In 2009, Jon Stewart sent his Daily Show correspondent Jason Jones to Tehran for a segment titled “Behind the Veil – Persians of Interest,” in which he conducted amusing interviews related to the Revolutionary Guard. One of the men he interviewed was Iranian journalist Maziar Bahari, who was then arrested days after the interview with claims of “espionage.” What followed was a 118-day incarceration that became the basis for his memoir Then They Came for Me: A Family’s Story of Love, Captivity, and Survival.
Jon Stewart was not only tied to the events, but was so taken by his story that he acquired the rights for what would become his directorial debut Rosewater. Ahead of a release this weekend, we’re now highlighting the Daily Show segments that led to this project. First, one can see the aforementioned field piece by Jones in 2009, then after his time in prison, Bahari came to the show to discuss the situation. Following that, he returned in 2011 around the time of his memoir’s release to talk more about the story, where Stewart also announces his intentions to create a film about the events. Check out all the videos below and read our review of Rosewater.
Rosewater opens on Friday, November 14th.