America ‘must give Trevor a break’

Several South African comedians have come out in support of The Daily Show’s Trevor Noah following a scathing article in Salon criticising Noah about a drop in viewership.

Despite reports of viewer rates dropping, his affiliation with the show has reportedly also brought a 44% increase in on-demand global viewership and a 20% increase in millennial viewership.

In the Salon article, Sophia A McClennen says: “One has to wonder if Comedy Central really considered the Noah hire with care. While the Twitter drama doesn’t make the network look good, there is another complication to Noah’s hire that few have considered: Noah is not from this country.”

South African comedian Nina Hastie, who gave her full support to Noah, is clear in her anger toward the bad reviews.

If The Daily Show wants a global perspective, Hastie reckons Trevor is perfect for the job and “the bullying Americans just need to grow up”.

Hastie believes Trevor’s unique upbringing and personal perspective provides a global discourse that the entire world can understand, “and despite the major shift in perspective, it is incredibly relevant if America is willing to change for the better”.

“America just needs to give Trevor a break,” Hastie said. Hastie makes a point that although viewers find comfort in the consistent rhythm of any show, changing the host will never be easy to accept right away.

“For one, they have never had an interracial voice, and so it is not surprising they find it hard to believe that an outsider is the best thing for a non-biased show,” she says.

Another South African comedian, Jason Goliath, said: “I personally think Trevor is doing a stunning job; he is the best option they could ever have if they really want a global audience.”

“Trevor Noah’s perspective caters for global hunger, and he is very smart, we all know this,” adds Goliath.

– Citizen Reporter