Trevor Noah to replace Jon Stewart on The Daily Show
This just in: Trevor Noah has been picked to replace Jon Stewart behind the “news” desk at The Daily Show.
It’s official: we’re thrilled to confirm @Trevornoah will be the next #DailyShow host. http://t.co/6S76gXq410 pic.twitter.com/ts2UrnAqrV
— Comedy Central (@ComedyCentral) March 30, 2015
“Trevor Noah is an enormous talent,” the president of Comedy Central said in a statement. “He has an insightful and unique point of view, and most importantly, is wickedly funny.”
No-one can replace Jon Stewart. But together with the amazing team at The Daily Show, we will continue to make this the best damn news show!
— Trevor Noah (@Trevornoah) March 30, 2015
In this 2013 Q & A with Interview, the comedian said he’s never had anyone walk out of his show. “I do speak my mind, but my goal is never to offend,” he told Emma Brown. “I don’t intentionally want to strike a chord.”
In that same interview, Noah was asked his thoughts on the purpose of comedy.
“The first purpose of comedy is to make people laugh,” he replied. “Anything deeper is a bonus. Some comedians want to make people laugh and make them think about socially relevant issues, but comedy, by the very nature of the word, is to make people laugh. If people aren’t laughing, it’s not comedy. It’s as simple as that.”
Related: What to expect from Trevor Noah
Stewart announced in February that he plans to leave his show by the end of the year.
“I’m thrilled for the show and for Trevor,” Stewart said in a statement. “He’s a tremendous comic and talent that we’ve loved working with.”
In this segment from The Daily Show from December 2014, Stewart introduced Noah to his audience:
Related reading: What is Jon Stewart’s Daily Show legacy?