Shortly after being the new host of The Daily Show last week, Trevor Noah found himself in some hot social media water over jokes he made years ago on Twitter. Some of the jokes were anti-Semitic, some were cruel toward fat women, but mostly they just weren’t that funny because they took aim at easy targets.
That had many on Twitter, Facebook and the mediasphere calling for Comedy Central to reconsider its choice and take the Daily Show gig away from Noah before he even had it. The program’s current host, Jon Stewart, didn’t comment on Noah’s hiring nor the social media uproar because The Daily Show was on vacation last week. But Stewart was back on Monday and stuck up for his successor.
“I can say this, I think, without hesitation,” said Stewart. “Trevor Noah will earn your trust and respect. Or not.”
OK, there was a bit of the regular teacher coming back to scold the classroom after the kids acted up with the substitute teacher vibe from Stewart in his remarks. Obviously, he felt something needed to be said. (Or maybe Comedy Central asked him to talk the pitchfork-and-torch crowd down.) But he does raise the most important point, which is that Stewart had to earn his current standing in the media and culture. Also, social media will turn on you in a flash, Jack.
By the way, was it a bit strange when Stewart mentioned Noah was taking over and there was no reaction from the studio audience? Not even some awkward applause? I’m probably reading too much into that, but to me, it was notably weird.
