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Trevor Noah to Succeed Jon Stewart on 'The Daily Show'


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I was really pleased by this news.   I liked Trevor Noah a lot in his appearances on TDS and from what I've seen of his standup.  Of course, it still feels a bit sad to me, but I know in the long run it's always best to quit before you can't stand something any longer, so it was the right move for Jon. 

 

Good for Trevor Noah, too.   That's high profile gig and I'll be more than happy to tune in.   

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The NY Times notes he only made 3 appearances. 3 in 4 months. What's up with that? Why didn't they use hium more?

 

That's fairly normal for a contributor. He's on tour a lot too.

 

Here's a stand-up set he did a few years ago, for people who want to see more of his stuff:

 

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The NY Times notes he only made 3 appearances. 3 in 4 months. What's up with that? Why didn't they use hium more?

Contributors show up a lot less than correspondents. It's like how Lewis Black shows up maybe three times  year.  He tours a lot internationally.

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I think TDS made an excellent choice.  I like Trevor.  He seems to have the poise and confidence to take over the show.  Also, he's young and TDS has always been aimed at a younger audience.  

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I dunno about this. As I've said in another TDS thread, Trevor comes across as being cool and dry in his delivery, at least what I've seen from his appearances on the show. That may be perfect for his style of comedy, but I would hope someone replacing Jon will show a little more emotion. How do you relate to the latest insanity that the Republican party and Fox News try to get away with if the host doesn't show the outrage over it? Aasif would have been so perfect for that.

 

Maybe there's another gear or two that he has yet to show us. But right now, I feel this is a questionable hire IMO.

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I dunno about this. As I've said in another TDS thread, Trevor comes across as being cool and dry in his delivery, at least what I've seen from his appearances on the show. That may be perfect for his style of comedy, but I would hope someone replacing Jon will show a little more emotion. How do you relate to the latest insanity that the Republican party and Fox News try to get away with if the host doesn't show the outrage over it? Aasif would have been so perfect for that.

 

Maybe there's another gear or two that he has yet to show us. But right now, I feel this is a questionable hire IMO.

 

I have found his bits on TDS a bit dry (and/or discussing horrifying truths that are hard to laugh at) but his stand-up has lots of range.  Honestly, any man who can successfully land jokes about apartheid, pedophiles, and Hitler in 8 minutes has something going for him.  He even landed a joke in German.  (See video above.)

Edited by dusang
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I vaguely remember seeing him once. I won't lie, I'm kind of disappointed. The Daily Show has been great with "reporting" on bad political and media behavior, but a lot of that stuff, these days, is happening on the state and local level. Look at all the legislatures and governors in "red and purple states" attempting to pass all kinds of legislation to depress voting, limit the rights of women and minorities, and destroy unions. Look at what was unearthed in Ferguson, due to one incident. I think this kind of job requires a greater understanding of the American political/social system and I just don't get why they can't seem to find one American comic/satirist who can handle it.

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One thing I'm really going to miss: Jon's impressions, like his New Jersey mook or the "Ah do declare" Lindsey Graham. Noah will definitely bring a different sensibility to the show. I'm cautiously optimistic, but since I was super jazzed about Larry Wilmore taking over the 11:30 slot and TNS has turned out to be something of a disappointment, I will choose not to speculate on what Noah will be like as a host. It's interesting that CC apparently did not have Noah do any test shows, though; sounds like it was kind of a go-with-your-gut decision.

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I've grown sick of Stewart's both sides are to blame and false equivalency bullshit years ago. I stopped watching until Oliver came on to guest host and fell in love with the show again. One episode with Stewart and I stopped watching. His smug, above-it-all bullshit actually offended me after seeing Oliver's passion. So, I am thrilled that he is leaving but not sure on the replacement yet.

I've read that Samantha Bee was told she was out of the running for the job early on and that is why she signed with TBS. I wonder if there is any truth in that?

