The Noah connection
TREVOR Noah, host of The Daily Show, hopes that his presence at next weekend’s MTV Africa Music Awards will prompt “a few more” Americans to tune in to the event and see how good African music is.
The South African comedian will briefly abandon his charmed life in New York to host the sixth edition of the awards in Johannesburg on Saturday. Previous hosts include international stars such as British DJ Trevor Nelson, rappers Wyclef Jean and Eve and comedians Marlon Wayans and Anthony Anderson.
“Americans are very involved with their own culture,” Noah told the Sunday Times in an email. “Hopefully, me hosting the Mamas means more Americans will watch the show and see what African music and achievement looks like.”
Life in the Big Apple has appeared to be a breeze for Noah since he started his gig on the satirical news programme just more than a year ago.
Since then he has walked some of the reddest celebrity carpets in clothes by designers such as Ralph Lauren and hung out with Formula One racer Lewis Hamilton and R&B singer John Legend.
This week he found himself making global headlines for taking a jab at presidential candidate Donald Trump.
In a leaked 2005 tape, Trump is seen chatting with Access Hollywood host Billy Bush about sleeping with married women, and how he can “grab them by the p***y” because of his status.
In Monday’s edition of The Daily Show Noah responded: “There’s a big difference between saying dirty words and glorifying non-consensual sexual contact. “What kind of person grabs the p***y? That doesn’t sound pleasurable for either involved . . . Trump’s scandals right now are like when the first black guy joined white sports.” But Noah’s time at The Daily Show hasn’t all been plain sailing. Commenting on the barrage of criticism when ratings dropped in his first few months as anchor, Noah said: “Every audience has its challenges and I love taking them on and making them laugh. I want criticism, it means I’m doing something right. The tallest trees get the most wind. “I am lucky to have surrounded myself with friends and collaborators who help me criticise my work, even before The Daily Show. They still tell me how they feel about [the show] or the book or my stand-up.” Noah said what he missed most about South Africa was “all the characters in the news, my family and friends”. His first book, Trevor Noah: Born a Crime and Other Stories, will be available next month. “Let’s just say the book deals with everything from me jumping out a moving taxi with my mum to getting bullied to some funny situations because of my blind grandmother,” said Noah. The Daily Show airs on Tuesdays to Fridays, at 9pm on Comedy Central. The Mamas will be broadcast on MTV and MTV Base at 9pm on Saturday.
Trump’s scandals right now are like when the first black guy joined white sports