CNN
—
Trevor Noah’s final night as host of Comedy Central’s satirical report “The Daily Show” celebrated his 7-year anchor tenure and featured a massive audience, a full cast of correspondents and farewell messages. stars.
“Don’t be sad,” Noah said in his closing monologue, adding, “It doesn’t feel like seven years. Well, not in the office. Obviously, I’ve been home in the meantime. But still, it was a wild ride.
A series of correspondent segments paying tribute to Noah and a video montage of farewells from Oprah, Issa Rae, Kamala Harris, Tracy Ross, Bill Gates, Hillary Clinton and more helped the host through the night.
“I would never claim to understand America, you know, in the relatively short time I think I’ve been here,” said Noah, whose perspective as a South African comedian brought an outside perspective to the show. . But he offered some lessons he learned.
Noah noted the strong influence of American political parties, encouraging his audience to consider issues outside the prism of Democratic or Republican ideals.
“As we live in a society where we increasingly introduce ourselves to things that keep us apart, we forget that true friendships come from similarities, and then disagreements are how we polish ourselves off as human beings” , did he declare.
“The problems are real, but politics is just an inventive way to solve those problems,” Noah said. “It’s not a binary. There are not only two ways to solve a problem. There are not only two ways to be. »
In the final minutes of the show, Noah thanked black women, especially those who took the time “to inform me, to educate me, to chat with me.”
“I’ve often been credited with, you know, having these great ideas… Who do you think teaches me? According to you, who shaped, nourished, informed me. From my mom, my grandma, my aunt — all those black women in my life,” the host said.
“If you really want to know more about America, talk to black women,” he continued.
Noah took over the program in 2015 from longtime host Jon Stewart, whose 16-year-old series turned it into a late-night staple.
The comedian had appeared as a correspondent on “The Daily Show” for just a few months before being tapped to take on the anchor job. Although little known to American viewers at the time, Noah had already garnered a significant following outside of the United States.
He quickly shaped the program around him, coyly guiding his audience through singular national experiences such as the Trump presidency and the Covid-19 pandemic.
When Noah announced his exit from the show in late September, he hinted that his decision was inspired by a desire to perform behind the desk.
“I spent two years in my apartment, not on the road, and when I got back there I realized there was another part of my life there that I wanted to continue exploring. I miss learning other languages. I miss going to other countries and putting on shows,” Noah said.
The comedian only takes a brief break before going back on stage. He begins his “Trevor Noah: Off The Record” tour in Atlanta on January 20.
When the show returns on Tuesday, Jan. 17, the network announced a slate of comedian greats who will fill in as hosts, including Chelsea Handler, DL Hughley, Leslie Jones, Hasan Minhaj, Kal Penn and Wanda Sykes.
But the show’s long-term future remains uncertain as the network has yet to say whether guest hosts will rotate indefinitely or if a permanent host will be installed in the chair.
0