Fans of The Daily Show were dealt a big blow in February when Jon Stewart announced he's leaving his post after a 16-year run. And now the next piece of the puzzle has been put together: 31-year-old comedian Trevor Noah will take the reigns.
If watching the Daily Show is as routine for you as putting on your socks every morning, you might recognize Noah from the three guest appearances he made in 2014. For everyone else, you're probably scratching your heads. Heck, even Noah was shocked when he got the job — without doing a formal interview, even.
He talked to the New York Times from Dubai about getting the gig: “You don’t believe it for the first few hours. You need a stiff drink, and then unfortunately you’re in a place where you can’t really get alcohol.”
So now that you know the new Daily Show host's name and that he likes strong drinks, here's what else you should know before he takes over later this year (or in early 2016):
1. He's From South Africa
Noah grew up in Soweto with his black mother and Swiss father. He's hosted numerous TV shows and award ceremonies in South Africa over the years. He also had his own talk show there, Tonight with Trevor Noah. In 2012 he made his TV debut in the US, on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
2. He Already Pokes Fun at American Issues
For instance, he doesn't understand American censoring of hip-hop songs. He's also big on addressing international issues with his own brand of comedy, which could mean exciting new things for The Daily Show.
3. He's a Great Dancer
He and partner Hayley Hammond were the runners-up in season 4 of the South African version of Strictly Come Dancing (a reality TV dance competition show). The season aired in 2008.
4. He Started Off As an Actor
His first shot at showbiz was on the South African soap opera Isidingo in 2002, when he was just 18. After that, he dabbled in radio and co-hosted a dating game-show. He's done it all, basically.
5. He Knows You're Going to Hate On Him
Haters gonna hate, right? Well, Noah is prepared for it. He told the NYT: “We live in a world where some people still say Beyoncé can’t sing. Clearly I’m not immune to that.”
Luckily, Stewart is in full support of his successor and said in a statement that he "may rejoin as a correspondent just to be a part of it!!!”
