost the election. He then was appointed a distinguished fellow at UCLA and USC, where he helped write “After Sprawl” a policy blueprint for addressing the issues facing many urban centers. In 2003, he won the 14th District Los Angeles City Council Seat. During his tenure on the City Council, he championed many of the issues he is addressing today as Mayor and is widely credited with resolving the MTA transit strike, creating the largest passive park on the Eastside and Los Angeles, and protecting funding for the Arts.
A New Jersey native, JON STEWART is considered one of America’s top social and comedic voices. From his anchor chair of Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart,” he “has breathed new life into a show that hadn’t even seemed to need it,” said The New York Times. Since taking over as the anchorman of “The Daily Show” in January 1999, Stewart’s presence has seen higher ratings and awareness for himself and Comedy Central. With an election year, Stewart and “The Daily Show” were poised to lead the way to the White House as the torchbearers of Comedy Central’s “Indecision 2000” election coverage. “Indecision 2000” covered all the events from the Iowa Caucus and New Hampshire primary straight through the National Conventions and culminated on Election Night with a one-hour special. Prior to “The Daily Show,” Stewart appeared on HBO’s critically acclaimed series, “The Larry Sanders Show,” playing a character he should know very well: himself. The final season saw Stewart seemingly being groomed to take over the fictitious late-night throne from the perpetually paranoid Larry Sanders (Garry Shandling). Stewart also served as a creative consultant on the series. Stewart’s film credits include “Big Daddy,” “Playing by Heart,” and “The Faculty.” Stewart took the path less traveled in developing his debut book, “Naked Pictures of Famous People.” A collection of fictitious and humorous what-if essays, “Naked Pictures” has appeared on The New York Times Best-Seller List and others. Stewart returned to “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” following the September 11th attacks and shared his touching and eloquent insight regarding the recent tragedies with his viewers.
Tickets to a VIP pre-show cocktail reception (additional $500 per guest) with the Mayor and Mr. Stewart as well as other special donor packages are available by calling 310-208-6500 x 136.