Yea, you read the headline right. And you're probably doing a double take right now, "Trevor who?!"
Trevor Noah. If you don't know the name yet, you will soon because he just got a huge promotion.
Less than two months after comedian Jon Stewart announced he's leaving The Daily Show, Comedy Central has found his replacement. Trevor Noah will take over Stewart's role as host after only three appearances as an on-air contributor on the hit show. There was a report that the 31-year-old comedian from South Africa was on the shortlist for the job, but now it's official and is expected to be announced by the network sometime today.
“You don’t believe it for the first few hours,” Noah told The New York Times. “You need a stiff drink, and then unfortunately you’re in a place where you can’t really get alcohol.”
Noah knows he's in a tough position and has big shoes to fill taking over for Stewart who was widely praised throughout his 16-year run. It hasn't deterred him from taking the position. Stewart not only gave Noah his blessing, but also some advice.
“He told me, ‘I was where you were when I took over the show. Nobody knew me. I was just starting out, finding my voice, and that’s when I was handed this seat,’ ” Noah said.
Stewart, who is expected to leave the show later this year, is elated at the announcement.
“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.”
Michele Ganeless, Comedy Central president, said they searched candidates looking for the person who was best suited for the job and not just a carbon copy of Stewart. “You don’t hope to find the next Jon Stewart – there is no next Jon Stewart. So, our goal was to find someone who brings something really exciting and new and different,” she said in a statement. “We talked to women. We talked to men. We found in Trevor the best person for the job.”
“He brings such a unique worldview and a deep understanding of human nature, which makes his comedy so insightful,” she added. “He’s truly a student of the world.”
What are your thoughts on Noah as Stewart's replacement?
