South African-native Trevor Noah, at just 31-years-old, has been named the new host of The Daily Show on Comedy Central.
From The New York Times, speaking to Noah in Dubai during a comedy tour:
“You don’t believe it for the first few hours,” Mr. Noah said of learning about his new job. “You need a stiff drink, and then unfortunately you’re in a place where you can’t really get alcohol.”
The appointment of Mr. Noah, a newcomer to American television, promises to add youthful vitality and international perspective to “The Daily Show.” It puts a nonwhite performer at the head of this flagship Comedy Central franchise, and one who comes with Mr. Stewart’s endorsement.
“I’m thrilled for the show and for Trevor,” Mr. Stewart said in a statement. “He’s a tremendous comic and talent that we’ve loved working with.” Mr. Stewart added that he “may rejoin as a correspondent just to be a part of it!!!”
The Daily Show veteran Jason Jones left his position (with a great send-off) very recently, but even so the selection of Noah is an ace move on whoever’s part it was, Comedy Central or The Daily Show‘s producers or even Jon Stewart himself. (I don’t know who made the decision.)
I’m extremely happy and excited to see a guy like Noah — who is not only a person of color hosting one of the biggest, most influential social/political late-night programs of all time, but also foreign as we march to the next exhaustive election season. Like John Oliver, Noah’s South African accent gives him a sort of objective perspective that isn’t biased by being a born citizen. So when the United States fucks up and (and when we do, we fuck up hard), there will be someone who can really tell it like it is.
Also, he’s just really funny. That’s literally the only real requirement to host anything on Comedy Central. I mean, you remember this, right?
Congratulations, Trevor Noah. I can’t wait to see you do your thing.
UPDATE: The Daily Show has made the official announcement.
