Trevor Noah Had The Last Laugh On “The Daily Show”
The comic, who rose from virtual obscurity to succeed Jon Stewart in 2015, is set to leave the flagship Comedy Central series after seven years in which he revamped it for a new audience that prefers social media to cable and broadcast networks.
Two people familiar with the situation said Noah announced his plans to an audience at a New York show on Thursday night. It was unclear when he would actually retire or if the Paramount Global cable network had begun looking for a replacement. A spokeswoman for
Noah, named Jill Fritzo, could not immediately be reached for comment.
“We thank Trevor for a wonderful seven-year partnership. We are working together on the next steps, although his departure is not yet set,” the network said in a statement, which has biting social commentary that helps audiences. understand the world around them.
As TV’s late-night lineup began to thin, Noah’s exit plans emerged. Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel have less competition, continuing around 11:30pm for news each night. and celebrity impressions and stunts. Warner Bros. Discovery executives canceled the late-night shows hosted by Samantha Bee and Conan O’Brien and did not attempt to find replacements for either. Three separate shows hosted by Stewart, Colbert and Chris Hardwick were originally available on Comedy Central. Cable now has only one channel. “Desus & Mero” on Showtime just wrapped production.
The news of Noah’s passing came as late night TV shows begin to decline. Lesser competition is Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, and Jimmy Kimmel, who continue to air their shows every night around 11:30 p.m. mocking the news and impressing celebrities. Warner Bros. Late-night shows hosted by Samantha Bee and Conan O’Brien were canceled by Discovery executives, and no host was replaced. Stewart, Colbert and Chris Hardwick hosted three separate shows that first aired on Comedy Central. Now there is only one channel on the cable network. Showtime’s “Desus & Mero” just ended.
Comedy Central has several replacements for Noah. The large cast of fictional “correspondents” with whom the host works includes Desi Lydic, Roy Wood Jr., Ronny Chieng, Michael Kosta and Dulcé Sloan. Jordan Klepper, a regular contributor who previously hosted The Opposition, which followed The Daily, has gained popularity online with segments where he visits conservatives at rallies and surveys about the state of the country. Charlamagne Tha God and Comedy Central have also teamed up for a weekly show that combines humor, commentary and news.
Noah worked hard to customize the show, meeting other media influencers after hours and coming up with new “Daily” formats. During commercial breaks, his banter with the audience was the stuff of social media. With a younger audience than competitors on broadcast networks and hosting the show from his apartment during the coronavirus epidemic, Noah gravitated to more serious topics and interviews. To continue a more routine production style, the show went on hiatus in the summer of 2021.
Looking closely, though, the cartoon took over the show. Stewart, who took over Craig Kilborn’s “Daily Show” in 1999, turned it into an institution by examining the conventions of mainstream media coverage. As soon as he arrived on the scene, Noah faced a difficult period of transition. He admitted to Variety in 2020 that the first two years were “terrible” and particularly bad as he took over one of America’s most respected organizations. Basically, it was the year I heard that I shouldn’t be doing this job and that I didn’t deserve to be in this position, even though Jon Stewart gave me the reins.
And I stuck to that point of view. Most of the first year was spent trying to stay afloat, not get fired and get my footing after stepping into this new role and doing a new job. I use the analogy that I learn to fly an airplane while it is flying. That was the feeling every day.
Because with Noah gone, the late-night lineup is less diverse, especially considering the departures of Bee and Singh and the cancellation of the Showtime comedy “Desus & Mero.” That dynamic could affect how Comedy Central’s management decides to proceed.
