Is it really ‘unfair’ to judge Trevor Noah on his sketchy Twitter jokes?

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As soon as South African comedian Trevor Noah was named as Jon Stewart’s successor for host of The Daily Show, people starting pouring over Noah’s comedic and social media history. The results were… interesting. By Tuesday, the new story was “Is Trevor Noah a racist/anti-Semite/misogynist?” Because of course. For what it’s worth, I think most of Noah’s “questionable” tweets are just sort of hacky, like the kind of old-school jokes you would hear at a Don Rickles show. But some of them are… eh. It’s worth noting that Noah is actually one quarter Jewish (his mother is half-Jewish). Here are some of his questionable tweets:

Behind every successful Rap Billionaire is a double as rich Jewish man. #BeatsByDreidel

Messi gets the ball and the real players try foul him, but Messi doesn’t go down easy, just like jewish chicks. #ElClasico

Merry Christmas everyone. May Black Santa bring you all that you deserve.

“Oh yeah the weekend. People are gonna get drunk & think that I’m sexy!” – fat chicks everywhere.

A hot white woman with ass is like a unicorn. Even if you do see one, you’ll probably never get to ride it.

South Africans know how to recycle like Israel knows how to be peaceful.

“I actually prefer the women’s league to the mens.” – Nobody ever, about any sport. (except maybe, beach volleyball)

Almost bumped a Jewish kid crossing the road. He didn’t look b4 crossing but I still would hav felt so bad in my german car!

[From Trevor Noah’s Twitter]

Is he an anti-Semite? Eh. I think he feels – probably correctly – that he can joke about Jewish people because he’s one-quarter Jewish. Same with any racial jokes – he’s half-white and half-black and he grew up in South Africa, for goodness sake. But I’ll admit that some of the jokes about women bugged me.

So, what has the reaction been? On the internet at large, some people are already hating on him and some people are already defending him. The national director of the Anti-Defamation League basically said that Noah is a comedian making jokes and people should calm down, but that if he does cross the line, they’ll jump down his throat. And Comedy Central released a statement as well:

“Like many comedians, Trevor Noah pushes boundaries; he is provocative and spares no one, himself included. To judge him or his comedy based on a handful of jokes is unfair. Trevor is a talented comedian with a bright future at Comedy Central.”

[Via E! News]

I kind of think Comedy Central should have expected this and perhaps Trevor should have expected it too and gone ahead and cleaned up his Twitter days before he was announced as Stewart’s replacement. Part of the reason why people have jumped all over these tweets is because Trevor Noah was and is such an unknown. If Amy Poehler or Tina Fey or Jason Jones or someone like that had been named Stewart’s successor, no one would be picking apart a few jokes made a year ago because those comedians are already “known.” There was a gossip vacuum and Noah’s social media served as the perfect filler.

wenn22351992

Photos courtesy of Comedy Central, WENN.

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198 Responses to “Is it really ‘unfair’ to judge Trevor Noah on his sketchy Twitter jokes?”

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  1. Allie says:

    He has the same views on women like that of stupid drunk frat boys. Grow up.

    • It is what it is says:

      +1 unicorns? Really?

      • springingforward says:

        First amendment rights and all, but Comedy Central missed the mark with him and the viewership of The Daily Show will sink faster than a lead zeppelin.

      • BunnyBabe says:

        Oh, I like him. I am unicorn, hear me roar. Or whatever sound I make as I gallop away 🌈

      • joan says:

        I think he sounds pretty immature. He may be educated but the fratboy attitude stinks.

        And the worst part is he seems to use the “edgy” stuff just to dress up his jokes and sound deep — cause his jokes are lousy. He’s not funny.

        The Daily Show didn’t even hire female writers until they got so much flack they had to get a few, but there’s always been a Woman Problem at TDS. They hire talented female cast and treat female guests with respect — but it’s mostly just a Sausage Fest. That’s their comfort zone.

        And because they’re educated and progressive, these guys just can’t be told they’re not treating women equally. Those guys are the worst cause they’re so holier than thou and righteous.

        It was embarrassing when they dragged out their entire “support staff” of women on the show to prove they did hire women. For office work.

      • Nicole says:

        Thank you Joan!

    • Mrs. Wellen Melon says:

      +1

      If a comedian is going to be offensive, the joke better be funny. These aren’t.

    • kibbles says:

      This dude will never be able to fill the shoes of Jon Stewart. I read an interesting comment today which differentiate these two men. Jon Stewart is a genuinely nice and warmhearted guy and that really comes through in his comedy. Trevor Noah is not nearly as likeable and seems to have a genuine mean streak, the antithesis of Jon Stewart. Looking at that first photo Noah looks like a cocky frat guy, there is no hiding that part of his personality. I am open to the next host being either man or woman of any race or nationality, but I simply do not find this guy to be funny. I’ve seen his few appearances on The Daily Show and have read his recent posts on Facebook and Twitter. Not nearly as classy or dignified in his humor. Stewart is irreplaceable but I believe that there are a lot of other comics out there who would be better suited for this role than Noah. It’s a shame but Stewart’s departure is the end of an era for Comedy Central and The Daily Show.

      • Elle says:

        This exactly. I’ve watched The Daily Show for years, and honestly? I feel like, by picking Trevor Noah, Comedy Central made it clear they aren’t interested in keeping their female demographic. Even with Stewart, I always felt like the Daily Show leaned a little frat-boy clubhouse. It didn’t bother me because I they were smart (and as, you pointed out, genuinely nice), but there’s something about Noah’s tweets that has me preparing to part ways with TDS when Jon Stewart leaves.

      • Kori says:

        I guess he’s more like Stewart’s predecessor Craig Kilbourn. The 2 Daily Show incarnation are like night and day. Hopefully he can bring some of the pointed satire that makes Stewart (and Colbert) great. Larry Willmore and John Oliver have managed to.

    • Harryg says:

      He really sounds like a jerk.

    • JosieJ says:

      Exactly Allie! I don’t find any of his tweets funny. I find them offensive and I’m really sick of the comedian excuse for everything.

