Trevor Noah

Trevor Noah is Leaving the Daily Show – And Creating a Huge Opening for Media Satire

Posted by on September 30, 2022 at 3:18 pm. 1 Comments :

Late night TV comedy is getting significantly shaken up with the news that Trevor Noah is quitting as host of “The Daily Dhow” after seven years. He made the announcement on Thursday night in an emotional statement (video below) that recalled his unexpected selection to take over from Jon Stewart, and his early days in the anchor chair.

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Trevor Noah

There was no timetable given for his departure, and no indication of who might succeed him. Noah thanked his staff and crew and audience saying that…

“I’ve loved hosting this show. It’s been one of my greatest challenges. It’s been one of my greatest joys. I’ve loved trying to figure out how to make people laugh even when the stories are particularly shitty on the worst days.”

Noah was never in an easy position as the guy who had to follow in Jon Stewart’s footsteps. He had some hits and some misses during his tenure. But he eventually put his own stamp on the show and connected with a new audience. His focus leaned more heavily on racial politics and international affairs. He said early on that he didn’t want to continue doing jokes about Fox News and other media. That was unfortunate in my view.

Jon Stewart’s Daily Show was not, as many people assumed, political satire. It was media satire. The whole premise was one of a fake news show with a fake anchor and fake correspondents, who mocked the failures and absurdities of the corporate television press. Naturally, Fox News was a frequent target given its abundance of material to ridicule. It is a feast of bias and lies and propaganda. But much of the mockery of that has receded during the Noah years. Which is too bad because there isn’t any other program on TV that is dedicated to media satire.

When Comedy Central selects its next Daily Show host, here’s hoping that they return to those roots and take on the media again. There is more reason to do so now than ever. Fox News has veered much farther into the fringy far right with their embrace of the loopy cult of Donald Trump and his QAnon-flecked following. Add to that Newsmax, the One America News Network, and an emerging crop of wingnut streaming and podcasting, and you have a severely unbalanced press pool that is screaming out for satirical spankings. Even CNN with new owners is lurching to the right.

So who are the most promising prospects to take over the Daily Show? There is actually a pretty deep a bench. It includes inspired comics like Jordan Klepper, Amber Ruffin, Samantha Bee, Roy Wood Jr., Desi Lydic, and Hasan Minhaj. However, it isn’t certain that Comedy Central will even continue the program. That would be a shame. In the meantime, we still have Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel and, of course, Jon Stewart, to lighten the load.

UPDATE: Trump weighed in on Noah’s announcement with a typically asinine comment saying that “Trevor Noah was a waste of time, no talent, no anything. Jon Stewart was only slightly better, but highly overrated.” He went on to advise Comedy Central not to do political comedy. But if they do, it should be all conservative. Sure, because Dennis Miller is cracking them up in whatever comedy graveyard he’s working in.

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The Condensed White House Correspondent’s Dinner Remarks About Fox News and Crybaby Trump

Posted by on May 1, 2022 at 4:02 pm. 1 Comments :

This year the White House Correspondent’s Dinner (WHCD) returned after a two year absence due to the COVID pandemic. What’s more it was the first time in six years that the President of the United States attended the formerly annual event. That’s because Donald Trump is too big a crybaby to sit through a program that might include a few jokes at his expense. So he boycotted every year during his occupation of the White House.

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Donald Trump, Snowflakes

In addition to his infantile emotional frailty, Trump is also too self-absorbed to want to help a charity, which is the reason the White House Correspondents Association holds this dinner. It’s purpose is to raise money for scholarships. But Trump’s snubbing of the dinner was all for the best because the president is expected to deliver his own humorous address at this affair. Just imagine how critically injured Trump would have been after falling on his … let’s say face while trying to be funny.

RELATED: Chickensh*t Trump Blows Off White House Correspondents Dinner: Paging Alec Baldwin

This year President Biden graciously accepted the invitation to attend and came prepared with an entertaining speech that was both comical and respectful of the fact that the world is struggling through trying times. Biden was followed by Trevor Noah, host of the Daily Show. And as a public service for those who were unable to watch the entirety of both performances, some highlights have been collected below. Specifically the ones relating to either Trump or Fox News. And for anyone who is interested, a transcript is here, and the full videos are also posted below. So without further ado…

Excerpts From President Biden’s Speech:

“This is the first time the president attended this dinner in six years. It’s understandable. We had a horrible plague followed by two years of COVID. […]

“Just imagine if my predecessor came to this dinner this year. Now that would really have been a real coup.” […]

“I know there are questions about whether we should gather here tonight because of COVID. Well, we’re here to show the country that we’re getting through this pandemic. Plus, everyone had to prove they were fully vaccinated and boosted. So, if you’re at home watching this and you’re wondering how to do that, just contact your favorite Fox News reporter. They’re all here vaccinated and boosted, all of them. […]

“And, look, Fox — Fox News, I’m really sorry your preferred candidate lost the last election. To make it up to you, I’m happy to give my Chief of Staff to you all so he can tell Sean Hannity what to say every day.”

