From plummeting ratings to a global success, how did the Daily Show host become “America’s therapist”?
It is a few hours before Trevor Noah takes his seat at The Daily Show’s presenting desk, from which – four nights a week – he lobs comedic grenades at 21st-century America. To prepare for the consuming task ahead, he goes for a gentle stroll. “Sometimes I take a walk to pull the pieces of the show together,” he says down the phone, to the background cacophony of downtown Manhattan. It can’t be the most relaxing refuge from the 24/7 stresses of high-stakes, late-night satire. “Luckily,” says Noah, “I’ve got a good resting heart rate. I’ve found a way to make this my normal.”
It wasn’t always certain he’d get that chance. When the little-known South African standup took over The Daily Show in 2015 from America’s conscience, Jon Stewart, ratings plummeted. By the time of Noah’s 100th episode, the show had lost 37% of its viewers. Worse, a published study claimed that Stewart’s departure hit voter turnout in the 2016 election – blaming Noah, in effect, for the Trump presidency. After a year in charge, he told the Guardian he felt only 30% of the way towards realising his vision for the show.
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