As for Wilmore, I like his new show minus the panel piece. I think he should just ditch that piece entirely. I expect they'll tinker with the show over the next year or so. It took Colbert Report about a year to really gel, so I hope CC is as patient with Wilmore.

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Ugh. Very disappointed in this. Not that I have anything against Noah, but I feel the show needed someone with a bigger built-in fan base to replace someone as popular and as effective as Jon Stewart. I think this will ultimately diminish TDS brand and ratings. 

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I'm cautiously optimistic, but since I was super jazzed about Larry Wilmore taking over the 11:30 slot and TNS has turned out to be something of a disappointment,

 

 

I, too, thought Larry Wilmore was a good choice and have been disappointed in him. I think Comedy Central lucked out on having such two strong hosts like Stewart and Colbert and then having Oliver in their back pocket. To lose them all? Somehow, someone wasn't managing the store correctly. (And I say this more in terms of losing Oliver who they might have been able to keep with a promise of hosting The Daily Show for good.)

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Well, looks like Variety and Deadline were on par with the hosting speculation.

 

Personally, I agree with Victor the Crab about Trevor. To be a good host one has to bring something new to the table but keep the straight man persona. I will not disagree that Trevor is culturally aware, but I wonder if his world issues content is what CC was leaning for. Rather than correct (and sometimes impact) the stubborn media and political issues, CC is taking a risk in Trevor to deliver more international stories because I think the people and news outlets we deal with everyday is more of a first world problem compared to other attacks in the Middle East and Africa (also, since Ollie-Scone left, there hasn't been too much international stories).

 

However, Trevor has yet to show his silly side. I hope for the next few months he'll be on more often to show his versatility outside his dry delivery (i.e., emotion, impressions, maybe a few running gags tied to his native country, etc.). Three appearances is not enough to convince me he's ready to make TDS his own. I think he should make more appearances on a weekly basis just so viewers get a better gist of him. I mean, it's the same case for Larry Wilmore, a contributor the 9-10 years. He was barely on the show but he was rewarded with the 11:30 slot and his show turned out great but not as anticipated.

 

Honestly, I think TDS was on a roll when the correspondents took over as the host. Maybe if they let the Jessica, Hasan and Jordan do a rotational hosting it would've been a more interesting concept/risk for CC.

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I feel the show needed someone with a bigger built-in fan base to replace someone as popular and as effective as Jon Stewart. I think this will ultimately diminish TDS brand and ratings.

 

I don't agree.  Someone with a bigger built-in fan base can and should have their own talk show, based on their own name, rather than just taking over something that's already been established.

 

Oliver has his own show based on his own name, so did Colbert.  It's not like they had humongous fan bases -- they had some vocal fans.

 

I'm excited for this change.  As a correspondent Trevor's deadpan candor always kind of shocked me, in a good way.  He dared to say things that I felt Stewart never would.  This just feels so modern, so new.  I'm excited.  Also, well he's very cute.

Edited by Ms Blue Jay
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I have no reason to doubt Bill Simmons' tweet today that Comedy Central tried and missed on Louis CK, Amy Schumer, and Amy Poehler as hosts. He wrote in his column over a week before it was announced that Colbert would be taking over for Letterman. I can't really see Louis or Amy S thriving in that role, both seem very confident and comfortable doing their own thing, and they're doing it well. Amy Poehler was my choice early on among friends, Fake News experience; Parks & Rec was a political satire; and she's taken stands on issues in the public eye as well. But this gig is a grind, and I get it's not for everyone.

 

I think Trevor can bring some great energy to the role. I know he's only been on a few times, but he's killed it every time he's been there. He points out those ugly truths in such a calming yet funny way. Plus, if the time does come to get completely indignant it will carry more weight. Part of what made Jim Jeffries bit on gun control (which got a bunch of life last week courtesy of Vox) from bare so effective is that he spends most of it relatively calm and logical, but goes off the rails at certain parts to drive it home.

