It was so unexpected! Jon Stewart opens up his show saying “Welcome to Science Friday.”

I was visiting the taping of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, sitting in the audience watching the warm up. Jon came out and asked if anyone had any questions. I raised my hand and asked if he had ever listened to Science Friday.

“No,” he said. “I”ve never heard of it. When is it on, what kinds of topics do you discuss?”

We launched into a brief discussion of the show, interspersed with funny snide comments about science, and he went on to other questions. Little did I expect that he would open the show with the words “Welcome to Science Friday” and then go on to mention NPR and “Ira” in his own inimitable way.

I was truly shocked. And delighted, of course. And professionally speaking, as someone who spent many years taping TV shows before a live audience (see Newton’s Apple, PBS) and now the host of a live radio show, I was truly impressed with his ability to be so funny and incisive and responsive to this guests, all at the same time.

He is a master of the medium. I’ll have to make another visit….