Jon Stewart Appointed to 9/11 Memorial Board

The life of funny man Jon Stewart took a serious turn on January 27, 2011, when he was appointed to the board of the 9/11 memorial and museum.

The "Daily Show" star has many ties to the memorial project. He lives in lower Manhattan not far from the Ground Zero site. He has been a vocal supporter of medical care for the 9/11 first responders. And he was the master of ceremonies at a fundraising event for the memorial last year.

New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg heads the board. The New York Times reported that the Mayor said, "Jon loves New York as much as I do. He's been a great supporter of the foundation, and we're glad he'll now play an even larger role in ensuring its success." Stewart was gracious, saying that he was "very humbled," and "like their intern at this point."

Other celebrities on the 48-person board are Robert De Niro and Billy Crystal.

The memorial honors the memory of the thousands who died in the 9/11 attack. Their names will be inscribed around the edges of two huge pools located where the World Trade Center towers used to be. The pools will contain the country's largest manmade waterfalls and will be surround by hundreds of oak trees.

The museum will have two levels, on the plaza and underground. In addition to exhibits, it will contain two iconic steel remnants from the towers, as well as the staircase that provided an escape route for hundreds of people. On the lower level, visitors will be able to see the foundations for the towers, part of the slurry wall, and the "last column."

The memorial and museum are still under construction. Enough money has been raised to complete the work, but millions more will be needed for exhibits and for the operation of the museum. Those in charge of the project hope that Jon Stewart's presence on the board will increase public awareness and help raise more funds.