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Yup, Nothing wrong being different ChelseaNH .. I also like his dry delivery. A regular dry delivery will work out even better for occasional emotional outburst.

 

I really hope that the writers stay! I assume that at least half of the content/humor/tone is coming from the writers

If the writers and format stays, I am sure Noah can add to it with his style and new correspondents (since it seems that the old ones will leave one by one)

Edited by FartyPants
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I agree -- wanting Trevor to be more emotional like Jon is (I think) wanting the new host to be Jon.  The new host won't be Jon, no matter who it is.  Outrage won't be expressed the same way.  Everything will be different.  

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I'm really excited for Trevor to take over. I've liked the bits of him that I've seen as a contributor. Although he is young, he already has an established voice as a comedian. Plus, he already has experience as a late-night host. He hosted his own late-night talk show in South Africa, so he has a bit of an idea of what works for him and what doesn't. As much as I adore Amy Poehler and would love to see her with her own talk show, I don't think an established brand like The Daily Show would have been the right place for it. I also never could see Sam Bee as a host. Frankly, I totally tune out when she does a bit on TDS because I find her style incredibly grating, much like I do with Jason Jones. 

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Trevor Noah to Succeed Jon Stewart on ‘The Daily Show’

 

Confirmed, as well as an approximate time for him taking over/Jon leaving: December, though they later say they don't have an exact timetable.

 

I think you may have misread that. The only mention of December made in that article was in stating when Noah made his first appearance on the show. I suspect the transition will be happening much sooner than the end of this year.

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I share some of the concerns about his potential insight ino to the US political system, especially regional issues. John Oliver's lived here for years which give his rants about civil forfeiture, etc. some authority. On the other hand, maybe The Daily Show could use someone with a broad, non-American perspective who also hasn't lived in New York extensively.

 

The first time I saw Trevor was on the British panel show QI and he quickly got the two cerebral comedians to swoon over his click singing. (Hulu has the full episode here.)

 

Edited to add: I think he has tour dates through the fall, which makes it unlikely Trevor would take over sooner than that.

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I vaguely remember seeing him once. I won't lie, I'm kind of disappointed. The Daily Show has been great with "reporting" on bad political and media behavior, but a lot of that stuff, these days, is happening on the state and local level. Look at all the legislatures and governors in "red and purple states" attempting to pass all kinds of legislation to depress voting, limit the rights of women and minorities, and destroy unions. Look at what was unearthed in Ferguson, due to one incident. I think this kind of job requires a greater understanding of the American political/social system and I just don't get why they can't seem to find one American comic/satirist who can handle it.

 

Well, the thing is though, Noah's Daily Show might be nothing like Jon's. To automatically expect it to keep satirizing American politics and Fox News could be a mistake, because he may be taking it in a completely different direction.

 

That was the reason I was upset at Jon's leaving, because with both him and Colbert gone, and with Wilmore not delivering very well, and John Oliver much more interested in international issues/in depth reporting on specific things, it kinda means all my political catharsis is gone from the air, and that makes me sad. I loved/looked forward to these guys calling Republicans and the Fox News machine on their bullshit, and now they'll just be allowed to get away with everything, and all of late night will be very apolitical.

Edited by ruby24
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I was actually a fan of Trevor Noah's stand-up before he was hired on The Daily Show. And his segments on The Daily Show were good, although, honestly, three appearances doesn't tell you much, especially when they were all international instead of about the US. But I'm not feeling great about this choice.

 

The thing is, he's funny in the right format, but he's different than what we've been watching on The Daily Show. Not just because he's a foreigner (and John Oliver doesn't count, here. Canada and the UK are very similar, culturally, to the US), although that's part of it. But because his style of humor isn't snarky. If you look at Stewart, Colbert, Wilmore, Oliver, the one thing they have in common, is that they're wry. Or arch. Or contemptuous. You get the sense they're barely suppressing an eye-roll. Noah doesn't give off that vibe. If I had to compare him to a working stand-up, it would be Russell Peters. And I don't think there's much overlap between the people who buy tickets to Peters's shows, and the current NYC comedy cool crowd, like everyone involved in The Daily Show, Fey, Poehler, Silverman, Burress, Ansari, Louis CK, etc.

