Welp, it’s been seven years since Trevor Noah replaced the great John Stewart to host The Daily Show, and on Thursday, the South African comedian, who announced in September that he would be leaving, filmed his final episode.
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But before his final sendoff, he left his audience with an emotional farewell speech that included a number of lessons he learned during his tenure as a Daily Show host, a thank you to his loyal followers, and, most importantly, a “special shoutout to Black women.”
“I remember when we started the show, we couldn’t get enough people to fill the audience,” Noah said. “Thank you to the people who watch, the people who share the clips, everyone who’s had an opinion, everyone who’s been kind enough and gracious enough.”
Noah thanked everyone who watched his show, including those who “hate-watched” because the show “still got the ratings.” But it was when he started to talk about Black women and what they had done to shape him and his intelligence that he began to get tearful and emotional and, well, those of us who also love Black women—we know the feeling.
“I’ve often been credited with having these grand ideas,” Noah said. “Who do you think teaches me? Who do you think has shaped me, nourished me and formed me? I always tell people, if you truly want to learn about America, talk to Black women.”
Hold on, y’all while I grab a box of tissue. Not that I’m about to start crying too or anything, I just got this runny nose.
Oh, shut up, y’all are weeping a little bit too.
“Unlike everybody else, Black women can’t afford to f**k around and find out,” Noah continued. “Black people understand how hard it is when things go bad, especially in America or anywhere where Black people exist—whether it’s Brazil, whether it’s South Africa, wherever it is,—when things go bad, Black people know that it gets worse for them. But Black women in particular, they know what sh*t is.”
“I’ll tell you now, do yourself a favor: If you truly want to know what to do or how to do it or maybe the best way or the most equitable way, talk to Black women,” he added. “They’re a lot of the reason that I’m here.”
And that, my friends, is why Trevor Noah’s voice and contribution to the show will be missed.
Fortunately, just because he’s leaving The Daily Show doesn’t mean we can’t still follow him wherever he goes. In November he posted a tweet announcing his 2023 Off The Record Tour.
So, let’s wish Noah good luck in all of his future endeavors and thank him for his time on late-night television, a medium that is sorely in need of more Black voices if we’re being perfectly honest.