    • Boopybette says:

      How about we judge him on his lack of funny, period?

  2. Nya says:

    “Part of the reason why people have jumped all over these tweets is because Trevor Noah was and is such an unknown. ”

    Or, you know, because his jokes were disgusting. One of them was about punching women in the face. He is disgusting.

    • Belle Epoch says:

      He already lost me. Not smart, not funny, not nice. Can you see Jon Stewart posting that sh*t?

      • kibbles says:

        Exactly. See my post above. I can’t imagine Jon Stewart ever posting something like this, not even when he was in his 30s. Not then, not now, not ever. That’s just not Jon Stewart.

  3. Lindy79 says:

    This is just another example of how everything you put out on the internet can come back to you so be very wary.
    I sound ancient and maybe because I have a background in HR but I do worry about this generation and their obsession to document everything online no matter how ignorant, stupid, immature or offensive it might sound.

    • ava7 says:

      We just had a cyber security presentation at my workplace. One of the things our speaker kept stressing, aside from the need to be meticulous about internet security, is that everything you post online will be there forever and can always be easily found by someone who is looking for something on you. There have actually been a few courtroom battles in the last few years where opponents dug up “anonymous” comments posted under pseudonyms (on sites just like this one!) as evidence of poor character, anger problems, secret racist feelings about a certain race, etc. to use against them!

  4. People who are offended by comedy are the worst kind of people. Life is tough, and if you’re offended by a joke, I have no idea how you’re going to deal with ACTUAL problems.

    • Esmom says:

      I’m not sure I agree, some jokes ARE offensive. And as you said life’s tough enough already so to have someone be hateful in the name of comedy or art just doesn’t sit well with me.

      I found a couple of these examples to be pretty offensive but most of them just not very funny.

    • FLORC says:

      So, as long as it’s considered a joke by some it shouldn’t be offensive? And if you do find it offensive that’s a negative judgement on you?

      And I thought the worst kind of people were those who assault and murder. Call the justice department! We have laws to change!

    • Josie says:

      What you are saying is not any different than men telling women not to complain about catcalling.

      • Brittney B says:

        Exactly.

        “Your reaction is invalid, and if you feel attacked or judged, that’s your fault. It’s definitely not the fault of the person who’s making light of your value as a human being.”

      • KatyD says:

        I’ll never watch this guy. Huge fail from Comedy Central. John Stewart is the best and to replace him with a nasty frat boy who is racist/misogynistic, THAT is a total insult to everything Stewart achieved. Stewart is all about making fun of the absurdity in politics and NOT about contributing to the toxic atmosphere of our world. Horrible choice.

    • Lindy79 says:

      I find plenty of stuff that some would consider offensive to be funny thanks, but I refuse to be patronized because I don’t automatically find it funny BECAUSE it’s offensive.

      There’s a difference.

    • Linn says:

      I certainly prefer those people over the type who says samething insulting and then goes all “Don’t be so stuck up, it’s just a joke”

      Those JOKES often are symptomes of those actual problems and the people who make them are quite ofen hiding their real opinons under the facade of being funny.

      Pushing boundaries is a part of being a comedien, but it needs to be done in a way that’s clever, funny or creative and difficult topics deserve to be handled with care.
      Trevor Noah just seems to talk about the same old (insulting) sterotypes.
      Where is the surprise, the unexpected turn of events?

    • GoodNamesAllTaken says:

      I agree you need to have a sense of humor to get through life, but that doesn’t mean everything is funny and nothing said as a joke can be offensive. That’s ridiculous. People who use “it was just a joke” as an excuse for their racism or misogyny or whatever are not fooling anyone.

    • Brittney B says:

      Really?

      I think people who help to perpetuate and normalize hatred of women are much better candidates for the “worst kind of people”.

      Not to mention… telling a woman to calm down and stop getting offended is another direct form of misogyny. It’s a micro-aggression that ALL women have experienced, and it tells us that our reactions aren’t justified, that our emotions are irrational, that we aren’t allowed to stand up for our value as human beings. “Calm down, ladies, the guys are just teasing you.” No, actually, they’re laughing at our expense. And if we DON’T do anything about it, they’ll take our silence as permission to continue.

      • MrsBPitt says:

        Brittney B…..1,000% agree!!!!!

      • Amy Tennant says:

        yep

      • KatyD says:

        Brittany B. +1 million

        People like this knowingly use humor to say the racist/misogynistic things they really believe and want to put out there. Then, they use the “it’s only a joke, you stick in the mud” defense to attack the victims of the joke who dare voice their displeasure. It’s double the fun for the attacker.

        In one study I read, a researcher pinpointed people who enjoy these kind of activities (I.e. baiting and trolling others) as having 40% more risk for having certain underlying negative personality traits, and these were narcissism, varying degrees of sadism, and/or anti-social tendencies. After reading that, I wonder what really is fueling these “jokes.”

    • V4Real says:

      I just find it funny that on Monday posters on C/B were congratulating him , wishing him the best and saying how funny he was. Today on C/B posters are ripping him apart. Things sure change quickly around here.

      • Amy Tennant says:

        New information changes things. I don’t hold it against CB posters who said a year ago “Bill Cosby is a national treasure. We need more like him.” I defended June Shannon BEFORE it came out that she was involved with a child molester, but I don’t anymore. I’m not really personally invested in this particular story (don’t watch Daily Show, never heard of this guy before this week), but I don’t think it’s wrong for people to change their opinions. Foolish consistency, etc.

    • dulcinea says:

      I agree with you completely. I’m so sick of people being scandalized by things like this but doing nothing about serious issues. And news flash the way he tweeted is how the rest of the world speaks to each other. America needs to grow up and start looking past their self righteous nose.

      • original kay says:

        as was pointed out to me recently, people can do both.
        They can come here for gossip purposes, to talk about real life issues, and about world events.
        It is possible to care about this and other things.

        I am active (what I can do, where I am, with what I have) in other issues that are more “global”.

        I am also here to say that these tweets are offensive, even though they are from years ago.

