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Democracy

Trevor Noah implores U.S. journalists to ask themselves this one vital question

"Ask yourself that question every day, because you have one of the most important roles in the world."

@birbigs/Twitter

Trevor Noah received high praise for his closing remarks at the 2022 White House Correspondents' Dinner.

Back in 2022, for the first time in six years, the annual White House Correspondents' Dinner (WHCD) was held with the president of the United States in attendance in Washington, D.C. The WHCD has been a tradition in Washington for more than a century and for the past several decades it has taken the form of a comedic roast of both the government and the press. The dinner on April 30, 2022 was hosted by comedian and former host of "The Daily Show" Trevor Noah, who's known for his smart, witty commentary on social and political issues.

The "let's invite a comedian to publicly and viciously make fun of us for a couple of hours" idea may be a bit odd, but these events have proven quite popular over the years, with many viral moments (including President Obama's infamous GIF-worthy mic drop) coming from them. The dinner opened with Noah joking about it being a superspreader event, earning some uncomfortable laughter as the COVID-19 pandemic was still fresh, and then the individual roasts commenced. Noah didn't hold back slamming people across the political and media spectrum—all in good fun, of course—including President Biden himself.

But it was Noah's closing remarks that earned the most attention. In his signature style, Noah managed to bring a serious and thoughtful element to a night of ribbing and laughter when he admonished the press to recognize both their freedom and their responsibility.

- YouTubewww.youtube.com


“If you ever begin to doubt your responsibilities, if you ever begin to doubt how meaningful it is, look no further than what’s happening in Ukraine," Noah told the reporters in the room. "Look at what’s happening there. Journalists are risking and even losing their lives to show the world what is happening. You realize how amazing that is?

“In America, you have the right to seek the truth and speak the truth, even if it makes people in power uncomfortable. Even if it makes your viewers or readers uncomfortable. You understand how amazing that is?" he reiterated.

Noah pointed out that he had just stood there and made fun of the president of the United States and he was going to be fine. Then he contrasted that with the reality Russian journalists are living under Vladimir Putin.

“Ask yourself this question," he said to the members of the media. "If Russian journalists who are losing their livelihoods … and their freedom for daring to report on what their own government is doing—If they had the freedom to write any words, to show any stories, or to ask any questions—if they had, basically, what you have—would they be using it in the same way that you do?

"Ask yourself that question every day," he said, "because you have one of the most important roles in the world."

People had high praise for Noah's entire evening of hosting, but especially for his closing remarks. Russia's war on Ukraine has put a spotlight on many things we tend to take for granted, including the freedom of the press.

Journalists play a vital role in society and it's one they must take seriously. To be fair, most journalists do feel the weight of their responsibility, but the corporatization of news media and a 24/7 news cycle has created a competitive landscape in which coverage is sometimes determined by what will drive traffic or viewers rather than on what's truly newsworthy or important. The demonization of news outlets by some has also created a hostile media environment, and news organizations have to resist the urge to kowtow to the loudest voices or inadvertently amplify the wrong things. Journalists often have to fight for the truth on multiple fronts, sometimes inside their own newsrooms.

As we see attacks on the media ramping up, both legitimate criticisms and blatant violations of the first amendment, the responsibility shouldered by journalists is weightier than ever. Speaking truth to and about power may not always be popular, and being careful to get the facts straight may not result in as many clicks as sensational or conspiratorial headlines do, but when you cut through the noise of social media and the political melee, what will endure—hopefully—is the real reporting of what's actually happening. In addition to the public need to be intelligently and accurately informed, future generations will depend on the historical record that real reporters and journalists help provide.

Thank you, Trevor Noah, for reminding reporters that the fight is worth it and for using this opportunity to remind the press of its primary purpose with such a simple yet profound question.

This article originally appeared three years ago.

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Trevor Noah laments the loss of 'spirited conversations' and creates a space for having them

"Imagine if discussing how to navigate the minefield was as dangerous as the minefield itself. That's what I feel like we're living in now," Noah says.

Carrick Ryan/Facebook

Trevor Noah launches his "What Now? with Trevor Noah" podcast.

