Sandisiwe Mbhele

By Sandisiwe Mbhele

UX Content Writer


Trevor Noah’s first ‘Daily Show’ replacement takes centre stage

Comedian Leslie Jones fired up the stage with her guest host appearance this week on The Daily Show, with mixed reaction.


After bowing out from the popular late show The Daily Show, Trevor Noah’s first replacement, comedian Leslie Jones was first up. 

The temporary replacements were announced in December and described as an “all-star rooster”. They include former late-night hosts Chelsea Handler and Wanda Sykes, other stand-up comics and actors D.L. Hughley, John Leguizamo, Kal Penn and Marlon Wayans and fan favourite, and former Daily Show regular Hasan Minhaj. 

Leslie Jones is a Saturday Night Live (SNL) alumni and was first up as she tackled a variety of American political topics in her first appearance. 

Leslie Jones gets a mixed reception

On her debut, Jones discussed the divided issue of the honorary statue by Hank Willis Thomas of the late civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. 

Some people have said the statue is “awkward”. It is a recreation of the iconic photograph of King hugging his wife Coretta Scott King after winning a Nobel Peace Prize in 1964.

The sculpture statue is a 20-foot-high (6 metres) bronze sculpture titled “The Embrace”, The Washington Post reported.  

The reception of the statue has been mixed, Jones joked that it resembled a penis. 

WATCH: Leslie Jones guest host of The Daily Show

Jones’s first episode was widely praised, however, some didn’t enjoy it. Jones’s first guest was seasoned actor Morris Chestnut.

Twitter reacts to Leslie Jones guest hosting The Daily Show

When will the new The Daily Show host start?

It was forecasted by Vulture that The Daily Show with a lead will only begin in September 2023, however, showrunners aren’t too panicked to find a replacement quickly. 

However, the guest host who will appear, reportedly viewers and fans alike shouldn’t view this as an audition process of who will eventually replace Noah.

ALSO READ: Trevor Noah’s real reason behind his exit from ‘The Daily Show’

Noah has been enjoying him out of the show, appearing on magazine covers, going on holiday with friends to Costa Rica and recently making an appearance on The Colbert Show.

Noah said it took him two weeks to realise he no longer needs to know every piece of news information after his last show.

Read more on these topics

comedy The Daily Show Trevor Noah

For more news your way

Download our app and read this and other great stories on the move. Available for Android and iOS.