      • AcidRock says:

        *Non-Americans* need to stop generalizing 300+ million people and painting them with one broad brush stroke. Sounds like the self-righteousness is squarely on your end, dulcinea. And sounds like you’ve got some growing up and self-educating to do.

    • klein says:

      Absolutely. But people love to get offended these days.

    • jenn12 says:

      At one point, blackface was considered comedy gold. Putting down women, Jews, and anyone else you can find is not comedy. I don’t care if he has a little Jewish blood, he is an anti-Semite who doesn’t even hide it, and he’s a complete misogynist. Yeah, the joke about feeling bad that it was a German car that hit the Jewish kid was a riot.

  5. Kaley says:

    Aw hell no. They are not replacing Stewart with this misogynistic prick. Also, these comments aren’t from that long ago…

    • hmmm says:

      And he lacks wit which Stewart possesses in abundance. He’s just another puerile guy dumbing down a stellar show for grown-ups.

      If these tweets are the essence of his humour, he’s not funny either. Pushing creative boundaries is one thing; this is simply pushing the boundaries of offensiveness and tolerance. Sounds like another Andrew Dice Clay.

      • WR says:

        Jessica Williams was the best replacement choice in my opinion. Her wit and delivery is so much like Jon’s. Maybe they didn’t want to go with a woman host.

      • claire says:

        She emphatically stated she did not want the job. That’s why it wasn’t offered to her, not because of her gender.

      • jaye says:

        I wish people would stop saying he’s not smart. Those jokes are dumb and cringeworthy, but he is actually very smart and insightful and well versed in politics. He speaks 7 languages for corns sake. Those jokes, made YEARS ago are not indicative of his comedy as it stands today.

    • janetdr says:

      Why on earth not John Fugelsang? Tired of handsome, intelligent and funny?

      • OtherBronteGirl says:

        John Fugelsang would have been perfect! Now I’m even more annoyed by this poor choice.

      • Boopybette says:

        I thought that myself. John Fugelsang is so smart and funny…he could have rivaled John stewart in my opinion. The main thing is…as an American anyone with any sense knows how important a politically aware AMERICAN comedian is in these times, in that chair – and for no one to mention A THE OBVIOUS…that he’s not American and could care less about American politics is some bullshite. ….it’s almost like they installed a black guy to get the liberal contingent to not mention the fact he’s not funny and won’t be doing our American political satire as John and colbert did. Jon Stewart was dangerous. This guy is an unfunny easter bunny. I’m black and I think he sucks. I watched a clip of his stand up and it was barely passable….what really stuck in my craw is that he said he didn’t even think he was black in south Africa (he’s mixed and they’re considered ‘colored’) so he came to the us to ‘be black.’ Was practicing how to be black on the plane. So not funny. Then the big punchline was him getting off the plane and someone thinking he was Mexican. Yawn. First of all. Dude nothing about you looks Mexican. …..but he didn’t even know enough about our country to know when you land in NYC you’re more likely to be thought of as Puerto Rican or Dominican since he’s of African descent and those countries have more african descendants than mexico…and the majority of them are on the EAST coast…while Mexicans are mostly on the west and border states. But most of all is damn stupid because ain’t nothing about him look MEXICAN. Arrrgh. He’s just effing NOT funny.

  6. LadyMTL says:

    I think this is a tough one, because on the one hand many of his “jokes” about women aren’t funny at all (at least not to me) but at the same time he is a comedian and they do tend to push the boundaries / deliberately go for the offensive punchlines. I mean, listen to any comedian out there and chances are you’ll hear something that you don’t like.

    I’ll give him a chance but he hasn’t exactly started off on the right foot, IMHO.

  7. Cannibell says:

    In a world where little girls in Nigeria are being kidnapped to be child brides and young black men in the US are becoming an endangered species, this not-too-skinny Jewish lady is having a bit of difficulty summoning up any real outrage about a comedian trying — and possibly failing – to be funny.

    • The fact that y’all were so quickly and disproportionately offended by my comment just proves my point. Especially the comments comparing me to misogynists and criminals. But that’s ok, I’m an adult and your opinions don’t bother me. It’s just an opinion, you know? Like one of the other comments said; there is civil war in Syria, pilots are crashing into mountains with planes full of children. These are real problems; Comedy not so much.

      • bettyrose says:

        Boxingczar, I sense that you’re trolling for reactions and very pleased with yourself. But remember that the Daily Show has been a treasured institution since the 90s. We’re going to carefully parse the humor of any new host.

      • Hannah says:

        But it’s the American way to focus on first world problems while ignoring the fact that their government causes insane amounts of suffering and deaths overseas…

      • claire says:

        @Hannah: I think lots of Americans would be pretty happy if some parts of the rest of the world would get their act together and stop asking us for assistance. We could actually, you know, put some of that $$ into our own country.

      • bettyrose says:

        Actually the Daily Show has been critical in bringing global issues to the American forefront. As well as questioning the coverage of Koch brothers supported media on these same issues.

      • AcidRock says:

        Agree 1,000% Claire. So easy for people to thumb their noses then cry foul if they feel Americans don’t respond quickly enough to lend a hand or, you know, money. So sick of this double standard BS. Hannah can have a million seats with that ignorance.

    • Santia says:

      I can’t summon any outrage, either. He’s a comedian and compared to some of George Carlin’s jokes or Chris Rock’s jokes or even Kathy Griffin’s jokes, these are really tame. They aren’t “hateful” by a long shot. When you think about Tracy Jordan (for example) saying that he’d kill his son if he was gay and compare it to him saying he’d feel bad if he bumped a Jewish kid with his German car or saying a white woman with an ass is rare, there’s no comparison.

      • FingerBinger says:

        Tracy Morgan?

      • Santia says:

        FingerBinger – Am I confusing him with his character on 30Rock?? Oh, jeez, let me get some coffee! Thanks.

      • original kay says:

        If we always compare to others, there can be no change.

        Saying these jokes are ok because someone else’s are worse only means that excuses are being made, a pass is made, for someone’s deplorable behaviour.

