Trevor Noah facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Trevor Noah
Noah in 2024
Born	(1984-02-20) 20 February 1984 (age 41) Johannesburg, South Africa
Medium	Stand-up television film books
Nationality	South African
Education	Maryvale College
Genres	Political/news satire observational comedy surreal humour insult comedy deadpan
Subject(s)	Mass media/news media/media criticism American politics South African culture current events race relations pop culture
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Trevor Noah was born on 20 February 1984. He is a famous South African comedian, writer, and TV host. Many people know him as the host of The Daily Show. This was a popular American TV show that made jokes about news and politics. He hosted it on Comedy Central from 2015 to 2022.

Trevor Noah has won many awards. These include two Primetime Emmy Awards. In 2017 and 2018, The Hollywood Reporter called him one of the "35 Most Powerful People in New York Media." Time magazine also named him one of the world's 100 most influential people in 2018. In 2023, he received the Erasmus Prize.

Noah started his career in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 2002. He hosted several shows for the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC). In 2008, he was a runner-up on South Africa's Strictly Come Dancing. From 2010 to 2011, he hosted his own talk show called Tonight with Trevor Noah.

In 2014, Noah joined The Daily Show as a special reporter. In 2015, he took over from the long-time host, Jon Stewart. His book about his life, Born a Crime, came out in 2016. He has also hosted the Grammy Awards four times. He hosted the White House Correspondents Dinner in 2022 too.

Growing Up in South Africa

Trevor Noah was born in Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa. His father, Robert, is from Switzerland and Germany. His mother, Patricia Nombuyiselo Noah, is Xhosa.

During apartheid in South Africa, laws separated people by race. Trevor's mother was seen as Black, and his father was White. Their relationship was against the law at the time. Trevor was classified as Coloured. His mother and grandmother raised him in Soweto, a Black township. He went to Maryvale College, a private Catholic school in Johannesburg.

Trevor's Career Journey

Starting Out in Comedy

Trevor Noah performing in 2019

In 2002, Trevor Noah had a small part in a South African TV show called Isidingo. He then hosted his own radio show, Noah's Ark, on a youth radio station. He decided to leave radio and acting to focus on comedy. He performed with many famous comedians from South Africa and other countries. He even opened shows for American comedian Gabriel Iglesias and Canadian comedian Russell Peters.

Noah also hosted educational TV shows like Run the Adventure. He hosted gossip shows and sports shows too. In 2008, he co-hosted a dating game show called The Amazing Date. He was also a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing. He hosted the South Africa Film and Television Awards and the South African Music Awards.

He performed in many comedy shows across South Africa. He also had his own stand-up comedy specials. These included The Daywalker (2009) and Crazy Normal (2011).

Moving to the United States

In 2011, Trevor Noah moved to the United States. In 2012, he became the first South African comedian to appear on The Tonight Show. In 2013, he was also the first to appear on Late Show with David Letterman. A documentary about him, You Laugh But It's True, came out in 2012. He also performed a one-man comedy show called Trevor Noah: The Racist.

He was a guest on British TV shows like QI and 8 Out of 10 Cats.

Hosting The Daily Show

In December 2014, Noah started appearing regularly on The Daily Show. In March 2015, it was announced that he would take over as host from Jon Stewart. His first show as host was on 28 September 2015.

When he was announced as the new host, some old jokes he posted on Twitter caused a stir. People said some jokes were not kind. Noah replied that a few jokes do not show his true character. Comedy Central supported him, saying he pushes boundaries like many comedians.

After Noah became host, the show's audience changed. It became very popular with young adults. Critics had different opinions about his hosting style. Some praised him for being charming and calm. Others felt the show's sharp humor was less strong. By 2017, Comedy Central extended his contract to host The Daily Show until 2022.

In September 2022, Trevor Noah announced he would be leaving The Daily Show. He said he missed doing stand-up comedy around the world. His last show was on 8 December 2022.

Trevor's Books

Born a Crime

His book about his life, Born a Crime, was released in November 2016. It was very well-liked by book reviewers in the U.S. His mother plays a very important part in the book. The book became a number one bestseller on The New York Times list. It was also named one of the best books of the year by many publications. There are plans to make a film based on the book. The actress Lupita Nyong'o is set to play his mother.

In 2018, Trevor Noah and the writers of The Daily Show released another book. It was called The Donald J. Trump Presidential Twitter Library. It collected many of Donald Trump's tweets.

Other Projects

Trevor Noah has also appeared in TV shows like Nashville and American Vandal. He also had a voice role in the movies Black Panther and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

Besides hosting The Daily Show, he has hosted the Grammy Awards four times. These were in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024. He also hosted the White House Correspondents' Dinner in 2022.

In 2023, Trevor Noah launched a weekly Spotify podcast called 'What Now? with Trevor Noah'. In each episode, he talks with a special guest.

Video Games

In 2024, Trevor Noah produced a creative island for the game Fortnite called JokeNite. It features other comedians performing.

Who Influenced Trevor?

Trevor Noah has said that Jon Stewart, the previous host of The Daily Show, was a big influence and mentor to him.

Other comedians like Michelle Wolf and Hasan Minhaj have said Trevor Noah influenced them. Trevor's comedy often talks about his mixed-race background. He also shares his experiences growing up in Soweto. His observations about race and different cultures are key parts of his jokes.

Trevor's Personal Life

Trevor Noah can speak many languages. These include English, Southern Sotho, Zulu, Xhosa, Tswana, Tsonga, and Afrikaans. He has ADHD. He lives in New York City.

In 2011, Trevor's mother faced challenges in her life. Trevor has spoken about how important it is to raise awareness about issues like this in South Africa.

Trevor Noah describes himself as a progressive person. He prefers not to be put into political categories like "right" or "left."

In 2018, he started The Trevor Noah Foundation. This group helps young people get a good education.

He was chosen to speak at Princeton University's Class Day in 2021. He is also a fan of the football club Liverpool FC.

Trevor Noah's Film and TV Roles

Movies

Television Shows

Awards and Achievements

See also

In Spanish: Trevor Noah para niños

• New Yorkers in journalism