Thanks for posting the interview with Jon Stewart. I wonder if that was his last public interview?
It's amazing, but I thought he looked a little like Mark Twain.
There was a great story in the KC Star this morning about Vonnegut's experience in WWII that influenced his writing of Slaughterhouse 5.
In WWII he was in an Army unit at the Battle of the Bulge. Most of his company was killed in battle, he escaped and was wandering around trying to make contact with friendly forces when he was captured by the Germans.
They sent him as a POW to Dresden, to work in an old slaughterhouse, making vitamin suppliments for German troops. He worked in an underground meat locker.
The Allies firebombed Dresden, the worst firestorm from a bombing raid in history, and killed thousands of Germans. The only thing that saved Vonnegut was being underground in a meat locker.
After the bombing, the Germans made American POW's, including Vonnegut, help collect the dead from the bombing. That must have been gruesome.
Interesting insight into a life experience that would shape his world view.
RIP Kurt.
Also, check his website, very classy:
http://www.kurtvonnegut.com/