Excerpts From Trevor Noah’s Speech:

“[Ron DeSantis has] been so busy trying to outmaneuver Trump for 2024. I see you, Ron. I see you, player. Yes, I’ve seen what you’ve been doing. Blaming Trump for the lockdowns, distancing yourself from the vaccines that Trump created with his own two hands.” […]

“Trump said he won the election. But everyone was just able to look at the numbers and see that he was wrong. That’s why Ron Desantis is one step ahead. First, you ban the math textbooks, then nobody knows how to count the votes.” […]

“And I will say, President Biden, that you are a big man here. A really big man. You could have targeted Donald Trump but instead, you chose to only raise taxes on billionaires. That was big of you. Really nice. Prove me wrong, show me the taxes.” […]

“You guys [in the press] are relentless. Every day you show up and every day you demand answers on the pressing issues of the day. And then Fox News asks about Hunter Biden. And I’ll be honest, though, I actually think that’s a good thing. I really do. I think people need to be held accountable if they’re using their dad’s name to get ahead in life. And I can’t think of anyone better to ask about that than Peter Doocy. Yes, wherever he is, Chris Wallace laughed at that joke.” […]

“Fox News is sort of like a waffle house. Yes, it’s relatively normal in the afternoon but as soon as the sun goes down, there’s a drunk lady named Jeanine threatening to fight every Mexican who comes in.” […]

“How about that Fox Primetime lineup, Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham? Their coverage of COVID was really impactful. Their segments about vaccines moved their viewers – into the ICU.” […]

“Oh, Laura Ingraham. Wow. What can you say about her that hasn’t already been said by the antidefamation league?” […]

“Tucker Carlson, are you kidding me? That man is a beast. Who else could fill an entire show each night asking questions that Google could easily answer? Do vaccines work? Who really won the election? Who’s the president right now? Is this America? Gripping stuff.” […]

And there you have it. For the first time in six years America has a President who can laugh at himself; a President who isn’t afraid to give and take a few light-hearted punches; a President who doesn’t think the media is “the enemy of the people.”

You may have noticed that Biden didn’t say Trump’s name once. But that doesn’t mean that Trump won’t take offense. Taking offense is his resting attitude. It’s nearly twenty-four hours later and he hasn’t even mentioned the dinner or the jokes about him. So you know he’s privately seething. Poor baby.

NOTE: Twitter suspended the News Corpse account after 11 years without giving a reason. So if anyone wants to tweet articles from my website, please feel free to do so often and repeatedly.

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Fox Nation vs. Reality:
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Trump Refuses to Confirm that He Would Leave the White House Peacefully

Posted by on June 13, 2020 at 11:37 am. 3 Comments :

On Wednesday Joe Biden was interviewed by the Daily Show’s Trevor Noah on Comedy Central. In the closing minutes of the segment he asked Biden whether he had given any thought to speculation that Donald Trump might not leave the White House voluntarily if he lost the election. It’s a question that has been asked many times considering Trump’s already disgraceful record of disrespect for the Constitution.

Donald Trump, White House

Biden’s response to Noah’s question was direct and punctuated with relevant facts. He began by predicting that “This president is going to try to steal this election.” That hardly stretches the imagination since that’s what Trump did in 2016, and he is already laying the groundwork to do so in 2020. Trump has flatly stated his belief that all mail-in voting is fraudulent and shouldn’t be counted. And he has his Senate lackeys holding kangaroo hearings aimed at smearing Biden with manufactured allegations. Biden elaborated on his reply saying that he has confidence that the military will uphold the Constitution if necessary:

“I was so damn proud. You have four [chairman of the Joint] Chiefs of Staff coming out and ripping the skin off of Trump, and you have so many rank-and-file military personnel saying, ‘Whoa, we’re not a military state. This is not who we are.’ I promise you, I’m absolutely convinced they will escort him from the White House with great dispatch.”

