Trevor Noah,
the South African comedian who took over the hosting reins of “
The Daily Show”
after the departure of Jon Stewart seven years ago, announced Thursday that he
would be leaving the program.
اضافة اعلان
“We’ve laughed together, we’ve cried together,” Noah
said during a taping of the show Thursday that was released before the show
aired. “But after seven years, I feel like it’s time.”
Comedy Central said in a statement that the network
had been working with Noah “for a long time to figure out how he can maintain
the demanding schedule.”
The network added that “with no timetable for his
departure, we’re working together on next steps”.
Noah, 38, said Thursday that after presiding over
the show for a turbulent seven years — writing jokes about the presidency of
Donald Trump, the pandemic, and other major news events — he had realized that
there was “another part of my life that I want to carry on exploring.” He did
not elaborate, but he has continued touring and releasing stand-up specials
throughout his time as host.
Comedy Central said that it was “excited for the
next chapter” of “The Daily Show,” but it did not say who would be the next
host.
Noah thanked the network Thursday for believing “in
this random comedian no one knew on this side of the world.”
When Stewart left the program in 2015, having spent
16 years transforming the satirical program into an award-winning staple of
political comedy, fans eagerly awaited an answer to the question of who would
succeed one of TV’s most revolutionary hosts.
The announcement came as a surprise to many: Noah, a
newcomer to American television, was getting a huge and unexpected promotion
after just three appearances on the show.
The decision to name a 31-year-old biracial comic
from
South Africa was intended to bring a more youthful, international
perspective to “The Daily Show”.
But soon after the announcement, Noah became
embroiled in a controversy over jokes he had posted years earlier on Twitter
about women and Jewish people that some viewed as offensive. Noah responded to
criticism at the time, saying that “to reduce my views to a handful of jokes
that didn’t land is not a true reflection of my character, nor my evolution as
a comedian.”
The network stood behind him. Soon, Noah’s version
of “The Daily Show” was off and running, with correspondents from various
backgrounds bringing fresh takes to the show.
During his tenure, Noah embraced his outsider
perspective, commenting on America’s struggles with race, class, and other
facets of society that he deemed absurd, if not ripe for comedic jabbing.
He recalled Thursday that he had never dreamed of becoming
host. “I sort of felt like ‘
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,’ ” he said. “I
came in for a tour of what the previous show was. And then the next thing I
know, I was handed the keys.”
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