South African Comic Trevor Noah to Replace Jon Stewart at 'The Daily Show'

The New York Times reports that 31-year-old South African comedian Trevor Noah is your next Daily Show host. Noah first appeared on the show in December to talk about police brutality in America and South Africa. He's contributed on-air only twice since then.

 

Here's his December debut, where he jokes, "I never thought I'd be more afraid of police in America than in South Africa. It kind of makes me a little nostalgic for the old days, back home." Noah, who grew up in Soweto, is the son of a black Xhosa mother and a white Swiss father, per the Times. He has said that his parents' relationship was illegal under apartheid at the time of his birth.

 

Comedy Central says Noah will take over for Jon Stewart later this year. (Stewart announced he was leaving the show in February.)

 

 

http://morningafter.gawker.com/comedian-trevor-noah-will-succeed-jon-stewart-as-host-o-1694484412?utm_campaign=socialflow_gawker_facebook&utm_source=gawker_facebook&utm_medium=socialflow

Hmm, his standups are ok, but I think he's kind of lame. Certainly doesn't bring the same energy that John Stewart does.

I thought the same, Future. I watched all the clips Gawker posted and was at best unimpressed. He seems like a really pedestrian comedian. Not seeing the appeal.

I think with good writers he could be funny, and he'll certainly have that, but idk if he has that same sarcastic wit.

 

I actually like him and think it's a good choice, I'm just not really sure how the end product will look.

I just don't see the appeal unless they were just looking for an attractive mixed-race male host. They've got that covered just fine. But that's not why people tuned into The Daily Show, or why they tuned in for The Colbert Report either. They tuned in for wit, and for the hilarious reactions to political events these guys would provide. Off the bat, just from the outside looking in, this guy has the presence of a real newscaster more than he does one in the vein of Stewart or Colbert.

 

I guess what I'm saying is he seems more like an actual newscaster/television personality asked to play a comedian than he seems a comedian asked to play a newscaster/television personality.

There's no replacing Jon Stewart. It could just be a signal that they are going in a different direction with the show. Larry Wilmore is MUCH different from Stephen COlbert (obviously it's a different show, not like this situation, but it could evolve)

 

I'll be willing to give him a chance. I'd seen him before and thought he was OK. I doubt Jon Stewart was a lights out comedian either but they have good writers there. We will see I guess

 

It's going to feel weird without him though.

I was expecting to go "ewww" over his replacement, not "who?", really. No idea who this is.

They should have gotten Chris Hartwick

They should have gotten Chris Hartwick

 

I doubt Hardwick would have done that great a job, to be honest. He's not at all into politics.

He's also not funny

He's also not funny

 

Hardwick, or Trevor Noah?

 

I don't think Hardwick's approach would work at all in this realm. What made The Daily Show and The Colbert Report so successful was sharp wit. Neither guy seems to really have it.

 

Hardwick has his own niche carved out already anyway in the "nerdist" space. He's completely reinvented his career on it, and it's gotten him @midnight, Talking Dead and also got him Talking Bad for the final season of Breaking Bad.

There's no replacing Jon Stewart. It could just be a signal that they are going in a different direction with the show. Larry Wilmore is MUCH different from Stephen COlbert (obviously it's a different show, not like this situation, but it could evolve)

 

I'll be willing to give him a chance. I'd seen him before and thought he was OK. I doubt Jon Stewart was a lights out comedian either but they have good writers there. We will see I guess

 

It's going to feel weird without him though.

 

exactly. This show will never be the same one way or another.

 

I will say this though.. the amazing revolving door of talent that has gone through the daily show in past years gives me hope that this will be a good replacement.

Hardwick, or Trevor Noah?

 

I don't think Hardwick's approach would work at all in this realm. What made The Daily Show and The Colbert Report so successful was sharp wit. Neither guy seems to really have it.

 

Hardwick has his own niche carved out already anyway in the "nerdist" space. He's completely reinvented his career on it, and it's gotten him @midnight, Talking Dead and also got him Talking Bad for the final season of Breaking Bad.

 

Hardwick. I can't stand his humor.

 

Anyway, as for Noah, his standup is okay, but his appearances so far on The Daily Show have been lackluster. Stewart has had to help him along and a lot of his jokes have fallen flat. A majority of his material has revolved around South Africa (this goes for his standup too), and I doubt that's something that will translate well over to hosting the show.

 

I have also never seen him interview someone, which isn't the most important part of TDS, but Stewart is a good interviewer. He's also been able to score some very important and interesting guests. Noah is truly an unknown in this category and I'm not optimistic.

Hardwick. I can't stand his humor.

 

Really? Eh, I mean to each their own. There's a lot of people I don't find funny that millions of people do — Ben Stiller (for the most part), Seth Rogen, etc.

