This is a list of recurring segments featured on The Daily Show. This list is incomplete for The Daily Show with Craig Kilborn and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.
During The Daily Shows first ten years, a significant part of its airtime was devoted to different branded recurring segments, usually hosted by the show's correspondents. After the 2005 launch of The Colbert Report, which was largely made up of different recurring segments, the time devoted to such segments on The Daily Show has declined. Normal commentary segments about ongoing news stories can also have recurring titles to help sort them and talk about continuation.
Current segments
Your Moment of Zen (July 22, 1996 – present)
Your Moment of Zen is a segment that occurs at the end of every show. The segment was introduced when the show began. In it, the host would end the show and a random selection of humorous videos would be shown, usually a clip that relates to one of the topics that was discussed in the episode. Hosts generally introduce the segment by saying, "Here it is, Your Moment of Zen". Sometimes, the Moment of Zen will be used a tribute to a celebrity or prominent figure who has recently died. Moments of Zen are replaced by musical guests who play out the episode with an additional performance. The segment continues under current host Trevor Noah with the same structure.
List of Different or Special Moments of Zen:
The December 18, 2014 episode of The Daily Show did not end with a Moment of Zen, as it immediately transitioned into the final episode of The Colbert Report, with Jon Stewart giving the Moment of Zen at the end of the Colbert episode. At the end of Stewart's final episode on August 6, 2015, he introduced his final Moment of Zen – a live performance by Bruce Springsteen – by saying "Here it is, my Moment of Zen". On March 22, 2016, Trevor dedicated the Moment of Zen to Brussels, Belgium and Ankara, Turkey. This was in solidarity with those cities after terrorist attacks had occurred earlier that day in Brussels and earlier that month in Ankara. On November 8, 2016, Trevor and The Best F#@king News Team re-created a post-credit scene from the movie The Avengers. This quick parody replaced the usual Moment of Zen. On March 2, 2017, Trevor announced that they will be taking Your Moment of Zen suggestions from the viewers with the social media hashtag #DailyShowZen. The first user submitted Moment of Zen aired on March 15, 2017. As Trevor cued up Moment of Zen in his last sign-off as host on December 8, 2022, the camera turned to an applauding audience, who joined the show's staff in serenading Trevor with a rendition of Gerry and the Pacemakers' "You'll Never Walk Alone", a song associated with Trevor's favorite soccer club, Liverpool F.C.
Back in Black with Lewis Black (1996–present)
Back in Black with Lewis Black is a popular segment on the show in which "America's foremost commentator on everything" and comedian Lewis Black catches the stories that, according to his introduction, "fall through the cracks" and comments on them in a humorous rant. The segment, which starts with an opening riff in the style of the AC/DC song "Back in Black", originated in 1996, when Craig Kilborn was still the host of The Daily Show. As of 2019, it is the longest-running recurring segment that still airs on the show, aside from the Moment of Zen.
The Yearly Show (December 17, 2015 – present)
On the show's last episode of the year, Trevor Noah and The Best F#@king News Team review the previous year's biggest news story and trends.
Third Month Mania (March 17, 2016 – present)
A parody of March Madness, with a bracket filled with other topics instead of basketball teams. Third Month Mania is an annual segment that airs weekly segments throughout March and April. Voting happens on thirdmonthmania.com.
For the first annual Third Month Mania, viewers could vote on what made them the "maddest". Choices included "Slow WiFi" vs "No WiFi", "AntiVaxxers" vs "Hipsters", etc. Hosted by Hasan Minhaj and Roy Wood Jr., the correspondents over-hyped the results and bracket changes poking fun at March Madness commentators. The official description from thirdmonthmania.com; "Third Month Mania looks at all the important (and trivial) things that make you angry, then pits them against each other in a bracket where your vote actually matters. This single-elimination tournament takes place mostly in the month after February and is in no way connected to college athletics".
By the end of Third Month Mania 2016, after 4.4 million votes, the winner for most maddening thing were Trump Supporters.