After a triumphant run as host of The Daily Show and a brief break from the silver screen, Jon Stewart is coming back.

Stewart will be headlining two stand up comedy specials on HBO — his first since 1996. "I’m really thrilled to be able to return to stand-up on HBO,” said Stewart. “They’ve always set the standard for great stand-up specials. Plus, I can finally use up the last of the Saddam Hussein jokes left over from my first special."

HBO’s programming president, Casey Bloys, offered his support of the upcoming stand up series, saying, "We’re excited to bring Jon to the network with this pair of specials. We’ve all missed his uniquely thoughtful brand of humor." The news of the comedian’s return will placate fans who were counting on a rumored animation series collaboration between HBO and Stewart. The project was ultimately abandoned due to time constraints and distribution issues.