Trevor Noah is one of the busiest people in comedy today. Aside from hosting the 2021 Grammys, he also hosts his daily late-night political satire program, “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah.”
Noah has had a lot of success in recent years, but he had to go through a lot of hard times to get where he is now. Behind the jokes and laughter is a man who has been through a lot of bad things, but seeing him succeed now makes his story even more inspiring.
Difficult Childhood: Trevor Noah was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, on February 20, 1984. His father, Robert, is of Swiss descent, while his mother, Patricia, is Xhosa, a member of the Nguni ethnic group in South Africa.
At the time, Robert and Patricia’s marriage was thought to be illegal because the Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Act of 1949 made it illegal for people of different races to have sexual relations or get married.
Despite the law being amended a year after Noah was born, his mother kept him indoors for safety reasons. Aside from Robert, the family soon moved to the town of Soweto, a predominantly black community. But the struggles would not end there, as Noah, his mother, and his younger brother were faced with life-threatening situations daily.
In his 2016 memoir “Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood,” Noah recalled one incident where they had to jump from a moving bus as the driver threatened to kill them.
New Beginnings Amidst a Family Tragedy: Things started to turn the corner for Noah during his high school years at Maryvale College, a private Roman Catholic high school in Johannesburg.
Realizing that English was the only way to get a good life after graduation, he began studying the language. He also sold food, bootleg CDs, and video games to his classmates to earn extra cash. Noah’s love for entertainment also began at an early age, when he began making his own mixes and hosting street parties around the community.
At 18 years old, Noah had already appeared on television and was hosting his radio show. He then decided to do comedy full-time, working with local and international comedians, which eventually landed him an opening act slot on Russell Peters’ South Africa show.
Noah’s quick wit got him a lot of hosting jobs early in his career, even though he was mostly known for being funny. Noah was starting to get a good reputation as a host. He had done everything from educational shows to game shows to award shows, especially the 2010 South African Music Awards.
Before relocating to the United States in 2011, Noah had performed all over South Africa, performing in popular shows such as The Blacks Only Comedy Show, the Heavyweight Comedy Jam, and the Cape Town International Comedy Festival, among many others.
He also performed in his stand-up comedy specials, “The Daywalker” and “Crazy Normal.” However, around the same time, Patricia Noah’s second husband, Ngisaveni Shingange, shot her, and Ngisaveni even threatened to shoot Noah. Noah would overcome yet another struggle. Luckily, Patricia survived, and Ngisaveni was convicted of attempted murder.
A New Life in the U.S.: Upon arriving in Los Angeles at the age of 27, Noah was already making waves as a bright young talent. In 2012, he became the first South African stand-up comedian to appear on the “Tonight Show” and would repeat the same feat after appearing on the “Late Show with David Letterman” a year later.
The next year, in 2013, he made his Comedy Central debut on the popular show “Comedy Central Roast.” By 2014, Noah was already a recurring contributor on The Daily Show. Originally airing in 1996, The Daily Show has become one of the most popular news satire programs in the United States.
Between 1996 and 1998, Craig Kilborn presided over The Daily Show before handing the reins over to Jon Stewart, who remained in charge for the following 16 years. “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” would not just become a comedy program but also a cultural phenomenon, making Stewart a household name as well as a winner of multiple Emmys and Grammys.
The Daily Show with Trevor Noah: By March 2015, Noah had been officially chosen as the next host of The Daily Show after Jon Stewart announced his retirement. Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter about Noah’s appointment, Comedy Central’s then-President Michele Ganeless said that the company was looking for someone who “brings a unique and distinct point of view appropriate for today and for the years to come.” She went on to say that Noah’s wit and intelligence make him the ideal candidate for the job.
Even though Comedy Central had full faith in Noah, fans were hesitant to accept him as the new host of the show, mostly because he was new to hosting and had a different way of doing it. It also didn’t help that fans were calling for former Daily Show anchor John Oliver to lead the show instead.
At the time, Oliver had already inked a two-year deal with HBO to host “Last Week Tonight.” But despite all the noise, Noah began his Daily Show career on a high note, earning positive reviews from critics as well as praise from long-time fans.
Noah’s success didn’t just earn him multiple stand-up specials on Comedy Central and Netflix and a contract extension that would see him host The Daily Show until 2022. In recent years, the number of people watching the show has gone up, which shows that Noah isn’t just connecting with older people but also with younger people.
Jon Stewart has also shown his support for Noah by making cameos on the show and saying that it is “better” with Noah in charge. Despite the fact that Stephen Colbert, John Oliver, and Seth Meyers are still in charge of late-night news satire, Noah is starting to make significant progress.
Hosting the Grammys: Last November, Noah hosted the Grammys for the first time. The Recording Academy chose him to host this important music event.Officially held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on March 14, 2021, the 2021 Grammy Awards (formally called the 63rd Grammys) were unlike any other Grammys held in previous years.
Aside from the venue being moved from the Staples Center, only artists were permitted to attend the event due to COVID-19 protocols. Nonetheless, the show continued, and Noah was on top of his game throughout the event.
Noah set up the Trevor Noah Foundation in his hometown of Johannesburg, South Africa, in 2018 to help orphans and other vulnerable children get an education.Noah has two brothers from her mother’s second marriage: Andrew and Isaac Shingange. He is multilingual, speaking English, Afrikaans, Zulu, Xhosa, Tswana, Tsonga, and German.
He resides in New York City with his girlfriend, American model and actress Minka Kelly. Noah 2 The Daily Show has entered a new generation with Trevor Noah at the helm. But despite the comedian already experiencing massive success at a young age, most agree that he’s only getting started.
Source: Success Story