        If someone told you to jump off a bridge because everyone else was, would you?

        Same concept here. Others doing it does not make it ok.

      • Micki says:

        I might have not got Carlin’s jokes about women correctly but I genuinely thought they are more support for women that I’d normally expect.
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qtlvr6LLV8
        or
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7Akwy4pxF0

      • Anloo says:

        Hello – First time commenter here
        The things is though, I was bingewatching Daily Show yesterday, before the News of Noahs tweets, and just reflecting on why the show is so absolutely genious. And you know what? One of the reasons is that it is entirely the opposite of what those tweets are. The show is free from misogony, and it points out absurdities (and even atrocities) in intelligent manner instead of perpetuating them. Don’t talk about women’s asses or Jewish peoples finances on the daily show, that show points out gender inequality or the absurdities in Gaza. Please…

      • WR says:

        Anloo,
        That’s my issue as well. I’m not offended by the jokes but they go so against what The Daily Show is about. The show needs an open-minded and progressive host. These jokes concern me because they don’t seem like the kinds of things a progressive person would say.

      • delorb says:

        @Anloo & WR,

        That’s because the Daily Show has writers. Nothing he’ll say on the show will be unscripted. Not even his interviews. Not for awhile at least.

    • TX says:

      +1. I would also add that some jokes are offensive and that’s ok. What a boring world it would be is everything was PC.

      • original kay says:

        No.

        What an equal world it would be.

      • claire says:

        So true.
        I wonder if any of the people vilifying him today were also the ones who were so upset about Joan Rivers dying and who were applauding her offensive comedy. I feel like people pick and choose whose raunchy, edgy or stereotyping comedy to be offended by.

        I saw his comedy special at the Apollo and it was pretty funny. As for how he’ll do on the show, Jon Stewart had comedy writers and Trevor will too. (People realize JS had writers, right?!)

      • Santia says:

        Claire – right? Joan wished death on a whole group of people who did nothing more than exist (not as a joke, but a straight comment), but she was an icon and was utilizing hyperbole and what all else people were saying to justify it. This guy cracks a fat woman joke and the sky is falling.

    • mark says:

      ‘young black men in the US are becoming an endangered species’

      Hyperbole much?

    • QQ says:

      i kinda Agree with you Cannibell.. I mean is a bunch of poor taste Jokes that didn’t land and pretty tame compared to what Tosh or their comedy roasts even show soooo Ehng! *shrugs* I’ll save my outrage for a better thing

    • Isabelle says:

      Thumbs up!
      .

  8. Esmom says:

    I didn’t follow this yesterday so I’m catching up. I’m not seeing anywhere near the intelligence and humor of Jon Stewart in this guy so far.

    • Zapp Brannigan says:

      Yeah I agree, comedians push boundaries all the time as they should but his jokes in these tweets are just lazy, tired old tropes, no intelligence in this at all.

    • FLORC says:

      Esmom
      Isn’t that what writers are for?
      I don’t want to say how I know, but at a branch that runs statistics for the Daily Show there’s heavy talk he was hired for his appearance and the rest will come with advertising and scripts.
      He’s got diversity going for him and that’s about it.

      • Esmom says:

        That’s depressing. No doubt TDS has amazing writers but I feel like if the person delivering them doesn’t have the same level of razor sharp wit then the delivery will never be natural, especially in the moments when he needs to ad lib.

      • Santia says:

        I’ve watched Trevor Noah’s stand-up and he has excellent timing and a quick wit. With the right writers, he’ll be fine.

      • FLORC says:

        Santia
        I watched the standup on netflix after this news he would be TDS’s next host. Not the negative news so I went in with no bias.
        He was funny enough, but nothing that makes him stand out. There are many comedians that have routines that you recall with friends or repeat. His didn’t.

      • littlestar says:

        Well that makes me really sad. And it makes me even more annoyed that they didn’t make Jessica Williams or Sam Bee the host. I only remember seeing this guy once on the Daily Show, and he was so forgettable to me that my husband had to jog my memory as to who he was.

      • Jay says:

        Littlestar, did you miss all the commotion and backlash against Jessica Williams when she said she didn’t feel right for the job? She was my first pick too but if she doesn’t feel it’s for her, then that’s her choice. But people were jumping down her throat for saying so because they felt she NEEDED to take and she was letting women down for not doing so.

      • littlestar says:

        Jay – I did. I’m disappointed she turned the job down because I think she’s really quirky and smart and would be perfect to host the show, but it’s her choice. Crazy that people were jumping on her for that! I’m wondering if she was just being polite in saying that, and wasn’t offered the job in the first place, but knew if she said that, the backlash would have been worse? I’m just speculating of course.

    • megs283 says:

      Yeah. This guy seems like a better fit for Tosh.0 or similar.

      • littlestar says:

        I seriously despise Tosh.0. Am I the only one who has irrational hatred for him and his show?

      • Esmom says:

        I can’t say I hate him, I have a few friends who love him, but his brand of humor is definitely not to my taste.

  9. Josie says:

    The worst joke is about domestic violence and I see most media that reports on this ignores that.
    He is exclusively targeting women. So dont’ tell me he isn’t sexist/migosynist and he doesn’t deserve a pass because he’s black.
    ————————————————————————————————————————–
    Trevor Noah ✔ @Trevornoa
    Originally when men proposed they went down on one knee so if the woman said no they were in the perfect uppercut position.
    2:30 PM – 20 Dec 2012

    • D says:

      wow…that’s really awful

    • FLORC says:

      I can’t imagine how any context of that seems ok or funny.

    • Esmom says:

      Disgusting. The more I hear/read, the more I really dislike this guy.

    • Brittney B says:

      Damn it Trevor. It’s getting harder and harder for me to like him… and I was so optimistic yesterday.

    • Kitten says:

      Yup. I would have defended him if not for this one.

      I’m almost never offended by comedians, but I just can’t with the domestic violence “jokes”.
      That kind of a joke is so telling to me, the fact that his mind would go there, and the fact that he would think that’s funny on ANY level. Just really gross.