If there's one thing Trevor Noah excels at (besides stand-up comedy), it's talking about hot topics. When Trevor Noah was hosting "The Daily Show," his "Between the Scenes" segments where he chatted with his live audience during breaks often went viral. In these clips, Noah would find ways of speaking about controversial issues in a way that was clear, concise, thoughtful and wise.

With his new podcast "What Now? with Trevor Noah," he's taking those conversations even further.

A video of Noah explaining the premise behind the podcast shared by Carrick Ryan gives voice to what so many people are feeling about social discourse in the modern age.

"If there's one thing I've always loved, it's having a spirited conversation," Noah begins. "I've always loved how the words coming out of another person's mouth can change how the mush in your brain processes or sees the world that it's seen a certain way for such a long time."

However, Noah points out, people appear to be losing the ability to have those conversations. He explains that he recently attended an event where people of all ages were having "interesting" and "dynamic" conversations about difficult topics, and every few minutes he'd hear someone say, "Now, I would never say this in public, but…." or "I would never say this if I was being recorded, but…"

"So many of us have opinions and ideas about the world we live in that we are either unable, unwilling or too scared to share," Noah laments. "And I thought to myself, if we cannot have conversations about difficult things—if the conversations themselves are now the difficult things—then what hope do we have of fixing the difficult things?"

Noah compares the current conversational reality to a minefield, which is one of the most dangerous places you can step foot in because you don't know where the mines are buried.

"All you know is at any moment something could blow up," he says. "Imagine if discussing how to navigate the minefield was as dangerous as the minefield itself. That's what I feel like we're living in now," Noah says.

Watch:

Noah's description of the social landscape hit home for many people who shared their thoughts in the comments.

"This is why I enjoy Trevor Noah so much—he always digs beneath the surface." – Carol A.

"That actually made me cry and I don’t know why. I feel pretty hopeless when it comes to the world. I am disgusted with the human race. We have never learned and never will, thousands and thousands of years have proven that. The helplessness of watching what is going on around me makes me numb." – Elisabeth T.

"He is talking about having a legitimate conversation. That means exchange of ideas, opinions, and experiences. It doesn't mean, 'How can you possibly believe ...?' And the response cannot be, 'I believe this completely and you'll never change my mind so stop trying.' This isn't a conversion or a intervention. It's a conversation. Know the difference." – Deb A.

"Partly because to address a controversial issue in a way to accurately say what you want requires a range of vocabulary and thoughtfulness from speaker and listener that is a bit scarce these days. Every issue is considered binary, you are judged to be for or against things. It's like standing on the edge of the minefield discussing tactics with one view as there are no mines and the other the area is one big mine." – Peter H.

Some people talked about the importance of listening to one another while others questioned whether productive conversations could be had with certain groups of people, such as conspiracy theorists or religious fundamentalists.

However, who we have those "spirited conversations" with may not matter as much how we have them. If we want to see how it's done, Trevor Noah offers a solid example. Find "What Now? with Trevor Noah" wherever you listen to podcasts.

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Trevor Noah ended his final 'Daily Show' episode with a tearful tribute to Black women

"Who do you think has shaped me, nourished me, informed me?"

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Trevor Noah says goodbye in his last episode of "The Daily Show."

Trevor Noah, who has spent the past seven years hosting "The Daily Show," has officially said goodbye to his late-night fans. While he could have chosen any note to leave on, he made his final words an emotional tribute to the Black women who have influenced him.

Since he took over the spot from Jon Stewart, Noah has made the show his own with a blend of quick-witted comedy and thoughtful commentary. Noah had big shoes to fill, but to his credit, he didn't try to cram his feet into them. He simply brought his own shoes and placed them right next to Stewart's, offering his own style of comedy and unique perspectives on the world night after night. Even in his "Between the Scenes" segments, where he chatted with the audience during commercial breaks, Noah frequently added insightful context to current issues.

In his final monologue, he credits those insights to his Black women mentors, from his own mother and grandmother to thought leaders he has had on his show to Black women in general. And it's quite telling that he managed to keep it together in his final show, right up until the point when he talked about these women.

