Trevor Noah opened his first “Daily Show” with a perfect mix of funny and poignant remarks. The South African comic charmed, scored belly laughs and paid homage to his predecessor with just his few minutes on the air.
“First of all, this is surreal for me. I’m not gonna lie,” Noah began his new desk job addressing the camera and studio audience. “Growing up in the dusty streets of South Africa, I never dreamed that I’d one day have — well two things really — an indoor toilet, and a job as host of ‘The Daily Show.’ And now I have both, and I’m quite comfortable with one of them.”
“I can only assume that this is as strange for you as it is for me. Jon Stewart was more than just a late-night host, he was often our voice, our refuge, and in many ways, our political dad,” the comic set up. “And it’s weird, because Dad has left. And now it feels like the family has a new step-dad — and he’s black, which is not ideal.”
Noah also tackled why another man got another late-night gig, saying of Amy Schumer — who was offered the job — “clearly [she] knew something that I didn’t.”
The new guy also joked about taking the job from stateside-born candidates: “Once more, a job Americans rejected is now being done by an immigrant,” he cracked.
After that punchline, Noah got sincere — though just for a moment.
“Thank you, Jon. Thank you for believing in me,” he said. “I’m not quite sure what you saw in me, but I’ll work hard every day to find it. And I’ll make you not look like the crazy old dude who left his inheritance to some random kid from Africa.”
“And to you, the ‘Daily Show’ viewers — both new and old, at home or on your phone — thank you for joining us, as we continue the war on bullshit,” Noah concluded his opening segment, with a callback to a Stewart mission.
Noah then took his comedy to coverage to the current pope visit, which has been dominating local news in the tristate area and beyond for weeks. John Boehner’s resignation announcement was the next victim, as the new-look “Daily Show” found itself well underway and cooking.
Kevin Hart was Noah’s first guest. Watch the video of the open above.