We understand that denial is one of the stages of grief so it’s important that you let this sink in: Jon Stewart is no longer the host of Comedy Central’s The Daily Show — he retired. He bought a farm in New Jersey and has — quite literally — put himself out to pasture.
Trevor Noah, on the other hand, is just getting his career started. Last spotted sizing up The Daily Show set during Stewart’s final show, the South African funny man has the unenviable task of taking the reigns from — and this isn’t hyperbole — one of the most beloved figures in the history of comedy.
How will he fare? Well, if the first teaser trailer (embedded above) for the new regime is any indication, the show is in good hands.
As the spot begins, Noah flicks his wrists, cracks his knuckles, and buttons up his suit jacket as he swaggers onto the set to the tune of Kanye West’s Power. “Same chair,” flashes the text on the screen as the Comedian shimmies his derriere into place, “different ass.”
Then the song cuts out for a bit as the new host lowers the seat of said chair substantially and his face descends into the frame … cue music.
Noah’s chair adjustment bit was likely just a good-natured dig at his predecessor’s diminutive stature and — while physical size doesn’t matter in terms of comedy — the height disparity between the two men makes it tough to break out the old shoe-filling metaphor.
New episodes of The Daily Show With Trevor Noah begin Sept. 28 (respect the mourning period) but thankfully, our first taste of the new era provided just what Stewart was so beloved for bringing to the table night in and night out: laughs.
