Though comedian Trevor Noah has only been a contributor to Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” for less than a year, he may soon play an even bigger role on the show, according to key insiders.
Sources close to the show say that Noah is on the short list of possible successors once longtime host Jon Stewart steps down at the end of 2015.
Noah, who hails from South Africa, first appeared on the program last December with a hilariously satirical piece on being apprehensive about traveling to “underdeveloped” America. Despite his freshman status on the show, the 31-year-old comedian has made quite an impression on show executives with his ability to touch on tough topics with wit and sarcasm.
As the first South African comedian to make appearances on both “The Tonight Show” and “The Late Show with David Letterman,” Noah is no stranger to blazing trails. His thought-provoking one-man show, The Racist, has been received favorably all over the world, and according to his website, he was the host of a popular late-night show in his native country for two years.
According to Variety, Comedy Central has made a concentrated effort to present more projects to its viewers with people who hold “a unique world view,” so Noah’s mixed heritage (South African, Swedish) may end up being a key component if he lands the coveted role.
In the interest of diversity, Comedy Central remains one of the industry’s leaders. Last year, the network became the only one to feature an African American late-night host when veteran performer and former “Daily Show” correspondent Larry Wilmore was tapped to host its popular new program, “The Nightly Show.” That program also features one of the late night’s few female lead writers, veteran comedy writer Robin Thede.