      • FingerBinger says:

        I can’t defend that comment either. Especially knowing the history of violence against women and girls in South Africa. As a south African he should know better.

      • littlestar says:

        I really hate rape/women abuse jokes. That’s why I especially hate Daniel Tosh because it seems like the majority of his “comedy” is like that. Disappointed that this new fellow seems to follow those types of jokes.

    • kibbles says:

      Horrible and it saddens me to see so many minorities and women coming to his defense. Just because he is a quarter Jewish and half black doesn’t mean he gets a free pass. He is in his right to be an offensive misogynistic asshole, but we also have the right to hold him accountable and not tune into his show. All I know is that he should not be Jon Stewart’s successor. What a downgrade and a disappointment.

  10. Elisabeth says:

    They are just jokes people. If you don’t like it, don’t watch. He’s not running for president or making laws, he’s on a comedy show.

    • Josie says:

      No, he’s just reflecting the misogyny that is far too common in our supposed modern and progressive society that sees trashing women and making jokes about beating them as hilarious.

      • Brittney B says:

        Amen.

        “Just jokes” have normalized rape for young men, demeaned women in their own homes, allowed misogyny to go unchecked, and taught girls that they’re sex objects at best and punchlines (or punching targets) at worst.

        I highly doubt Elisabeth would say “they are just jokes people” if someone said something hateful to her face. He’s not running for president or making laws, so he shouldn’t be held accountable for his misogyny? I didn’t realize that politicians were the only people who affected men’s perceptions of women.

      • littlestar says:

        I angers me to no end that rape jokes are considered okay in our society. How I try to explain it to people: no one would find me making jokes about murdering babies or cutting off a man’s balls funny, so why are rape jokes considered acceptable?

  11. amanda says:

    I agree with the last statement in Kaisers write-up, however, I think it would have been detrimental for him to clean up his twitter days before he was announced as The Daily Show successor. That would imply, to us, that he was trying to hide something, and people would go nuts! with him deleting tweets that might be considered offensive or unfunny before such a big announcement.

    I think he was smart to leave it alone and I think this will blow over (but probably only if he does well on the show…)

    I hope people give him a chance.

  12. Josie says:

    Misogyny is the most accepted and condoned bigotry and the worst part is how many women participate in it hoping men will let them in their Cool-Dudebro club and accept them as equals as long as they don’t threaten their “masculinity” with demands for respect.

    • Brittney B says:

      That’s one of the things that irks me about Tina Fey, actually.

      She’s championed as a feminist hero, and in many ways she is. But in addition to the subtle racism throughout her comedy and books (ever heard of intersectionality, Tina?), she self-effaces and joins in with “the boys” to elevate herself. It’s like the “Lean In” mentality, and it’s a harmful way to operate as a role model.

      But women don’t bear most of the burden for perpetuating or stopping misogyny. I definitely wouldn’t call their participation “the worst part”… especially when it’s symptomatic of a culture that men created and a mentality that developed in reaction to being mistreated.

      • Elisabeth says:

        for the record I have had ‘hateful’ things said to my face. But I’m not defined by it. This man getting a job on a comedy show is not going to change the world. He is bringing brought to task for some stuff he said 6 years ago. Everyone has said awful hurtful things. We just don’t get called out on a public stage for it.

      • Josie says:

        I hate it that it always leads to the acception from men and that “your type of feminism” is given an OK by men.
        Otherwise you are the militant feminist and Tina Fey is totally catering to the men.

  13. FLORC says:

    He’s got a sick sense of humor. And he’s allowed to have that. We’re also allowed to refuse to support his role at the Daily Show desk if this is what he brings.

    There’s a line being crossed. Youjoke about things you think are funny. Things you think deserve laughs and others will share your humor. You don’t joke about assult or abuse. There’s truth in humor.

    • MrsBPitt says:

      He thinks punching women is funny….he thinks calling women fat is funny?? I won’t be watching the new Daily Show…and as for Comedy Central…you know what might have been great? A WOMAN taking over for Jon Stewart! I’ll bet a woman wasn’t even in the running!

    • Wren33 says:

      Yeah, if it were on or two jokes that fell flat…but there were a whole lot of jokes and a strong strain of misogyny.

  14. Amanda says:

    He’s not an “unknown” — he’s a pretty well known comedian with stand up specials on Netflix. Compared to the other popular comedians (Bill Burr, Louis, Amy Schuler etc…) he’s honestly the least offensive and most bland (read: most ready for TV).

  15. Rhiley says:

    He kind of seemed to brush the criticism off as “don’t judge me for jokes that fell flat.” Yeah, some of these “jokes” just fall flat, but some of his observations about women are just down right creepy and out of touch. So maybe Trevor Noah is more Bill Maher and less Jon Stewart.

  16. Brittney B says:

    The misogyny is really, really disappointing. I agree that he has some room to joke about people who are Jewish, black or white… but minimizing women because they’re fat or because their sports leagues aren’t as popular? Not okay. And they’re cliche cheap shots, anyway.

    Trevor was raised by an incredibly strong woman, too. His mom was SHOT IN THE HEAD and back on her feet a few weeks later, not to mention spending most of her life pretending to be “the help” because her interracial marriage and child were actually against the law. He should know better than to insult and demean women who are already considered “less than” by society. I get that they’re “jokes”, but jokes like these are just very thinly veiled attempts to remind women that men will always be superior. Men won’t get with them unless they’re hot or the men are drunk; male athletes will always have higher profiles and bigger careers, no matter how talented they are; etc.

    Ugh. As if we need MORE of this in the world. I can just hear the MRAs defending him now…

    • Shambles says:

      All of your comments on this thread have been amazing, Brittney B. Brava. This type of insidious attitude hits a little too close to home for me. I have an older brother and I’m from the south, and I grew up around a baseball team pretty much from age 3 until I was 18 (I only note that I’m from the south because baseball is a huge deal down here, so sons who play baseball are often put up on a pedestal, and they have a very Frat-like mentality). The behavior I saw and the treatment I received as I went from “annoying little sister” to “sexual object” was enough to do some very real damage to my self esteem and the way I was able to relate to people sexually. I’ve just now started to regain my balance now that I’ve had a few years to really find myself away from that toxic environment. And what’s worse, is that my father’s usual response was “boys will be boys”– making excuses for misogyny, just as some people are doing for Noah. Im not utterly outraged at him, but the inherent mysogny evident within his ramblings is a real issue that deserves a real conversation.

