Who Should Take Over The Daily Show After Trevor Noah Leaves?
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The post Who Should Take Over The Daily Show After Trevor Noah Leaves? appeared first on Consequence.
The Daily Show was must-see viewing during the last days of a time when American TV viewing habits were a lot more predictable. Today, the continued fragmentation of late night has meant that every show, not just The Daily Show, has had a reduced impact on pop culture — but the show’s legacy endures from the Jon Stewart era, making current host Trevor Noah’s announcement that he plans to leave the series after seven years very interesting news for any comedian who might be interested in suiting up for a desk job.
Noah’s departure actually follows how Stewart announced his plans to leave The Daily Show without an immediate successor in place. Noah was revealed as the new host several weeks following Stewart’s departure, after making spending six months as a correspondent, and if the series follows that pattern, then any of the current roster of correspondents — Ronny Chieng, Michael Kosta, Desi Lydic, Dulcé Sloan, Roy Wood Jr. and Jaboukie Young-White — would make a wonderful choice for the big chair.
But beyond those who are currently on the payroll, who else might be a good fit for the job? Below are a few ideas, including both alumni and newcomers to The Daily Show world.
— Liz Shannon Miller
Hasan Minhaj
Patriot Act (Netflix)
When it comes to successful Daily Show alums, the conversation has to include the wildly talented and charming Hasan Minhaj. As a Senior Correspondent from the Jon Stewart days, Minhaj provided an essential voice to the long-running program, introducing his trademark balance of realism and levity to his largest audience yet. It was immediately clear that Hasan was an incredibly smart talent, and his tenure on The Daily Show launched his comedy career to the big leagues.
Of course, he then went on to expand his audience even more with Netflix’s Patriot Act, a comedic approach to timely social and political conversations that acted as a perfect forum for Minhaj’s unending curiosity, global perspective, and clever approach to difficult topics. (Cancelled too soon, but that’s a grievance for another time.) Throughout his career, Minhaj has proven himself as a quick-witted conversationalist, compassionate but dogged interviewer, and, of course, a very funny comedian. Should he have any interest in stepping into the host’s role of the show that started so much for him, his resume speaks for itself. — Mary Siroky
Alex Moffat
Saturday Night Live (NBC)
The Daily Show could be Alex Moffat’s biggest role yet after being a main cast member of Saturday Night Live for six years. From humble beginnings at Chicago comedy clubs and festivals, Moffat has proved his abilities as a comedian across various roles from animated movies like Ralph Breaks The Internet, podcasts like Head Will Roll, the Netflix animated series F is For Family and beyond.
However, his most notable achievements come from his six-year career at Saturday Night Live as a main cast member. Beginning in 2016, Moffat caught the public’s eye from his various celebrity impressions in the 122 episodes he starred in, and is no stranger to talking politics, especially within a comedic setting. Plus, his impressions of President Joe Biden and Meta (formerly Facebook) CEO Mark Zuckerberg would give him an extra edge as The Daily Show’s next host. Whether or not he will take on the role is still up in the air. However, since he recently left SNL, it’s certainly a possibility. — Caitlyn Taylor
Samantha Bee
Full Frontal (TBS)
Samantha Bee returning to The Daily Show might be seen as a step back for the comedian and host after the recent cancelation of her own series, Full Frontal. Or… a triumphant homecoming? There’s no denying that Bee has the chops, as she proved repeatedly on the TBS series, using the looseness of the show’s format to dig into under-explored areas of society with a fiercely feminist bent, in ways that really evolved what was possible within the context of a late-night political comedy show.
It’s unlikely she’d want the job, given the grind involved in producing a daily series, but Bee arguably got a raw deal with her last show, as TBS didn’t really have the infrastructure to help it break out into the mainstream. The Daily Show’s ties to cable also present obstacles in building an audience during the days of streaming, but it’s still a powerful name after all these years, and if Bee was able to have a new platform to continue innovating, who knows what would be possible? — L.S.M.
Desus Nice
Desus & Mero (Showtime)
As strange as it would be to see only half of the dynamic duo of Desus & Mero return to late-night television, it seems possible for Desus Nice to become the next host of The Daily Show. After stepping in as one of the guest hosts for Jimmy Kimmel Live! back in August, Deuss showed the ability to take on topics that fit the mold for content found on Comedy Central’s hit show, including the raid of Donald Trump’s home of Mar-a-Lago.
Putting his own spin on the humor and showing love to his home of the Bronx, Desus would be able to make The Daily Show his own platform, distinct from other late-night ventures. Also, as he’s well-versed in all realms of culture, Desus would have no issue stepping into the political-satire spotlight of The Daily Show.
Just a few of the interviews under his belt while working alongside Mero include Barack Obama, Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Joe Biden. That’s without mentioning the numerous icons of film and music that appeared on the duo’s show — similar to those interviewed while Trevor Noah was at the helm of the show. — Joe Eckstein
Who Should Take Over The Daily Show After Trevor Noah Leaves?
Consequence Staff
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