| Trevor Noah | |
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_(portrait_crop).jpg) Noah in 2024 | |
| Born | (1984-02-20)20 February 1984 (age 41) Johannesburg, South Africa |
| Medium |
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| Education | Maryvale College |
| Years active | 2002–present |
| Genres | |
| Subject(s) | |
| Website | trevornoah |
| Signature | |
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Trevor Noah (born 20 February 1984) is a South African comedian, writer, producer, political commentator, actor, and television host. He was the host ofThe Daily Show, an Americanlate-night talk show andsatirical news program onComedy Central, from 2015 to 2022. Noah has won various awards, including twoPrimetime Emmy Awards.[1] He was named one of "The 35 Most Powerful People in New York Media" byThe Hollywood Reporter in 2017 and 2018.[2][3] In 2018,Time magazine named himone of the hundred most influential people in the world.[4]
Born inJohannesburg, Noah began his career in South Africa in 2008. He had several hosting roles with theSouth African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) and was the runner-up in the fourth season of South Africa's iteration ofStrictly Come Dancing in 2008.[5] From 2010 to 2011, he hosted the late-night talk showTonight with Trevor Noah, which he created and aired onM-Net andDStv.[6]
In 2014, Noah became theSenior International Correspondent forThe Daily Show, and in 2015 succeeded long-time hostJon Stewart.[7] Hisautobiographical comedy bookBorn a Crime was published in 2016.[8][9][10][11] He has hosted theGrammy Awards five consecutive times in2021,2022,2023,2024, and2025.[12][13][14][15][16] as well as the2022 White House Correspondents Dinner.[17]
Trevor Noah was born on 20 February 1984, inJohannesburg,Transvaal (nowGauteng), South Africa.[18][19] His father, Robert, isSwiss-German, and his mother, Patricia Nombuyiselo Noah, isXhosa.[20][21]
Underapartheid legislation, Noah's mother was classified asBlack, and his father was classified asWhite. Noah himself was classified asColoured. At the time of his birth, his parents'interracial relationship was illegal, which Noah highlights in his autobiography. Interracial sexual relations and marriages were decriminalized a year after his birth, when theImmorality Act was amended in 1985. Patricia and her mother, Nomalizo Frances Noah, raised Trevor in the black township ofSoweto.[22] Noah began his schooling at Maryvale College, a privateRoman Catholic primary and high school inMaryvale, Gauteng, a suburb of Johannesburg.[23][24][25]
He grew up inSouth Africa in a multicultural environment, reflecting both his white and Black heritage. Raised in a devoutlyChristian household, he was also exposed to aspects ofJewish traditions after his mother converted toJudaism,[26] including having abar mitzvah celebration on his 13th birthday.[27][28]
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In 2002, Noah had a small role on an episode of the South Africansoap operaIsidingo. He later hosted his own radio showNoah's Ark onGauteng's leading youth-radio station,YFM. When he was 21 years old, his friends dared him to perform a comedy routine at a nightclub. He entertained the audience with humorous stories about his friends and his life. After that night Noah continued performing at comedy clubs, gaining recognition along the way.[29] He dropped his radio show and acting to focus on comedy, and has performed with South African comedians such asKagiso Lediga,Riaad Moosa,Darren Simpson,Marc Lottering,Barry Hilton, andNik Rabinowitz;[30] international comedians such asPaul Rodriguez,Carl Barron,Dan Ilic, andPaul Zerdin; and as the opening act for American comedianGabriel Iglesias in November 2007 and Canadian comedianRussell Peters on his South African tour.
Noah hosted an educational TV programme,Run the Adventure (2004–2006) onSABC 2. In 2007, he hostedThe Real Goboza, a gossip-themed show onSABC 1,[5] andSiyadlala, a sports show also on the SABC. In 2008, Noah cohosted, alongside Pabi Moloi,The Amazing Date (a dating gameshow) and was aStrictly Come Dancing contestant in the fourth series. In 2009, he hosted the 3rd AnnualSouth Africa Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs) and co-hosted alongside Eugene Khoza onThe Axe Sweet Life, a reality competition series. In 2010, Noah hosted the 16th annualSouth African Music Awards and also hostedTonight with Trevor Noah onMNet (for the second series, it moved toDStv's Mzansi Magic Channel).[6] In 2010, Noah also became a spokesperson andconsumer protection agent forCell C, South Africa's third-largest mobile phone network provider.[31]
Noah performed inThe Blacks Only Comedy Show, theHeavyweight Comedy Jam, theVodacom Campus Comedy Tour, the Cape Town International Comedy Festival, the Jozi Comedy Festival, andBafunny Bafunny (2010).[32][33] His stand-up comedy specials in South Africa includeThe Daywalker (2009),Crazy Normal (2011),That's Racist (2012), andIt's My Culture (2013).