  17. Jay says:

    How can one be a quarter Jewish? Jewish is a religion, not a race, no?

    Anyway, I think there’s a difference between an edgy joke and blatant douchebaggery. The bit about no one preferring women’s sports to men’s except for beach volleyball… in what way was that a joke? He just seems very unfunny, though maybe it’s unfair to judge him by a handful of tweets. I miss Jon Stewart already!

    • D says:

      Jews are an ethnoreligious group (which is to say, “Jewish” can refer to ethnicity and/or religion).

    • jwoolman says:

      Jewish can also be considered an ethnic group (actually plural, ethnic groups). People who don’t practice the religion still call themselves Jewish. And when someone says they are part Jewish, they just mean a good chunk of their relatives are Jewish. Usually if they are religiously Jewish, they’ll just identify as Jewish regardless of the family tree, but things can be complicated in ethnically and religiously mixed families. In his case, his mother called herself half Jewish because one of her parents was Jewish. That doesn’t tell you anything about which religion anybody is practicing. A friend’s mother was Catholic and her father was half Jewish, half Catholic – he was a practicing Catholic at least since his marriage but had also been raised with Judaism and even knew Hebrew. My friend tried to convince the school that she should get both Catholic and Jewish holy days off (this in a town where it seemed as if half the population was Catholic, the other half was Jewish with a sprinkling of Protestants). Didn’t work, they said she had to choose! She actually was Catholic by religion, but had a lot of Jewish cousins and her name would be assumed to be Jewish in the US. So she hung out in Jewish youth centers as often as in other types when she was a kid.

    • Jaygee says:

      Having one Jewish grandparent doesn’t exempt you from being an anti Semite. Some of the world’s most virulent anti Semites have had Jewish ancestry (which presumably they did not know about).

      TN’s comments are utterly inappropriate, not funny, and a sign that he’s not fit to run the show.

      • Franca says:

        I haven’t seen his tweets ( I can’t see them here, it won’t load on my mobile), I only saw one tweet where he made fun of Israel’s policies, which is not anti-semitic. It seems to me that any negative comments about Israel are declared anti-semitic these days.

      • hmmm says:

        Too true, @Jaygee. I’m Jewish. He has a drop of Jewish blood so does that mean his Jewish identity is strong when he jokes? Does he identify so strongly, is involved in Jewish community, so that his voice carries weight? So far, who knows (and I’m being kind)?

        @Franca,
        You are introducing politics and I call foul, especially because it’s a good smokescreen for other agenda. Taken at face value, your comment is, well, political and therefore, suspect, given the context of this post.

  18. BETTE says:

    The so-called jokes aren’t even funny. The only reason he’s getting a pass is because he’s “progressive”.

    Do we really have to sit through show after show of an international comedian making not funny jokes about American culture?

  19. annaloo. says:

    This isn’t appropriate. I just feel had this guy been some one else, there would be more umbrage. His jokes, especially about upper cutting women, is not what I would expect from TDS.

    Look, we all say stupid things… No one is immune to that, but ppl have lost their careers and reputations for saying less caustic things. Are we giving this guy a pass BC we like Jon Stewart?

    • Esmom says:

      I think that’s what Comedy Central must be hoping. The thing is Jon Stewart would never joke about the stuff he’s “joking” about. What an odd choice for a successor.

  20. jwoolman says:

    I don’t know his work, but he looks young. Has his comedy improved? Comedians who have any talent tend to get a lot better over time. They try things out, see what works and what doesn’t. Not unusual for them to fall flat a lot in their earlier years. Also not unusual for them to go for the easy laughs among their first audiences, who often are young (college tour jokes at any age tend to be horrible). So I would suggest peering more closely at his very recent work and getting all judgy about that instead. And of course, seeing how he does on the show. He has a tough act to follow and will have a much broader audience.

    • FLORC says:

      These jokes are fairly recent. Not all, but that just goes to suggest his consistency in humor.

      Here’s the thing about him. He finds these things funny. On TDS sometimes you have to make things up as you go from a technology malfunction. Would this be part of his goto jokes?
      Likely, I bet he’s getting told to not say these things anymore. That he will be playing a role on TDS and not himself. You’d better believe he’ll revert back to this behavior if it truly is something he’s comfortable with and sees no issue with. That will be his undoing.

      Until then the show will start with him at the helm and rebranding will make us all forget about this until he reminds us.

      But key word here. Rebranding. It works miracles for image control.

    • OhDear says:

      I’m not familiar with his work, but he’s not that young – he’s 31. I think some of the tweets were relatively recent, too.

    • jwoolman says:

      If the tweets were recent, we’ll have to see if he learns from reactions such as expressed here. He did mention that the jokes fell flat, which is an encouraging sign. That is, he knew they didn’t work. He may not have had enough serious feedback before but may be educable. He also will be working with an experienced crew of writers, that should give him a broader view of things.

    • Faith says:

      I want to give him benefit of the doubt and hope maybe hes changed, he did the rounds of UK tv last year or the year before and he was pretty funny and political you could see him doing a show like this. He didn’t come across like a frat boy. I wonder how many people commenting have seen his work? I like to think comedy can be made out of any situation its all about delivery and who were laughing at, I even heard funny rape jokes but again its not laughing at rape but more about rape culture. However these tweets aren’t funny and aren’t clever but I think we still have to give people the chance to change and grow. If they keep being a dick thats a different story.

  21. Mia4S says:

    Wow…his jokes suck. I find getting offended by standup comediens a waste of time (others are welcome to do so) but I resent the time I wasted reading this drivel. Also his few segments on the Daily Show were mediocre at best. Oh well, once Stewart leaves Colbert will have the Late Show. Plus John Oliver has his news show. Noah just doesn’t impress or appeal.

