Comedy Central’s best satirical news host, Trevor Noah, has announced in a shared video on Twitter that he would be stepping away from his anchor desk. After 7 years of being the host on “The Daily Show”, Trevor says “my time is up”.
“It’s been absolutely amazing. It’s something that I never expected,” Noah said of his experience hosting the show. “I found myself thinking throughout the time of everything we’ve gone through. The Trump presidency, the pandemic, just the journey, more pandemic and I realize that after the seven years, my time is up.”
A special message from Trevor Noah pic.twitter.com/lMM8ll51fu
— The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) September 30, 2022
Trevor Noah brought an international perspective to American politics
The South African stand-up comedian was a newcomer to American audiences when he was named the succeeding host of the show after Jon Steward stepped down in 2015. What made not only him, but The Daily Show rise to new heights was the global perspective Trevor Noah brought to the show regarding American politics.
Brandished as his secret weapon, the show’s popularity grew by more than 200% among young viewers as well as increased its global ratings as the international perspective made it more relatable to viewers around the globe. Clearly indicating a major aspect which the show lacked before his time there.
For example; his outer perspective and in-tuned analysis of the American mindset, made him aware of the great possibility that Donald Trump could actually become president much earlier than most Americans did.
As the Daily Show writing staff continued to insist during their daily meetings that Trump could never be president, Noah realised he saw things differently from his new US colleagues. Everyone kept asking him why he didn’t seem more shocked by Trump’s behaviour on the campaign trail.
“I see why people are so taken by him because where I’m from, there are many leaders like Donald Trump. That was me beginning to understand that my point of view is what will always shape the show. I do not have the same point of view as other late-night hosts because I don’t come from the same world.”
Americans say goodbye to one of its greatest hosts that brought humour back into a world filled with political correctness.
In the video Trevor Noah says, “I want to say thank you to you, to you who watched this. I never dreamed that I would be here. I sort of feel like ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’, the comedian continues as he lightens the saddening goodbye. “I came here for a tour of what the previous show was and then the next thing you know I was handed the keys.”
Noah hinted that his decision to leave the show is rooted in his desire to return to standup work. Trevor expresses his desire to begin again touring around the world, having more experiences, learn from people to better his skills and ways to deliver comedy to everyone.
“I spent two years in my apartment, not on the road, and when I got back out there, I realized there’s another part of my life out there that I want to carry on exploring. I miss learning other languages. I miss going to other countries and putting on shows,” Noah said.
Naturally, what made Trevor Noah so incredibly popular was his incredible ability to impersonate accents, and make personas come to life all while seeming realistic and grounded. Noah’s South African upbringing shapes his comedy more than any other factor. His dead-on impressions, for example, stem, in part, from learning six languages during his youth, and being able to switch among them to fit his surroundings.
Further on in the video, Trevor Noah expresses his gratitude to his viewers, “The Daily Show” team, and to Comedy Central, “who believed in this random comedian nobody knew on this side of the world.”
“I’ve loved hosting this show, it’s been one of my greatest challenges and one of my greatest joys,” Noah said. “I’ve loved trying to find a way to make people laugh, even when the stories are particularly s***y, even on the worst days. We’ve laughed together, we’ve cried together.”
He did not share when his final show would be, but said he’d still be around for a while.
And like in the best comedy fashion ever, he made a joke to turn the saddening goodbye into a moment of joy by saying; “Don’t worry, I’m not disappearing… If I owe you money, I’ll still pay you!” Leaving all of us in tears of laughter and excitement about what’s next to come.
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