You don’t have to be Black to appreciate what Trevor Noah has been doing as host of The Daily Show since the pandemic began back in March. However, if you are Black, I hope you understand what he’s been doing. With a full afro and his now-signature hoodie, the South African comedian has refused to hold back when it comes to matters that concern Black lives mattering, giving straight, no chaser commentary that cuts to the heart of, well, the matter.
His words in the wake of the deaths of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd let us know that his tongue would not be bridled by his corporate bosses, spending 12 full minutes back in July making it clear who she was, why her Black life was important, and how insane it is that justice still hasn’t been served so many months after she was murdered by Louisville police.
Back in May, days after Floyd was murdered by Minneapolis police, Noah spent more than 18 minutes attempting to make sense of what happened to that Black man, and what is happening to Black America overall.
And just recently Noah, from his couch where he’s been hosting the show since March, he threw eloquence to the wind and made his points clear when speaking about the shooting of Jacob Blake and the resulting protests that followed in the city of Kenosha. He called it all “bullshit,” indicting the police officers with his words for not seeing the father, who initially pulled over to stop an altercation, as a human being.
Since taking over at the helm of the nightly talk show back in 2015, Noah found his groove quickly and has been using his platform to speak on matters that of national concern when it comes to Black people. What gives his observations even more sincerity is that he’s looking at all of the brutality as an outsider trying to make sense of it all. And time and time again hasn’t been able to do so.
He may have started as the voice we were given after former host Jon Stewart stepped down, but now Noah has constantly become the voice we need when it comes to this unique time in the history of the world. And while it’s true that the brother from another country had no idea what he was walking into (besides the giant footsteps left by Stewart), what’s refreshing is that he’s stepped up the why Black lives matter conversation time and time again.
And it’s appreciated more than he’ll ever know.
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