In 2011, he moved to theUnited States.[34] In January 2012, Noah became the first South African stand-up comedian to appear onThe Tonight Show; and in May 2013, he became the first to appear onLate Show with David Letterman.[24][35] Noah was the subject of the 2012 documentaryYou Laugh But It's True.[36] The same year, he starred in the one-man comedy showTrevor Noah: The Racist,[37] which was based on his similarly titled South African specialThat's Racist. In September 2012, Noah was theRoastmaster in aComedy Central Roast of South AfricanAfrikaans singerSteve Hofmeyr.[38] In October 2012, he was the first comedian to premiere on the second season ofGabriel Iglesias Presents Stand Up Revolution. In 2013, he performed the comedy specialTrevor Noah: African American.[39] In October 2013, he was a guest onBBC Two's comedy panel showQI.[40] In November 2013, he was a panellist onChannel 4 game show8 Out of 10 Cats[41] and appeared onSean Lock's team in8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown in September 2014.
In December 2014, Noah became a recurring contributor onThe Daily Show.[42] In March 2015,Comedy Central announced that Noah would succeedJon Stewart as host ofThe Daily Show; his tenure began on 28 September 2015.[23]
Following his announcement as Stewart's successor, attention was drawn on the Internet to jokes he had posted on hisTwitter account, some of which were criticised as being misogynistic,[43][44] and others asantisemitic or mocking theHolocaust.[20] Noah responded by tweeting, "To reduce my views to a handful of jokes that didn't land is not a true reflection of my character, nor my evolution as a comedian."[45] Comedy Central stood behind Noah, saying in a statement, "Like many comedians, Trevor Noah pushes boundaries; he is provocative and spares no one, himself included... To judge him or his comedy based on a handful of jokes is unfair. Trevor is a talented comedian with a bright future at Comedy Central."[46] Mary Kluk, chairperson of the South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD), said that the jokes were not signs of anti-Jewish prejudice and that they were part of Noah's style of comedy.[47] Noah has faced further criticism after video clips of him joking aboutAboriginal women and theMarikana massacre in old standup routines resurfaced.[48][49]
After Noah took over from Stewart, viewership dropped 37%, and its Nielsen ratings fell below those of several other shows hosted byDaily Show alumni; however, according to Comedy Central's president, theDaily Show under Noah was the number-one show for millennials.[50]James Poniewozik ofThe New York Times praised him and the show's writers, saying, "Mr. Noah's debut was largely successful, it was also because of the operating system—the show's writing—running under the surface".[51] Robert Lloyd of theLos Angeles Times described him as "charming and composed—almost inevitably low-key compared with the habitually antic and astonished Stewart".[52] Other critics gave him less favourable reviews, withSalon writing, "Jon Stewart created a national treasure. Noah has dulled its knife, weakened the satire, let the powerful run free."[53][50] Noah's platform on the show has led to three stand-up specials on Comedy Central andNetflix.[54][55][56] By 2017, nightly viewership was less than half of what it had been during the end of Stewart's tenure; viewership among millennials remained solid, however, and Comedy Central extended Noah's contract as host ofThe Daily Show through 2022.[57] He would also produce and host annual end-of-year specials for Comedy Central.[57]
After France won the2018 FIFA World Cup, Noah commented, "I get it, they have to say it's the French team. But look at those guys. You don't get that tan by hanging out in the south of France, my friends. Basically if you don't understand, France is Africans' backup team."[58][59] The French Ambassador to the United States,Gérard Araud, issued a letter condemning Noah's joke. He wrote, "Unlike the United States of America, France does not refer to its citizens based on their race, religion or origin. For us, there is no hyphenated identity, the roots are an individual reality. By calling them an African team, it seems that you are denying their Frenchness."[60] Noah responded to the controversy, saying he did not intend to deny that the team was French, and instead to celebrate their African heritage.[60]
In April 2017, Noah began developing a talk show forJordan Klepper:[61]The Opposition with Jordan Klepper, which premiered in September,[62] and ran for one season. Noah also executive-producedKlepper, a primetime weekly docuseries, beginning in May 2019.[63][64] In March 2018, Noah signed a multiyear contract withViacom giving themfirst-look rights to any future projects by him. In addition to the deal, Noah would also be launching an international production and distribution company called Day Zero Productions.[65]
His memoirBorn a Crime was published in November 2016 and was received favourably by major U.S. book reviewers.[8][9][10] Other than the author, his mother has a central role in the book, while his father is mentioned only occasionally. It became a No. 1New York Times Bestseller and was named one of the best books of the year byThe New York Times,Newsday,Esquire,NPR, andBooklist.[11] It was announced that a film adaptation based on the book would starLupita Nyong'o as his mother.[66] In July 2018, Noah andThe Daily Show writing staff releasedThe Donald J. Trump Presidential Twitter Library, a book comprising hundreds of Trump tweets and featuring a foreword byPulitzer Prize-winning historianJon Meacham.[67] In 2017, he made an appearance on the TV seriesNashville.[68] In 2018, he appeared inBlack Panther andAmerican Vandal.[69][70]
