Jon Stewart run on The Daily Show is soon coming to a close but his successor is a pleasant surprise. South African comic Trevor Noah will take the reigns and replace Stewart, whenever he ends his 16 year tenure sometime this year.
Reports the New York Times:
In December, Trevor Noah, a 31-year-old comedian, made his debut as an on-air contributor on “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart,” offering his outsider’s perspective, as a biracial South African, on the United States.
“I never thought I’d be more afraid of police in America than in South Africa,” he said with a smile. “It kind of makes me a little nostalgic for the old days, back home.”
Now, after only three appearances on that Comedy Central show, Mr. Noah has gotten a huge and unexpected promotion. On Monday, Comedy Central will announce that Mr. Noah has been chosen as the new host of “The Daily Show,” succeeding Mr. Stewart after he steps down later this year.
“It’s an honor to follow Jon Stewart. He and the team at ‘The Daily Show’ have created an incredible show whose impact is felt all over the world,’ said Noah via a press released. “In my brief time with the show they’ve made me feel so welcome. I’m excited to get started and work with such a fantastic group of people.”
A Black guy (Noah is bi-racial…so yeah, a Black guy) at the head of Comedy Central’s no. 1 franchise. Salute!
Prepare for some racist backlash and chatter about tokenism or affirmative action, but whatever. Noah was reportedly handpicked by Stewart, who pretty much knows what he’s doing.
Said Jon Stewart, via a press release, “I’m thrilled for the show and for Trevor. He’s a tremendous comic and talent that we’ve loved working with…In fact, I may rejoin as a correspondent just to be a part of it!!!”
Let us know what you think of this announcement in the comments.
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Photo: Comedy Central