 

Let's be real. He wasn't the first choice. Or the second. Or the third. Who was ahead of him? Jessica Williams for sure. Mandvi? Wyatt Cenac? I think he would have done a good job. And that's just the current cast.

Edited by Obviously
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Let's be real. He wasn't the first choice. Or the second. Or the third. Who was ahead of him? Jessica Williams for sure. Mandvi? Wyatt Cenac? I think he would have done a good job. And that's just the current cast.

 

First Choice for who? I wouldn't put either Williams or Mandvi ahead of Noah in my list, Williams is too young and Mandvi is acting/writing/producing on a show for HBO. Wyatt Cenac hasn't been part of the current cast for a few years.

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So I wasn't exactly tracking pre-and-post notification, but Noah now has over 2 million twitter followers. That's more than John Oliver. Anyone have an idea of where he was at yesterday. Understandably he could have a large international following

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I should have clarified. First choice for the people in charge, the people who chose the new host. I don't have inside knowledge, but I don't think it was Noah.

 

Bill Simmons said they went hard for Louis CK, Amy Poehler and Amy Schumer, but they declined....

 

https://twitter.com/BillSimmons/status/582560069897756672

 

I don't think they went for the other Daily Show correspondents before Noah. I think he was their best option in terms of a surprise/fresh/clean slate choice. Except for Hasan, everybody else would've been too identified with the Stewart show. This way, Noah could start from scratch, be an outsider, while technically being an insider.

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I shouldn't have been, but I was surprised by all of the racists that came out of the woodwork responding to this announcment.   I read dozens people complaining that Comedy Central was turning into a "black network" because both hosts in the 11-midnight hour will be black, and that Noah only got the job because he was black.   (Besides of course all of those who complained that for some reason he can't host The Daily Show because he's a "foreigner."  

 

I actually have a feeling that most of these commenters aren't even viewers of The Daily Show, they just want to criticize what they believe is "political correctness."

Edited by ALenore
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The thing is, he's funny in the right format, but he's different than what we've been watching on The Daily Show. Not just because he's a foreigner (and John Oliver doesn't count, here. Canada and the UK are very similar, culturally, to the US), although that's part of it. But because his style of humor isn't snarky. If you look at Stewart, Colbert, Wilmore, Oliver, the one thing they have in common, is that they're wry. Or arch. Or contemptuous. You get the sense they're barely suppressing an eye-roll. Noah doesn't give off that vibe. If I had to compare him to a working stand-up, it would be Russell Peters. And I don't think there's much overlap between the people who buy tickets to Peters's shows, and the current NYC comedy cool crowd, like everyone involved in The Daily Show, Fey, Poehler, Silverman, Burress, Ansari, Louis CK, etc.

 

I never thought of John Oliver as snarky.  I see his style as entirely different than Jon's.

 

I also see Trevor's style as entirely different than Russell Peters' -- I have to tell you, I don't even understand the comparison.

 

Don't get me started on the differences between Fey, Poehler, Silverman, Burress, Ansari, and Louis CK.  What exactly bands these 6 comedians together?  I mean, Silverman?  Really?  My opinion of those 6 varies so wildly.  

 

I don't really get what's inherently valuable in this eye-roll, contemptuous style you speak of.  Again, I'm glad that an entirely new generation of comedians are rolling out, and as Ansari and Burress are so much younger than the other people you mention, I include them in that.

 

I also don't find UK/Canada/US culture interchangeable either....  