"I've often been credited with having these grand ideas—people are like, 'Oh Trevor, you're so smart'—who do you think teaches me?" he said. "Who do you think has shaped me, nourished me, informed me?"

He credited the women close to him, but it wasn't until he talked about Black women in America specifically that he really began to get choked up.

"I always say, if you really want to learn about America, talk to Black women," he said. "Because unlike everybody else, Black women cannot afford to f*ck around and find out."

Watch:

Some of the women Noah mentioned by name responded with their personal stories of their interactions with Noah, and they offer a behind-the-scenes glimpse at who Noah is.

Roxane Gay shared that her book tour for "Hunger" had been "a shit show," with journalists having no idea how to talk about fatness. She had "prepared for the worst" when she arrived at "The Daily Show," but said Noah turned out to be "a dream."

"He came to the green room and asked what language he should use around fatness and I said we can be real," she wrote on Twitter. "The word fat is fine. It was clear he had actually read Hunger. Not every interviewer could say that.

"We had a wonderful, interesting, nuanced conversation," she continued. "He was smart and kind and funny. He didn’t condescend or treat me like I was repulsive. This shouldn’t be remarkable but it was. I will always be grateful and never forget the consideration."

Tressie McMillan Cottom, author, professor and sociologist, has been on "The Daily Show" several times, but she shared in a series of tweets that her first appearance came totally out of the blue.

"To this day, only two men have ever slid into my DMs. One was a foreign prince of dubious financial means. The other was Trevor Noah. He politely asked me to be on his show. In my DMs. Like he had to ask. Blew my mind.

I was an assistant professor at a state school with a wonky book about for-profit colleges out on a small press. Trevor had not just read it. When we met, I would learn that he had read almost all of my years-long blog. *HE* asked *me* to be on his show.

I had the opposite of a marketing budget. I had the 'prayers and wishes' of publishing. Would I do The Daily Show??? I remember asking him backstage, 'why am I here??' With sincere incredulity he said, 'because you’re brilliant.' News to me.

It’s hard to overstate how much it meant to a writer and scholar without a serious elite pedigree or a major publisher to get a DM to be on The Daily Show. Trevor put together a team that reflected his own intellectual curiosity. If he booked you? He had read you.

When you see how many Black women he elevated? That’s him. That’s who he reads…Black women are truly the foundation of his intellectual project."

Walking the talk is always nice to see, and it's clear why Noah decided to close out his run on "The Daily Show" with the tribute he did.

Thank you, Trevor Noah. You will most definitely be missed.

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Trevor Noah explains why he's leaving 'The Daily Show' and debunks 'work-life balance'

His perspective is spot on.

@today/YouTube

"Time is the one thing we cannot increase.”

Over his seven years as host of “The Daily Show,” Trevor Noah brought us laughter and valuable insights, even with a pandemic and political upheaval. He made such a positive mark that the announcement of his departure from the show came as bittersweet news to fans.

During an interview with Hoda Kotb of “Today,” Trevor Noah gave further explanation to his personal decision to leave, and in typical Noah fashion, it touched on something universal in the process.

“I realized during the pandemic,” he told Kotb, “everyone talks about a ‘work-life balance.’ But that almost creates the idea that your work and your life are two separate things. When in fact, I came to realize during the pandemic that it’s just a ‘life-life balance.’ It’s just your life.”

He continued, “Your life doesn’t stop because you are working. And so, if you wanna make more time for family, if you wanna make more time for friends and what you wanna do, and everything … find a way to create that time. Time is the one thing we cannot increase.”

For Noah, creating more time for what was important to him meant changing his career focus. For other people, it might look like incorporating different work hours, outsourcing help or simply cutting out activities that don’t really provide growth or comfort. There are endless possibilities, depending on what someone’s priority is, and often these priorities change at different chapters in our life. But one thing never changes—we never know how much time we have on this planet, so it’s best to use it in a way that is fulfilling.

And if you’re confused as to what might be fulfilling, Noah has a trick: find what feels scary. “Anything worth doing should scare you. I will be scared to do the next project, hopefully.”

No matter what project is on the horizon for Noah, he is bound to bring us something to both smile and think about.

You can watch the full interview below:

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