 

Anyway, as for Noah, his standup is okay, but his appearances so far on The Daily Show have been lackluster. Stewart has had to help him along and a lot of his jokes have fallen flat. A majority of his material has revolved around South Africa (this goes for his standup too), and I doubt that's something that will translate well over to hosting the show.

 

I have also never seen him interview someone, which isn't the most important part of TDS, but Stewart is a good interviewer. He's also been able to score some very important and interesting guests. Noah is truly an unknown in this category and I'm not optimistic.

 

This is true. I'm actually more worried about the show itself than I am his ability to interview. The crux of the show is the political content, after all.

Really? Eh, I mean to each their own. There's a lot of people I don't find funny that millions of people do — Ben Stiller (for the most part), Seth Rogen, etc.

 

 

 

This is true. I'm actually more worried about the show itself than I am his ability to interview. The crux of the show is the political content, after all.

 

I think the show, in terms of staying political and witty will be similar. The writers will be able to make sure of that. I don't feel his delivery will be able to meet the level of quality Stewart has set.

I honestly think someone like Louis CK would be great doing this, or even Colin Quin. Nick Dipalo would be good too, but he is too right wing for some people I think.

I disagree. Louis CK got a chance to interview Donald Rumsfeld and his question for him was "Are you a Lizard?" Hilarious, but he couldn't fill that role. Nick DiPalo is really conservative. Kind of tough to use a republican on a show thats mostly about making republicans look stupid. Colin Quinn used to have a similar show (I think?) but I think the goal was to go with a fresh face that not many people knew about.

This was a "safe" hire by Comedy Central. Most important is that he's biracial so he can appeal to both races, but especially the white upper to middle class liberal audience that the show already targets and gets. Louis CK as much as I like him and his comedy would never be a fit for them, they wouldn't view him as sophisticated enough for the gig.

 

We'll see, it might work. John Stewart always had a special way delivery that I don't know can be matched by anyone they got

I'd guess this move is a stop gap. Everyone knows no one will replace Stewart. So you bring in a guy that can maybe bring in a different audience but will likely fail to have the mass appeal that Stewart had. At the same time, you let people get over Stewart not being on the show. The conversation goes from "who will replace Stewart?" to "man, the Daily Show isn't working with this Noah guy". The next guy, the real replacement, has a much easier transition from Noah than they would have from Stewart.

 

And then you try to bring back as much of the audience as you can. You probably get the shot at most viewers as long as this guy only lasts 6 months or so. I'll give the new guy a chance as I did Wilmore in Colbert's spot. But Wilmore lost me. If they replace him, I'd give that time slot another look. Same as Stewart's spot.

I'd have rather they had promoted in-house or someone who used to be on the daily show. Jason Jones, Samantha Bee, Wyatt Cenac, and more recently Jessica Williams all come across as great candidates for the show. That said, I can't judge this guy on his stand-up because I came to know Stewart through the Daily Show anyway. If you think about it, guys who have been great at stand-up and political commentary aren't always successful in combining the two. Colin Quinn was considered a very funny comedian at his height, but didn't succeed on SNL as the Weekend Update host - a role similar to that of the Daily Show. Just as not every comedian-turned-late night host survives.

 

I'm interested to see how this plays out, whether they stay true to the format, or if some things change. It's just tough losing both Colbert and now Stewart to other pursuits, in a year.

Noah is in-house. He's been a correspondent for only a few months though.

Noah is in-house. He's been a correspondent for only a few months though.

Did not know that. I've never seen him on. Kind of an odd choice then with plenty of other correspondents with more experience.

Noah is in-house. He's been a correspondent for only a few months though.

He has only made 3 appearances.

 

I wouldn't be surprise if someone pegged him to be the replacement and then signed him on just to make it seem like they were keeping it in-house.

He has only made 3 appearances.

 

I wouldn't be surprise if someone pegged him to be the replacement and then signed him on just to make it seem like they were keeping it in-house.

 

Right, be he was still "in-house" and on the show prior to being named host.

 

Did not know that. I've never seen him on. Kind of an odd choice then with plenty of other correspondents with more experience.

 

I get what you're saying. I agree. For all we know, the other people could have turned the job down though.

I get what you're saying. I agree. For all we know, the other people could have turned the job down though.

 

That makes sense as well. Knowing that he is a recent hire, maybe it wasn't offered to other correspondents because over the course of the show they were used as an overly satirical device. Their role was to lampoon an issue, not deliver it. Thus within the show, it wouldn't make sense to make that change. Just a thought.

 

I hope he succeeds. I've been a bit disappointed with the style of Larry Wilmore's show. He isn't particularly funny either.