I said in January that it was time for Jon Stewart to step down. I should be more careful what I wish for.
Comedy Central announced March 30 that Trevor Noah would be Stewart’s replacement. The South African comedian was the show’s “senior international correspondent” and had appeared on the show just three times since 2012. Many were left scratching their heads as to why Comedy Central thought Noah was the one for the most coveted role on late-night TV.
Noah has gained success abroad, but his fame has yet to reach American audiences. He had his own late-night show in South Africa, Tonight with Trevor Noah, and performed in front of sold-out audiences worldwide. Yet, with such big shoes to fill, many are concerned the 31-year-old is too inexperienced.
So how could Noah have been Comedy Central’s top choice? Maybe for all the same reasons so many think he’ll flop. Yes, he’s young, but that means he’ll have time to develop his persona on the show and make it his own. He’s not well-known in the U.S., but he appeals to a wide range of audiences overseas. That means his comedy is capable of bringing together many different types of people.
In an interview with The Washington Post, Comedy Central President Michele Ganeless indicated she was confident with the network’s decision.
“The more time we spent with [Noah], the more we realized he is going to be incredible at this job,” she said.
She said the selection committee was impressed by the way Noah has been able to “continually innovate and reinvent himself” – an important quality for someone who has to host 160 shows a year.
Less than a day after the announcement, someone dug through Noah’s Twitter and found tweets from more than a year ago that many see as misogynistic and anti-Semitic.
“Originally when men proposed they went down on one knee so if the woman said no they were in the perfect uppercut position.”
And –
“Messi gets the ball and the real players try foul him, but Messi doesn’t go down easy, just like jewish chicks. #ElClasico”
You can see Noah’s attempt at humor, but they’re really more offensive than funny.
At the very least, they’re along the lines of, “Come on, why did you think it was a good idea to say that?”
Noah received a sufficient amount of flack. He defended himself with – of course – more tweets saying his comedy has evolved since then.
Noah isn’t the only comedian to put offensive jokes on Twitter. But it makes him seem reckless and impulsive – neither of which suits The Daily Show’s style.
But, more importantly, there’s a sense that — if his appearances as a correspondent are any indication — a Trevor Noah Daily Show will be mediocre at best. He likes to focus on race issues and make the audience feel guilty for not following events in Africa more closely. In his few times on the show, the audience never seemed to respond well to his material and often laughed at Stewart’s reactions more than Noah’s jokes.
On Monday night’s show, Stewart finally addressed the controversy.
“My experience with him is that he is an incredibly thoughtful and considerate and funny and smart individual,” Stewart said. “I think you give him that time, and it’s going to be well worth it.”
By the time Stewart hands over the show, the outrage will have cooled. Even so, it seems Noah hasn’t had the most welcoming start. But maybe we should trust Stewart – we’ll soon find out if Noah has what it takes.