Move over, Jon Stewart. Here comes Trevor Noah.
The South African funnyman will become the next host of Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show,” the network announced on Monday. Noah tweeted, “No-one can replace Jon Stewart. But together with the amazing team at The Daily Show, we will continue to make this the best damn news show!”
Comedy Central said the show’s premiere will be announced at a later date. The news comes following Stewart’s announcement last month that after 16 years, he’ll be retiring from the show sometime this year.
While you may recognize Noah, 31, from the “The Daily Show” – he’s been a contributor since 2014—here are five things you may not know about him.
1. He’s a big deal in South Africa: Noah, the son of a black South African mother and white European father, grew up in Soweto, South Africa and has been performing in that country for the better part of a decade. He’s hosted several television shows, including his own late night talk show. In October of 2014, he graced the cover of GQ South Africa and was nominated for “personality of the year” in 2014 at the MTV Africa Music Awards. He was also the subject of David Paul Meyer’s documentary film, “You Laugh But It’s True,” which tells the story of Noah’s career in post-apartheid South Africa.
2. He’s only been on “The Daily Show” three times: Since joining “The Daily Show contributor” as a contributor last year, Noah has only been on the show three times. He made his U.S. television debut in 2012 on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” and also appeared in 2013 on an episode of “Late Show with David Letterman” – becoming the first South African comic to appear on either of those two programs.
3. He frequently tackles race issues: Noah doesn’t shy away from controversial issues, including those surrounding race. He’s joked in the past that he was “born a crime” because of his parents’ interracial marriage during apartheid. His 2012, one-man show called “The Racist” about his childhood was very popular. In recounting his childhood to The New York Times, which first reported Noah was replacing Stewart, Noah said he had initially been taught that “speaking freely about anything, as a person of color, was considered treason.”
4. He’s a polyglot: Trevor has said that he speaks eight different languages, including six South African languages, in addition to English and German.
5. He loves rollercoasters: During a 2013 Q&A with Interview magazine, Noah said his dream is to go “on a rollercoaster tour,” describing himself as a “rollercoaster whore.” He added, “I just love being on the rides. My dream is to go to all of those places where they’ve got the craziest and best rides in America.”
6. He has a sensitive side: During the same Q&A with Interview, Noah was asked if he was someone with thick skin. “I don’t think I have thick skin, but I heal fast. It’s easy to break through, but I heal fast.”
7. Jon Stewart is a huge, huge fan: The outgoing host said he loves Noah so much that he may just have to appear occasionally on the show even after he leaves. “He’s a tremendous comic and talent that we’ve loved working with….In fact, I may rejoin as a correspondent just to be part of it,” Stewart said in a statement.