  22. Sasha Cole says:

    Seriously, can we just stop with the fake outrage over these tweets? they are bad, bad jokes, I agree, but how many of those that are sooooo horribly offended have actually bothered to take a look at his real comedy? You know, where he talks in favor of gay rights and all women being equally beautiful regardless of race, etc. Or where he encourages people who are brought down by slurs to own the slurs so that they are not offensive anymore… or when he celebrates the racial and linguistic diversity of his country… Youtube is full of his stand-up, and most of it is brilliant. So lighten up! Hope Trevor gets a fair run as Daily Show host.

    • Kitten says:

      Fair enough. I’ll check him out because to be honest, I’ve never seen any of his comedy.

      TBH, he’s not the first comedian to make a fat joke about women, or to say something offensive–it’s sort of what comedians do.
      But it was the joke about domestic violence that really pushed it way too far for me, beyond the fact that that sh*t just isn’t funny. Ever.

      • Sasha Cole says:

        Thank you! I frankly have not seen the joke about domestic abuse, and if he did make one you’re right, it’s way over the top. I’m just saddened by the fact that now it’s all we get to see of his work, even though it’s really so much more!
        Hope you enjoy his real comedy 🙂

      • FLORC says:

        It’s all his real comedy. Just some was not approved for his special that got filmed. They don’t say what they like in those filmed routines. They submit and audition each joke. It could be argued his comedy routines are his censored comedy and his tweets are the real comedy.

        And I saw his special before this info came out. He was nothing special. Nothing that stood out for staying power.

      • Sasha Cole says:

        I’m not talking about the 6 minute bits for TV shows, I’m talking about the live 90 minute shows he does, like African American or It’s My Culture, or Crazy Normal. Those aren’t auditioned nor censored, those are his own jokes performed in front of sold out theatres and taped for the DVD’s.

      • FLORC says:

        Sasha
        A comedian has to inform the venue of what their show will consist of. A quick overview will do for some depending on venue and comic. If they have a history of saying things that might shock or playing to a certain demographic things are altered. I very much doubt it’s anything goes without anyone else besides the comic knowing what they will say.

      • Sasha Cole says:

        Comedians try their material on smaller venues and comedy clubs before moving on to the theaters, so they know which bits work and which don’t before risking public humiliation. I’ve never heard of a comedian being vetted before performing…what would be the point of that? Humor would end up being reduced to the views of those in charge of venues. What is true is that venues can decide to not allow a comedian to perform if they feel he might be offensive considering previous shows.

  23. Tiffany says:

    I watched a few minutes of his special on Netflix and all it took was a few minutes to realize that he was awful and did not think well of America but has no problem taking a income from here. I do not wish him success at all.

  24. The Other Maria says:

    This is the first time I’ve heard of this and to think i was excited for him.

    Nope.

    I won’t be watching–advocating domestic abuse and invalidating a woman’s sense of worth based on her weight shows a lack of ingenuity and creativity that Stewart is famous for.

  25. TX says:

    I think in this case the media/social media is just acting as an echo chamber for overblown outrage. Comedians are, for the most part, not politically correct. And that’s ok with me. Someone has to be there, pushing the envelope, making us uncomfortable. Comedy is not the place to be safe

    It drives me crazy how every other day people are boycotting this or that because of what someone said. It’s just people trying to feel better about themselves by being outraged at something minimally important.

    • Kitten says:

      “Comedians are, for the most part, not politically correct. And that’s ok with me. Someone has to be there, pushing the envelope, making us uncomfortable. Comedy is not the place to be safe.”

      I completely 100% agree with you on this and I feel you on the rest of your comment.

      That being said, at what point do we acknowledge that comedians making misogynistic joke after misogynistic joke is part of why misogyny is so well-integrated into the fibers of our society?

      That’s why it becomes a more complex problem for me.

      As a society if we tolerate or encourage misogyny, we end up with frats like Kappa Delta Rho posting pics of passed out women in sexual positions thinking that it’s just “raunchy, funny, satire” (their words, BTW). Not to say that Noah is responsible for their behavior, but one could argue that he’s contributing to that kind of mentality-the one that says women’s bodies are a joke, that our bodies don’t belong to us, and that violence against women is actually comical.

      That’s not even to touch on the fact that this kind of humor is so very uninspired, so cheap, and so unsophisticated. So many comedians manage to be funny without perpetuating misogyny, racism, or bigotry.
      It’s not impossible, you know?

    • FingerBinger says:

      @TX Yes to everything. Outrage in social media is becoming very tiring. Some how twitter became the conscience of america.

      • Josie says:

        I’m so sorry that you can’t make and enjoy “jokes” about domestic violence, fat women, dumb women… without being called out.

  26. Sam says:

    My first thought when I saw the tweets was that they were pretty old – some of them are 3-5 years old. I could totally see how Noah perhaps made those jokes a long time ago and now maybe has changed his views. But if that’s the case, then why not say so? Just be out with it and say, “At the time I made those jokes, I thought they were funny. But today, I have evolved as a comedian and I don’t think those jokes are funny anymore, and I don’t joke that way now.” Instead it seems like he and the network are doubling down and trying to cast him as “edgy.” Which is dumb.

    The jokes are lousy because they’re stupid jokes that just play off of stereotypes and worn out tropes. That’s the biggest problem. It’s bro humor. I am a little tired of comedy people getting a pass on whatever they want to joke about in the name of “comedy” or “edginess.” They shouldn’t get a pass. I hope Noah clarified his views a little more.

    And I think Comedy Central is stupid beyond stupid for not doing a far more thorough check on this guy first.

  27. MrsBPitt says:

    It seems to me, that women are the only group left in society, that people can get away with saying anything about! Sorry….won’t be watching this man…

    • Josie says:

      Women are the punchbag of society.

    • Franca says:

      And fat people. Adn if you’re a fat woman, it’s open season.

      I don’t think women are the only ones. There are still athnic groups people can say whatever they want about and no one will bat an eyelid.

