Welcome to Trevor Noah's 'Daily Show'

Rachel Smith 16’/Emertainment Monthly Staff Writer

Trevor Noah made his nerve-racking debut on The Daily Show last night and the South African comedian transitioned into the hosting chair with ease. Jon Stewart signed off from the show by asking the audience to weed out the bulls*** in the media and Noah opened his show by waging a war against the bulls***. He thanked Stewart for believing in him and seemed sincere in his efforts to give a nod to the former host. It was a small moment, just big enough to acknowledge the long time Daily Show fans and small enough to let him shine for the rest of the show.
Noah also acknowledged the fact that the woman they offered the show to (Amy Schumer) was too busy and joked that the white guys they offered it to were doing something better so once again an immigrant is taking the job that the white people don’t want. This got a huge laugh and showcases the kind of host he’s going to be. Sure, he’ll talk about issues in the news but through a different lens than Stewart, or really anyone else in late night television can.
Stylistically he’s very confident in his joke delivery. A lot of the writers stayed on for Noah so the jokes are written in a familiar fashion which bodes well for the new host. Many of Stewart’s correspondents stuck around along with the writers but last night Noah introduced Roy Wood Jr. as “Senior Mars Correspondent”. Not only was his segment about race and Mars hilarious and well performed but the two playing off each other felt very natural.

The part of the show that didn’t feel as polished and natural was Noah’s interview skills. He had Kevin Hart, a fellow comedian and champion entertainer, as his first guest, but the segment felt a bit uncomfortable. Hart brought Noah a present to which Noah barely acknowledged. In an effort to save the moment, Hart turned on the charm for the audience and joked about Noah’s disappointment in this gift which wasn’t handled well either. He jumped into the Q&A with a reference to Hart’s show, Real Husbands of Hollywood to which he didn’t explain for the audience. Hart had to give context for the show, instead. After that it bumbled along to the end where they shook hands and the audience breathed a sigh of relief that this awkward conversation was over.
This isn’t to say Noah didn’t try. Talking to celebrities you barely know doesn’t seem like the easiest thing in the world. Practice makes perfect and for his first show, something had to go a bit astray. He didn’t choke or offend which easily could have happened, so the Daily Show fans will surely understand his misstep and continue to watch as Noah hones his craft. With a few more shows and the pressure of the first episode off his shoulders, Trevor Noah will be the host Jon Stewart knew he could be. Stay tuned.
Overall Grade: B+