Trevor Noah Biography

Trevor Noah Biography: Early Life | Career | Stand-Up Comedy | The Daily Show | Achievements

Trevor Noah, the renowned South African comedian, writer, producer, political commentator, actor, and former television host, was born on February 20, 1984, in Johannesburg, South Africa. His mother, Patricia Nombuyiselo Noah, is a Xhosa woman from South Africa, and his father, Robert, is a Swiss-German man from Switzerland. Under apartheid, Trevor’s parents’ interracial relationship was illegal, and Noah himself was classified as Coloured.

ALSO READ: Ami Faku Biography| Age, Early Life, Music Career, The Voice SA, Record Label, Discography

Trevor began his schooling at Maryvale College, a private Catholic school in Johannesburg. He showed an interest in performing arts and languages from an early age. Trevor Noah learned to speak several languages, including English, Afrikaans, Xhosa, Zulu, Sotho, Tswana, Tsonga, and German. He also developed a talent for imitating accents and voices.

Trevor Noah’s Career in South Africa

Trevor Noah started his career in entertainment in 2002 when he had a small role in a South African soap opera called Isidingo. He then hosted an educational show on a family public television channel before hosting his own radio show called Noah’s Ark on YFM, a youth-oriented station.

In 2004, he made his debut as a stand-up comedian at a nightclub after being dared by his friends. He soon became popular for his humorous stories and observations about his life and society.

Trevor went on to host several television shows in South Africa, including a sports show called Siyadlala, a dating game show called The Amazing Date, and contested in Strictly Come Dancing. He also performed in various comedy festivals and tours across the country and abroad. He created and hosted his late-night talk show, Tonight with Trevor Noah, from 2010 to 2011 on M-Net.

ALSO READ: Mduduzi Mabaso Biography: Early life | Education | Career | Personal life

Moving to the United States and Hosting The Daily Show

In 2011, Trevor moved to the United States to pursue his career in comedy. He became the first South African comedian to appear on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in 2012. The stand-up comedian also appeared on other American talk shows such as The Late Show with David Letterman, Conan, and The Ellen DeGeneres Show. He performed his stand-up comedy specials on Netflix and HBO.

Trevor Noah’s Recognition For The Daily Show

Trevor received critical acclaim and recognition for his work on The Daily Show. He won several awards, including a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Short Form Variety Series in 2017 for The Daily Show: Between the Scenes. He was also nominated for multiple Emmys for Outstanding Variety Talk Series and Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series.

The comedian was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine in 2018. He was also honoured with the Erasmus Prize in 2023 for his contribution to culture and society. He was the first comedian to win since 1965 when Charlie Chaplin scooped it.

Other Projects and Achievements

Besides hosting The Daily Show, Noah also worked on other projects and achievements throughout his career. In 2016, he published his memoir Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood, which became a New York Times bestseller and won several awards.

The book recounts his experiences growing up under apartheid and his relationship with his mother. A film adaptation of the book is in development, with Lupita Nyong’o playing Noah’s mother.

Noah also hosted several major events such as the Grammy Awards (in 2021, 2022, and 2023), the White House Correspondents’ Dinner (in 2022), and the Global Citizen Festival (in 2019 and 2021). He also launched his own production company, Day Zero Productions, in 2018, which produces content for various platforms and networks.

References:

• Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood
• Lindsey and Emmanuel the crowning moment
• Promo: Trevor Noah features on Jay Leno
• How Trevor Noah Became the Next Host of The Daily Show
• Trevor Noah bags 4 nominations at the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards
• Comedian Trevor Noah wins the prestigious Dutch Erasmus Prize
• Inside Trevor Noah’s Bombshell Decision to Leave ‘The Daily Show’ — and What Comes Next