Trevor Noah recently announced that he would be leaving The Daily Show. Not only was the announcement made without the knowledge of Comedy Central’s producers, but it comes at a time when late-night TV is growing increasingly irrelevant in today’s media distribution. The South African comedian had already stepped into big boots when Jon Stewart left The Daily Show in 2015. Now that Noah is stepping down, Comedy Central will have to find another comedian who is not only up to the challenge of filling this venerated position in the political comedy world but one who can manage to make the show relevant to younger viewers who no longer watch talk shows.
The Daily Show has long held a respected position in the culture of comedy. Jon Stewart made the position famous when he used the satirical show to openly attack legitimate news organizations, most often Fox News. But now watching TV is increasingly passé as it becomes easier to find highlights of shows compressed into 15-second clips that people can look up the next morning. Trevor Noah’s announcement at The Daily Show comes during a time of cultural chaos and creates a shake-up within Comedy Central. It gives The Daily Show a high mountain to climb, and it could mean more than just a changing of the guard.
Trevor Noah’s Announcement
When Trevor Noah announced he would be leaving The Daily Show, it came as a surprise to many people. No one had hinted at the plans before it happened, and the audience was audibly shocked. It seemed that the comedian had planned the whole thing on his own and just managed to coordinate the announcement with the production staff on the night of the show.
Still, everyone is understandably sad to see Noah leave. After holding the position for so long, it’s unfortunate to see such an iconic person exit such a popular show. His parting message was filled with calm sorrow:
"...I realized that after that seven years, my time is up," Noah said. "But in the most beautiful way. Honestly. I've loved hosting the show. It's been one of my greatest challenges. It's been one of my greatest joys. I have loved trying to figure out how to make people laugh, even when the stories are particularly shitty on the worst days. You know, we've laughed together, we've cried together. But after seven years, I feel like it's time."
The Daily Show posted the full “special message” on its Twitter account. A Comedy Central representative also shared a statement about Noah’s departure afterward, stating:
"We are grateful to Trevor for our amazing partnership over the past seven years. With no timetable for his departure, we're working together on next steps. As we look ahead, we're excited for the next chapter in the 25+ year history of The Daily Show as it continues to redefine culture through sharp and hilarious social commentary, helping audiences make sense of the world around them."
But the big executives have still refused to comment. While everyone is still unsure who will serve as Noah’s replacement, the official exit date will be December 8, 2022. It’s likely that the supporting comics serving as the show’s “correspondents” are likely next in line. Rumors circulate around Roy Wood Jr. or possibly Jordan Keppler, who has manned his own show before. Whoever will replace Noah will certainly have some big shoes to fill and challenges ahead of them as the world of broadcast media begins to go through significant changes.
Late-Night TV is Changing
Noah’s announcement comes at a time when the zeitgeist is filled with all the same information and media it was before but broken into smaller, more easily digestible pieces. When Jimmy Kimmel does something crazy or unexpected, it’s more likely to be seen on Twitter the next day. And viewers can more easily follow “just the good parts” of the programming by looking around on social media.
It used to be important for a broadcast program to have a social media presence in order to tease the public with small parts of the show. Now those small parts are becoming more popular than the show itself, and the show’s social media presence is more important than the actual programming.
The clamor of Trevor Noah leaving The Daily Show is bolstered by James Corden’s announcement that he plans to leave CBS’s Late Late Show in the Spring. Despite both of these comedians’ excellent work and respected positions, one wonders if these are signs of, pardon the expression, rats jumping ship before a storm. As younger viewers turn ever more to platforms like TikTok, Twitch, and YouTube for their media, regular TV loses popularity to streamers. And while shows like The Daily Show and the Late Late Show can still be viewed on streaming platforms, neither are really “late-night TV” if they can be viewed 24 hours a day.