Jon Stewart, host of The Daily Show on Comedy Central, recently gave this commencement speech to graduates at his alma mater, William & Mary College.

I am honored to be here, I do have a confession to make before we get going that I should explain very quickly. When I am not on television, this is actually how I dress. I apologize, but there’s something very freeing about it. I congratulate the students for being able to walk even a half a mile in this non-breathable fabric in the Williamsburg heat. I am sure the environment that now exists under your robes, are the same conditions that primordial life began on this earth.

I know there were some parents that were concerned about my speech here tonight, and I want to assure you that you will not hear any language that is not common at, say, a dock workers union meeting, or Tourrett’s convention, or profanity seminar. Rest assured.

I attended one of Rita‘s many graduations some years ago, where the guest speaker was former Texas governor Ann Richards. Ms. Richards had just been defeated, in a rather ugly campaign, by future one-and-out President George W. Bush. This has nothing really to do with Jon Stewart giving an address at William & Mary, but it’s customary to try to relate these links to personal experience, even if it’s a stretch.