South African comedian Trevor Noah poses in the press room with the Outstanding Talk Series award for "The Daily Show With Trevor Noah" during the 75th Emmy Awards at the Peacock Theatre at L.A. Live in Los Angeles on January 15, 2024. (Photo by Robyn BECK / AFP)
According to his X bio, he “was in the crowd when Rafiki held Simba over the edge of the cliff, like an African Michael Jackson” (The Lion King). Now, Trevor Noah can add an Emmy to the long list of awards he has collected over the years.
“I want to start by thanking the crazy Africans who followed me to this country – David Kibuuka and Joseph Opio, David Meyer, my partner in crime, the writers and the team, Roy Wood Jnr, from the very beginning, Jordan Klepper, whose flight got cancelled, showrunner Jen Flanz [this woman rode with me through the trenches],” said Noah, dedicating the award to his team.
Noah, 39, a Johannesburg-born, Soweto-raised comedian, author and former host of The Daily Show in the United States, flighted locally on the Comedy Central channel, won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Talk Series on Monday night at the Peacock Theatre in the LA Live entertainment complex.
He commended his African writing team after taking a light-hearted jab at fellow comedian John Oliver: “I told you we’d beat John Oliver if he wasn’t in our category. We did it….”
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He saw his award as a wonderful accomplishment and thanked his team for helping to make it happen.
Noah frequently speaks positively about South Africa and his life as an African in America.
The Daily Show had previously won 25 Primetime Emmy Awards and 24 Creative Arts Emmy Awards but this was a stand out. It was the first time an African and a black talk show host received this prize.
In 2017, Noah won the Outstanding Short Form Variety Series Emmy Award for a Between the Scenes segment on The Daily Show.
He continued to praise his team at the Emmy press conference, saying: “This is the team, these are the people writing a bunch of those jokes, coming up with the craziest ideas, making it the best show on TV night after night.”
He had previously said he had left The Daily Show in December 2022 after seven seasons because he wanted to go on a “high”, surprising American audiences who want him to return for the 2024 American election year.
Since leaving the show, he has performed sellout live comedy shows (his South African leg was so successful that further sellout dates were added), a Netflix special, radio co-hosting, podcasting and being a face of South African tourism.
Currently, he is hosting the Spotify podcast, What Now?, and has been booked to host the 2024 Grammy Awards on 4 February.
The Daily Show is still struggling to find a permanent host.
ALSO READ: Trevor Noah and Tyla bond over their love for roller-coasters in an intimate interview
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