In May 2021, he spoke about theIsraeli-Palestinian conflict,[71] saying "If you were in a fight where the other person cannot beat you, how hard should you retaliate when they try to hurt you?" His words were criticized byAmerican Jewish Committee CEODavid Harris.[72] In March 2022, Noah criticized the greater emphasis onevents in Ukraine than on those in other regions such asAfrica and theMiddle East, claiming racial bias and a racial "double standard" when it comes to news reporting.[73] He pointed to the willingness of Eastern European countries likePoland to acceptUkrainian refugees and noted how "interesting" it was that the countries ofCentral and Eastern Europe have been "so willing and able to accept a million people coming into their countries in just a few days when just recently they didn't seem to have any space for a different group of refugees."[74] In September 2022, he mocked thesham referendums held in the Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine.[75]
In October 2022, afterRishi Sunak becamePrime Minister of the United Kingdom, Noah claimed that there was a racist backlash in the UK against someone ofIndian heritage taking that role. British Conservative politicianSajid Javid described Noah's remarks as "A narrative catered to his audience, at a cost of being completely detached from reality." There were suggestions that Noah was projecting the U.S. political context onto the UK; English authorTom Holland stated, "As ever, the inability of American liberals to understand the world beyond the US in anything but American terms is a thing of wonder."[76][77] Sunak's spokesperson insisted, in response to Noah's claims, that the UK is not a racist country; Noah stated that he never made a statement about the country as a whole, only about "some people".[78]
On 29 September 2022, Noah requested some extra minutes during that night's program and announced that he would be leavingThe Daily Show at an undetermined future date after hosting the show for seven years.[79][80][81][82] After revisiting stand-up comedy, he felt a longing to return to visiting countries for shows, learning new languages and "being everywhere, doing everything".[81] It was confirmed the following month that Noah's last show would be on 8 December 2022.[83][82]
In addition to hostingThe Daily Show, Noah has hosted theGrammy Awards five times: in2021, in2022,2023, in2024, and the2025.[84][85][14][15][16] He also served as host of theWhite House Correspondents' Dinner in 2022.[86]
In June 2023 it was announced that Trevor Noah would launch a weeklySpotify originalpodcast going over various topics.[87] The podcast was released in November that year and is calledWhat Now? with Trevor Noah. In each episode Noah has a special guest with him. It is his second podcast after one that he hosted forLuminary in 2019 and 2020. In 2024, he collaborated with EpicFortnite to feature JokeNite, an island that features stand-up performances such as Matthew Broussard,Preacher Lawson,Scott Seiss, and Marcia Belsky.[88] In 2024 he acted in theJennifer Lopez romantic dramaThis Is Me... Now: A Love Story.[89]
In 2013, Noah said of his comedic influences,
The kings are indisputable.Richard Pryor,[Bill] Cosby; for me personally I didn't know of him before I started comedy butEddie Murphy changed my view on the thing and I definitely look up to him as a comedic influence.Chris Rock in terms of the modern black comedian andDave Chappelle. Those are the guys that have laid the foundation and have moved the yardstick for all comedians, not just Black comedians.[90]
He also citedJon Stewart as an influence and a mentor, following his appointment to succeed Stewart as host ofThe Daily Show.[91] In an interview withThe New York Times, Noah likened Stewart to "a JewishYoda" and recounted advice Stewart gave him, saying:
The most amazing thing that Jon did was he didn't give me a mandate. He didn't say, 'You need to make my show.' He specifically said: 'Make your show. Make your best version of it.' I apply those teachings of Jon's to everything that I'm doing.[92]
Among comedians who say they were influenced by Noah areMichelle Wolf,Jordan Klepper, andHasan Minhaj.[93][94][95] Noah'smixed-race ancestry, his experiences growing up inSoweto, and his observations about race and ethnicity are leading themes in his comedy.[96][97]
Noah speaksEnglish,Southern Sotho,Zulu,Xhosa,Tswana,Tsonga andAfrikaans.[98] Noah hasADHD.[99] He resides inNew York City.[100]
In 1992, Noah's mother, Patricia Nombuyiselo, married Ngisaveni Abel Shingange; they had two sons together. Shingange physically abused both Trevor and his mother, and the couple legally divorced in 1996.[101] In 2009, after Patricia married Sfiso Khoza, Shingange shot her in the leg and through the back of her head; she survived as the bullet went through the base of her head, avoiding the spinal cord, brain, and all major nerves and blood vessels, then exiting with minor damage to her nostril. When Noah confronted him over the phone about the shooting, Shingange threatened his life, prompting Noah to leaveJohannesburg forLos Angeles.[34][102][103]
In 2011, Shingange was convicted of attempted murder and sentenced the following year to three years of correctional supervision.[104] Noah stated that he hoped the attention surrounding the incident would raise awareness of the broader issue ofdomestic violence in South Africa: "For years my mother reached out to police for help with domestic abuse, and nothing was ever done. This is the norm in South Africa.Dockets went missing and cases never went to court."[34]
Noah has described himself as being progressive and having a global perspective.[105] However, he has clarified that he considers himself a "progressive person", but not a"political progressive", and prefers not to be categorised as being eitherright orleft in the context of US partisanship.[106][107]
In April 2018, Noah launched The Trevor Noah Foundation,[108] a youth development initiative that works to provide access to high-quality education.
