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HAT’S the purpose of comedy? Is it merely entertainment, a form of escapism that we’re meant to separate from politics and reality? Or is it a satirical mirror held up to society? Is comedy meant to enlighten and educate, to better our world a laugh at a time, to challenge and change our perceptions? Or is comedy all about having a laugh — screw everything else?

The truth lies somewhere in the space between all these poles, and Trevor Noah has found himself deep in that very no-man’s land since he landed the prized gig of hosting The Daily Show.

To say the 31-year-old successor to Jon Stewart has big shoes to fill is an understatement. Since he took over The Daily Show in 1999 from Craig Kilborn, Stewart has become one of the world’s sharpest political commentators. He’s a brutally honest and incredibly funny motherfucker — but he’s been stale for a while now. He should have left three years ago.

When Stewart finally did announce his exit, the opinionistas fired away with listicles of who should replace him. Names such as Stephen Colbert, Amy Poehler, John Oliver and Jessica Williams were mentioned.

So when Noah was announced as Stewart’s replacement, many people were taken aback: he was little known in the States.