With Trevor Noah recently announced as Jon Stewart's successor on The Daily Show , we find ourselves in a bit of a pickle. Or I do, at least. I think Noah is a very worthy choice, he just isn't someone that I'd predicted would take over the reins, since he's had so few appearances on the show. Deep down, I think I assumed producers would go with someone tried and true, like a more senior, recognizable correspondent like Jessica Williams, Samantha Bee, or even Jordan Klepper, instead of a relative newcomer who's only 31. But I can and will adjust that mindset, particularly after seeing the overwhelmingly positive reactions flooding Twitter following the announcement.
Because Noah is a great choice! I just don't necessarily know how yet, or what to expect, given that we've only seen him appear on air two or three times. But we're intelligent people here, you and I, and I feel sure we can mine the few clips we have to draw some conclusions of what Noah's time on the show will look like. It may not be exact — in fact it almost certainly won't be — but at least we'll have some idea of what to expect when we lose Stewart later this year. (Oh come on, wipe away your tears. I'm about to prove that this dark cloud has a very silver lining.)
He's Charming
One of the first jokes out of Noah's mouth during his first appearance was how he'd just gotten off a plane and his "arms were tired". I was skeptical, but turns out he's just adorable enough to pull it off without eliciting a groan.
...But Not Afraid To Get Political
Oh and did I mention? He immediately turned that charming little joke around into a pretty scathing commentary on our police force via the "Hands Up Don't Shoot" imagery.
THAT ACCENT
No explanation necessary. I'm drooling.
He Can Be The Straight Man
I think it might've been because The Daily Show was setting up Noah as a plausible replacement for Stewart, but in the "Boko Haram" in Nigeria segment, it's particularly clear that Noah is taking the role of informed straight man, while Stewart is the lovable idiot.
But He's Not A One-Trick Pony
In the "Chess News Roundup", Noah refers to the game as "black and white horsey squares", which I couldn't be more delighted by. More of that, please!
He Knows His S**t
Hailing from Africa himself, Noah isn't one to shy away from lambasting us here in the United States for our ignorance of other continents and countries. He's got cred for days.
He Has Nerves Of Steel
With so few appearances under his belt, you'd expect to get really nervous vibes from Noah, but he's been cool as a cucumber every time he's come in front of the camera. Can't teach that kind of comfort under pressure.
I don't know about you, but this all looks pretty good to me! Can't wait to see how it shakes out when Noah takes over!
Images: giphy (4)