Noah was selected as the Class Day speaker forPrinceton University's Class of 2021.[109] He gave his address virtually on 15 May 2021, and was inducted as an honorary member of the Class of 2021.[110]
Noah is a supporter ofLiverpool FC.[111]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | You Laugh But It's True | Himself | Documentary |
| Taka Takata | Pilo | ||
| 2012 | Mad Buddies | Bookie | |
| 2018 | Black Panther | Griot (voice) | |
| 2021 | Coming 2 America | Totatsi Bibinyana (Zamunda News Network anchor) | |
| 2022 | Black Panther: Wakanda Forever | Griot (voice) | |
| 2024 | This Is Me... Now: A Love Story | Libra |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Isidingo | Teen at party | 1 episode |
| 2008 | The Amazing Date | Himself (host) | 13 episodes |
| Strictly Come Dancing | Himself (contestant) | 8 episodes, runner-up | |
| 2010–2011 | Tonight with Trevor Noah | Himself (host) | 26 episodes; also creator, writer, and executive producer |
| 2012 | Comedy Central Roast of Steve Hofmeyr | Himself (host) | TV special |
| Gabriel Iglesias Presents Stand Up Revolution | Himself | Episode: "2.1" | |
| 2014–2015 | The Daily Show with Jon Stewart | Himself (correspondent) | 5 episodes |
| 2015–2022 | The Daily Show with Trevor Noah | Himself (host) | 1,091 episodes; also writer and executive producer |
| 2017 | Nashville | Himself | Episode: "Fire and Rain" |
| 2017–2018 | The Opposition with Jordan Klepper | None | 128 episodes; co-creator and executive producer |
| 2018 | American Vandal | Himself | Episode: "The Brownout" |
| 2019 | Klepper | None | 8 episodes; executive producer |
| 2021 | 63rd Annual Grammy Awards | Himself (host) | TV special |
| Player vs Player | Himself (host) | 8 episodes; also creator and executive producer | |
| 2022 | 64th Annual Grammy Awards | Himself (host) | TV special |
| White House Correspondents' Dinner | Himself (host) | TV special | |
| 2023 | 65th Annual Grammy Awards | Himself (host) | TV special |
| StoryBots: Answer Time | Stacy | Episode: "Internet" | |
| 2024 | 66th Annual Grammy Awards | Himself (host) | TV special |
| 2025 | 67th Annual Grammy Awards | Himself (host) | TV special |
| Year | Title | Platform | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Trevor Noah: The Daywalker | Podium | Stand-up special | |
| 2011 | Trevor Noah: Crazy Normal | Day 1 Films | Stand-up special | |
| 2012 | Trevor Noah: That's Racist | Stand-up special | ||
| 2013 | Trevor Noah: African American | Showtime | Stand-up special | |
| 2014 | Trevor Noah: It's My Culture | Day 1 Films | Stand-up special | |
| 2015 | Trevor Noah: Lost in Translation | Ark Angel Entertainment | Stand-up special | |
| Trevor Noah: Pay Back the Funny | Day 1 Films | Stand-up special | ||
| 2017 | Trevor Noah: Afraid of the Dark | Netflix | Stand-up special | |
| Trevor Noah: There's A Gupta On My Stoep | YouTube | Stand-up special | ||
| 2018 | Trevor Noah: Son Of Patricia | Netflix | Stand-up special | |
| 2022 | Trevor Noah: I Wish You Would | Stand-up special | ||
| 2023 | Trevor Noah: Where Was I | Stand-up special |
Over his career he has received twoPrimetime Emmy Awards as well as nominations for twoGrammy Awards and aGolden Globe Award. In 2023, he won theErasmus Prize.[112][113]
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| Preceded by | Host ofThe Daily Show 2015–2022 | Succeeded by Jon Stewart |
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Media from Commons
Quotations from Wikiquote
Data from Wikidata
