Daily Show's Jon Stewart joins 9/11 Memorial board
[HMG Celebrity News] – Having already utilized his role as the chief talking head on ‘The Daily Show’ to get better health care for first-responders in the 9/11 disaster, Jon Stewart has now joined the board in charge of creating the nation’s memorial.
The 47-year old native New Yorker, who lives a short distance from the site in TriBeCa was appointed during the board’s annual meeting at Gracie Mansion yesterday, and told reporters he was ‘very humbled’ by his new role.
"It appears they’ve done 95-percent of the hard labor on this," Digital Spy quotes him as saying. "So I'm hoping to help in any way I can. I'm like their intern at this point."
The board has 47 members, including the CEO of American Express and the owner of the New York Jets. There are also eleven people who lost relatives in the attack, and fellow performers such as Robert De Niro and Billy Crystal.
"Jon loves New York as much as I do," Board Chairman, Michael Bloomberg says in a statement. "He's been a great supporter of the foundation, and we're glad he'll now play an even larger role in ensuring its success."
Those in charge of what is called ‘The National September 11 Memorial and Museum’ are still raising money to finish both projects and Jon’s sizable audience makes him a fund-raising magnet. So his appointment was seen as a no-brainer.
"There's no doubt about that," Joseph Daniels, the president and CEO of foundation explained. "We see him as helping raise awareness, and that helps fund-raising."
Jon was MC at the foundation's benefit last year, and his passionate advocacy for 9/11 workers meant his new role ‘made a lot of sense," said Daniels.
The foundation plans to open the memorial on the 10th anniversary of the attacks, and the museum on the same date next year. Their intent is to construct two reflecting pools where the towers once stood.
So far $370-million has been raised, with enough on hand to complete the project. But the board needs an extra $20 million at least to add extra exhibits and cover the museum’s running costs.
If anyone has both the passion and profile to close that funding gap, it’s Jon Stewart. Do you think he can do it? And would you send a few dollars to help? Let’s hear your opinion…
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