The following day, Trump was interviewed (again) by Fox News (video below). Anchor Harris Faulkner conducted yet another televised tongue-bath enabling Trump to lie, deflect, and filibuster incoherently. Her last question for Trump addressed Biden’s remarks on the Daily Show, and produced this bit of surreal theater:

Faulkner: [Biden] said that he believes that you will steal the election, and if you don’t win he thinks that military will escort you from the White House.
Trump: Look, Joe’s not all there. Everybody knows it. And it’s sad when you look at it and you see it for yourself. He’s created his own sanctuary city in the basement of wherever he is, and he doesn’t come out. And certainly if I don’t win, I don’t win. I mean, you go on, do other things. I think it would be a very sad thing for our country.

It’s notable that Trump begins his response by launching into an attack on Biden’s mental health. It’s also pure projection, since Trump is the one that is showing actual signs of dementia. It’s also laughable that Trump attempts to characterize his utterly unqualified diagnosis as “sad” after having made innumerable jokes about it for months. And it wasn’t Biden who retreated to a real basement bunker when he felt threatened by peaceful demonstrators, and then lied about.

More importantly, Trump’s comments regarding leaving office have been twisted by the press into an assurance that he would quietly leave the White House if he loses to Biden in November. But that is not quite what he said. Trump merely stated that “if I don’t win, I don’t win.” So his departure from the White House would be reliant on his acceptance of having lost. But when has Trump ever admitted to having lost anything? He still thinks that he won the popular vote, had record breaking attendance at his inauguration, and was “totally exonerated” by the Mueller report.

Therefore, Trump could just say that the election was tainted by fraud and that he didn’t really lose. Consequently, in his diseased mind, he wouldn’t be required to leave. He would simply invent some “alternative facts,” challenge the results, and insist that he was victorious. That is what would initiate the process of involuntary removal to which Biden was referring. And it’s why the American people have to be vigilant and not allow Trump to usurp power in violation of the Constitution. Or to even let him get away with suggesting it, as Fox News did.

How Fox News Deceives and Controls Their Flock:
Fox Nation vs. Reality: The Fox News Cult of Ignorance.
Available now at Amazon.

Trevor Noah’s Daily Show Debut Produces Huge Sighs Of Comic Relief

Posted by on September 29, 2015 at 4:45 pm. 2 Comments :

It’s been nearly three months since Jon Stewart signed off of the Daily Show for the last time, and the void he left has been felt by millions of satire-starved fans. While Larry Wilmore’s Nightly Show has tried to fill that void, and Stephen Colbert’s new Late Night show launched a couple of weeks ago, the sustained satirical presence of the Daily Show has not been reproduced by any of the other late night comedy offerings.

Consequently, the anticipation for Noah’s premiere was at fever pitch when the show finally came to the air last night. And everyone, fans and critics, were bristling with suspense as to how he would perform, and whether he would make a suitable successor to Stewart.

Trevor Noah

Well, the best indication of success is wrapped up in the loathing of one of Stewart’s most notorious and mush-headed critics. John Nolte of Breitbart News said that “Awkward Trevor Noah Bombs In Debut.” And with that we know that Noah can be proud of his maiden outing. If the Breitbrats hated it, you know you’re on the right track. Not to dwell on the ravings of a knee-jerk …er… jerk, Nolte’s critique consisted mainly of childish insults and ignorance:

“For all of Stewart’s fascist, bullying tendencies, he did possess some talent. Noah is undoubtedly talented enough to land this gig, but he is unquestionably in over his head. Noah might grow into the gig. He might not. It won’t matter. He is politically correct and a left-wing extremist. […]

“Although fewer than 1% of the population ever watched Stewart, the media still managed to turn him into a Potemkin Phenom. When you’re a leftist, talent and popularity are not required.”

Isn’t that sweet? Nolte thinks Stewart was a talented fascist. That will undoubtedly make Stewart’s day. However, Nolte’s long-standing and inbred hatred for the Daily Show makes it impossible for him to express a coherent opinion. He even admits that “it won’t matter” if Noah is any good, because he’s a “politically correct left-wing extremist,” and therefore deserving of failure. It’s also rather amusing that Nolte condemns the influence of the program because fewer than 1% of the population watched it. He’s not far off, but what he doesn’t mention is that the Daily Show had more viewers than most of the shows on Fox News. So apparently Nolte also regards Fox as talentless and unpopular.

For the record, the Breitbrats predicted the failure of the new Daily Show months ago with a hilariously stupid article that only affirmed that they are as terrible at analyzing television and comedy as they are at analyzing politics.

As for Noah, his debut was a respectable effort with many hilarious moments. It will take some time for him to fully come into his own, but he is obviously smart and funny and is using the show’s producers and writers (held over from the Stewart regime) effectively to maintain a smooth transition. The opening segment (video below) was a perfect introduction that established an emotional connection to the audience saying that he is just as nervous as they are. He revealed a little personal information that explained how he felt about his new role:

“Growing up in the dusty streets of South Africa, I never dreamed one day I would have two things — an indoor toilet and a job as host of ‘The Daily Show.’ And now I have both. I’m quite comfortable with one of them.”