Edited by Ms Blue Jay
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I was getting ready to articulate why I think largely-new blood is a better choice than putting one of the veteran correspondents behind the desk, decided to read the NPR blog linked above in the interim, and realized I could just quote from that:

 

In a lot of ways, it's probably smart to pick somebody who is of the show, but not too much of the show. Had they chosen one of the veteran correspondents who was so closely associated with Stewart's version of The Daily Show, the old host's absence might have felt more glaring. This pick provides some continuity but also a solid break between the old and the new, and perhaps some chance at making it his own.

Edited by Bastet
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In a lot of ways, it's probably smart to pick somebody who is of the show, but not too much of the show. Had they chosen one of the veteran correspondents who was so closely associated with Stewart's version of The Daily Show, the old host's absence might have felt more glaring. This pick provides some continuity but also a solid break between the old and the new, and perhaps some chance at making it his own.

 

I agree with this comment.  I wouldn't expect  Louis CK, Amy Poehler, Amy Schumer, etc. to agree to host the show.  They've got their own shows, their own "brands," which I don't think they'd want to give up for The Daily Show.   I

 

I'm looking forward to Noah, I think he'll do a fine job.  Looking at his Wikipedia entry,  he actually does have quite a bit of experience doing televsion, just not in America.   It's not like the only thing he's done has been three appearances on The Daily Show.  I checked out some of his stand up on You Tube, and he does great accents and is not all "cool and dry," that was just for the conversations with Jon.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDk5ajNDgZc

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Just looked him up on Wikipedia, and Noah has a LOT of hosting experience; I suspect there was a lot for the powers that be to look through when they were making their choice.

Noah had a major role on the South African soap opera Isidingo in 2002, when he was 18. He then began hosting his own radio show Noah’s Ark on Gauteng’s leading youth radio station, YFM. Noah then went on to host an educational program Run The Adventure from 2004–06 on SABC 2. In 2007 he hosted The Real Goboza, a gossip show on SABC 1,[11] and Siyadlala a SABC's sports show. In 2008 Noah co-hosted alongside Pabi Moloi on The Amazing Date (dating game-show) and was a Strictly Come Dancing (celebrity dance competition) contestant in Season 4. In 2009 he hosted the 3rd Annual South Africa Film and Television Awards (SAFTA Awards) and co-hosted alongside Eugene Khoza on The Axe Sweet Life (reality competition series) at the 15th annual South African Music Awards. In 2010 Noah hosted the 16th annual South African Music Awards and also hosted Tonight with Trevor Noah on MNet (in the second season it moved to DStv's Mzansi Magic Channel).
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I think it's probably for the best that the show changes. It's not fair to the new host to follow Jon's format and agenda. Oliver was able to tweak things a bit when he filled in for Jon, but everyone knew that's what he was doing: filling in for Jon. Jon was able to make TDS his own after he took over from Kilburn, and Jon's successor deserves the same chance.

 

I also think that three appearances on TDS is hardly enough to conclude what sort of host Noah will be. Just because he seemed rather detached in those doesn't mean he'll seem detached when he takes over. 

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I like Noah, but I am not going to predict whether I will like TDS under his direction, because I was enthusiastic about the Wilmore appointment, and I think his show is so crappy, obnoxious, sloppy, and offensive that I don't even watch it anymore. But looking at media about Noah in general, it seems like he does have quite a bit more experience and range of skills than what has been seen from him on TDS so far. For instance, one article says he is amazing at doing impressions. So, it may be that we don't really know what his show will be like.

 

I would like to have the daily catharsis, but I also have grown very bored by Stewart's fish in a barrel approach to FoxNews and false equivalences and sometimes lazy and inaccurate analyses. I think Joni s burned out and missing great and important topics, just sticking to his familiar bits. So if the show can expand beyond that, and take on daily events as well as broader topics, I'd be all for it.