And with that he thanked the audience for “joining us as we continue the war on bullshit.” That, of course, was a reference to Stewart’s last monologue, and a neat trick to assure the audience that he had the same aspirations to produce the sort of quality satire that acts as a much-needed release mechanism for those of us who are outraged daily by the foolishness and dishonesty of our political and pundit classes. He’s off to a great start.

How Fox News Deceives and Controls Their Flock:
Fox Nation vs. Reality: The Fox News Cult of Ignorance.
Available now at Amazon.

Born A Crime: Trevor Noah To Succeed Jon Stewart As Host Of The Daily Show

Posted by on March 30, 2015 at 1:11 pm. 1 Comments :

In an announcement confirming recent speculation, South African comedian Trevor Noah has been named as the successor to Jon Stewart. After sixteen years of entertaining and thought provoking comedy, Stewart will be stepping down later this year, leaving a gaping hole in the world of political satire just as the 2016 presidential cycle is warming up.

Trevor Noah

The selection of Noah came as a surprise to many who regard him as an untested novice who cannot possibly fill Stewart’s shoes. That assessment comes from ignorance because a little research reveals that Noah is an accomplished performer who sells out shows around the world and has even hosted his own late night program in South Africa. He is also a smart observer of culture and politics who speaks several languages.

Some critics are pointing out that Noah has only appeared on the Daily Show three times. However, that is not a prerequisite for becoming host. Jon Stewart had never appeared on the Daily Show prior to his selection as host. Yet he leap-frogged a correspondent already working there named Stephen Colbert.

Noah’s personal journey holds promise for a unique perspective on American politics and media. He jokes that he was “born a crime,” which is actually no joke. His mother was a black South African and his father a white man from Switzerland. Under the racist Apartheid regime it was literally against the law for them get married and have children. Nevertheless, Noah transcended the harsh realities of his youth in Soweto to become a successful entertainer. No doubt America’s mush-brained birthers will note the parallels with Kenyan-born Barack Obama’s mixed-race heritage.

The future of the Daily Show is still in doubt. There have been rumors circulating that Comedy Central wants to take the program in a less political direction. That would be huge mistake from a business perspective because they would be abandoning a large and loyal audience that Stewart spent sixteen years building. But worse, it would be huge loss for the state of satire on television. There are few other places where it is available in such quantity and quality.

The selection of Noah suggests that the network may intend to maintain the current theme of the show. And Noah has praised the current production staff, which hopefully signals an intention to retain the writers and producers that have contributed so much to the show’s success.

After the departure of Colbert, Comedy Central made an inspired choice to give the timeslot to Larry Wilmore. Unfortunately, they delivered a program that doesn’t have the energy and edginess of its predecessor. Replacing an expertly scripted and rehearsed comedy program with one that is mostly a panel of talking heads could not possibly live up to the iconic stature of the Colbert Report. [More on that here]

Reaction to Noah’s selection has been mostly positive, citing his youth and international outlook as assets that could expand the audience and make it relevant to a new generation. Ironically, those are the same qualities that some critics are citing as drawbacks. In a hilarious critique by the cretins at Breitbart News, editor-in-chief Joel Pollack complains that Noah will be limited by “his specialty in racial and ethnic humor,” and that the new show “probably won’t last more than six months on the air.” But the Breitbrats have been trash-talking the Daily Show for years. So it comes as no surprise that Pollak would compose this bit of dumbfuckery:

“The reason Stewart is funny–even, at times to conservatives–is that he has a deep understanding of American politics, and especially American media, even if his ideological blinders prevent him from understanding every issue. That is not something a crack team of writers can produce on demand for any host, much less one from overseas, even for a fast learner like Noah.”

As usual Pollak’s brain is AWOL. Never mind his first-ever admissions that Stewart is funny and “has a deep understanding of American politics,” Pollak’s own ideological blinders have prevented him from recalling that John Oliver, another overseas alien invader, adroitly filled-in for Stewart for three months in 2013, and went on to achieve his own success at HBO.

You do not need to be born in America to understand American politics and media. Pollak, of all people, should know this as someone who was born in South Africa. Now he runs an American political media website and has the nerve to presume that another South African is unable to grasp the same subjects.

If Noah brings half the wit and charm that Oliver did, the next generation Daily Show has a good chance of matching and surpassing the program’s historic appeal. And as the video below shows, Noah has a pretty good handle on the wit and charm stuff.

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