 

Maybe Noah can let the rest of the cast do the daily stuff, while he sits at the desk asking "clueless" questions and letting them do the exposition. I think there are ways around his lack of long term USA residency. An outsider's shock and outrage could provide a terrific backdrop for the local reporters, who are so used to what we experience that they don't notice it as much, for instance. And they do still have Jessica and the other Stewart-era "correspondents" to roll their eyes and be biliously outraged. I'd love to see Noah with Kristen Schaal bantering together with both of them having an increasingly high and squealy voice as they get deeper and deeper into their outrage from within their faux polite/sweet characters. As I recall, Oliver did not always have many years of USA residency, but he was funny from the beginning, so it's possible Noah would be the same.

 

It does bother me that CC didn't do test shows, or apparently much else to prepare and map out what they are getting. It's clear they didn't do it with Wilmore, and apparently they aren't bothered enough by the result to do a more thorough plan for TDS, either. I think they feel that they got lucky putting a relative unknown in the chair with Stewart, so they don't need to go by more than their gut on his replacement, either. Let's hope they luck out.

 

The "real news" actually does use their correspondents more than TDS has been doing lately. The anchor reads headlines and asks questions of the field reporters, but doesn't usually talk for most of the show with only a break for an occasional appearance by another reporter. So they could go that route, also, making Noah a more traditional anchor and not the main one delivering material.

 

Here's a Slate article about TN's biography:

http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2015/03/30/trevor_noah_documentary_you_laugh_but_it_s_true_shows_future_daily_show.html

Edited by possibilities
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I attribute the stiffness of his appearances on TDS to him trying to find a voice as a contributor. If you looked at any of the correspondents' first three appearances, I doubt they would be anything too memorable. 

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Wow.  I guess what they say is true.  Once you go black, you never go back!  

 

Kidding.  But TWO black people in a row airing on late night TV?  Amazing!  Then again, maybe this is just a roundabout way to marginalize Wilmore and his disappointing show and it won't be two black guys in a row for all that long.  (EDIT - although I guess Noah is mixed race--I didn't realize that until reading more about him a second ago)

 

Gotta say, minorities coming onto late night?  Overdue and thus hardly worth more than an "about time" nod now. But what we've got a glut on is FOREIGNERS!  Craig Ferguson used to be the only one, and he was well on his way to naturalization.  But now we have James Corden, Trevor Noah AND John Oliver all at once (note: not a complaint: just an observation, especially since Oliver, for example, is brilliant)

Edited by Kromm
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So my feelings are mixed too. I am hopeful overall. 

Louis CK and Amy Schumer would not have been on my list (nothing against them personally.)  Fey and Pohler yep. Fey and Poehler would have been higher choices for me. Also Jason and Samantha Bee. Jordan is not my favorite. 

 

I worry Noah as foreigner and a black man will receive more hatred from the right wing/Faux news. To use an analogy, I'm worried Noah will be to Stewart as Obama is and has been to Clinton. (I feel like the right wing is a lot more tough on Obama than they were Clinton.)

 

In terms of the quality of the show, I think that they're losing a lot of great people. Jason, Jon, Oliver, etc. I like Aasif and Jessica, who are both wonderfully talented people, but I think they need more. Part of what made Stewart great was having the very talented sporting cast, Williams, Mandvi, Jones, Carell, COLBERT. I would like to see some talented new side players in addition to  current MVPS Aasif and Jessica. 

Edited by Temperance
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Isn't Samantha Bee getting her own show on TBS?

 

The post referred to hosts of late-night talk/variety shows in speaking of the lack of women, and since Bee's show is in such an early stage of development, it has not been announced when it will air.

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As a South African I'm quite happy about the news, although I do share the fear that his delivery is very different from Stewart's.

I can however say, that I adored his Late night show this side of the earth. He actually copied quite a bit from the daily show, with some sketches and the like. Unfortunately it wasn't all that successful - mostly due to the political climate and race issues in general on this side.

Can't wait to see what he does with this opportunity!

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