    • PennyLane says:

      Bingo.

      I’m in my mid-forties, and I am really tired of being told ‘what, get over it’ and ‘you know we didn’t mean you’ and that ‘it was just a joke, c’mon, it’s no big deal’. Decade after decade I’ve been taking one for the team and ‘not getting offended’. No progress, no change.

      The most not funny thing of all that has been said to me: ‘You know if you just get a bit more experience you can get the next promotion’ when a male who is five years younger than me with the same credentials but less experience got the job.

      • Ruth Dunbar says:

        My life right now — my new boss is a guy a decade younger than me with half my experience. Not an ounce of leadership training.

      • Fancyamazon says:

        I agree. some things are too offensive to be funny, some things depend upon delivery and tone, and some things are pushing boundaries and are funny because they hit a nerve in the right way, make us go, “ouch, that’s funny because I’m guilty of that and now I see how ridiculous/somewhat/awful I was being unintentionally”. This Noah guy comes across as an offensive jerk, and not funny at all. And I too am tired of being told that if I find a joke offensive it is because I just don’t get it. I get it. I’m not stupid, it just isn’t funny.

  28. Cheryl says:

    These are old jokes he floated out there years ago, in his 20’s. These aren’t a representative sample of his current schtick? Do I have this right? Are there disturbing current behaviours that indicate he has some issues?

    • FLORC says:

      Some are old and some aren’t. When he defended himself on these he lightly said something that amounts to so what. Not he was young. Not he doesn’t feel that way anymore. Not he sees why that looked bad. He didn’t care. Like his hosting gig is all said and done.

    • Josie says:

      At what age does a man become accountable for acting like an asshole?
      He wasn’t 20 when he wrote that but in his late 20s.

    • Cheryl says:

      So, a mix of both past and current attitudes.

  29. Hannah says:

    I don’t like the women jokes and the German car one was kind of in poor taste but let’s be honest, the Israel one made a good point. It’s good to see anyone not feed into the media’s insane pro-Israel bias. I mean it’s the worst human rights violator in the world for gods sake…

  30. belle de jour says:

    There’s an evolution – and a big difference – between hack Catskills/Vaudeville badabooms & typical stand-up one-liners (these tweets cited seem like a generational version of that), situational comedy (the more nuanced, genuinely funny and creative kind of humor, imo) and a mixture of both (thank you, Daily Show writers and the show structure itself).

    Jon Stewart has the chops in all three areas, and I think his maturity – as both a comedian and a human being – shines through. I also think that over the years, he’s earned his cheapies (that even he acknowledges as rim shots when he does them – Jersey jokes being a prime example). He’s fast on his feet, and the complexity of thought and life experience behind his humor inform everything.

    There’s a genuine intellect and gravitas – not to mention seriousness of skills and purpose – behind Stewart’s entire delivery and persona that will NOT be as easy to slip into as plunking an attractive international ass in his chair.

    Most comedians may start out – and even continue – lobbing spitballs from the back of the class; some manage to reach a level far above that, even in spite of themselves. I don’t envy what this new guy faces in terms of initially feeling up to the challenge of a legacy, but I’m crossing my fingers he’s progressed from those past pot shots and can evolve into something that sparks his better material and performance and the empathy that I think underlies the best sorts of complex humor.

    • PennyLane says:

      That’s it! Yes – empathy, that’s what he’s missing. Empathy.

      Think about Robin Williams and how many people loved him even though he was a ‘white male’. RW had a big heart and showed his vulnerability as well as being manic and hilarious and people connected with that.

      There’s the kind of joking that makes fun of people’s foibles and outright stupidity while at the same time appreciating that we’re all in this together, and then there’s the kind of humor that’s like, “Hahaha you’re fat”.

      That kind of humor is divisive and demeaning rather than engaging and amusing…it’s intended for a small, insular, juvenile crowd – not a nationwide audience.

  31. Kara says:

    go away Trevor. And take Lena Dunham with you, too.

  32. Delta Juliet says:

    Is he racist? Is he sexist? I don’t know. But I do know he sounds like an asshole, and you don’t get a pass for that no matter what race/gender you are.

  33. Pandora says:

    I’ve seen this guy live twice. And I can tell you that part of what makes him so special, and why South African’s love him so much, is that he makes us laugh at ourselves and each other. At a time when racial and political tension is at the highest it has been in many years, he has entire audiences of every colour and persuasion laughing hysterically at his jokes. His incredibly astute observations are always targeted at a particular group or person, but there is a tenderness and fondness in the way he lands the joke. Its really important that comedy is not censored. That it remains a place for expression and discussion and exploration. I really hope that people give Trevor the chance to charm them.

    • belle de jour says:

      I appreciate everything about your comment, and have my fingers crossed.

    • misstee says:

      Is pointing out that white women have less of an arse than black women most of the time astute? its just really lazy frat comedy. And if any comic had come out with that upper cut comment that would have had their balls heckled off by me.

      N.O.T.O.K

  34. Adrien says:

    Big shoes to fill. His jokes are not that offensive really but he sure is corny as hell. Cringed at every joke tweet. Almost felt bad for him.

  35. Mzizkrizten says:

    He’s a misogynist and a dick. I hope he gets some backlash. What Rancic said was tame compared to this fool. When are racist and sexist jokes going to go out of style already.

  36. tila says:

    Social Justice Warriors on cb Strike Again.

    • Mickey Phillips says:

      Isn’t it exhausting? I don’t understand how people find so much time in their day to be offended.

      • Lou says:

        They could at least let him film an episode before deciding he’s going to be worst host ever!

        Because Colbert and Stewart never said anything out of line before…

  37. I Choose Me says:

    Didn’t know anything about this guy save for a five minute clip on The Daily Show. Thought he was cute but didn’t have much presence. He’s no Jessica is what ran through my mind. Now after having read his tweets, in particular the domestic violence ‘joke.’ I am done with him and cannot get his behind him replacing Stewart.

  38. Jenny says:

    I don’t understand why the majority of you are quick to let the anti-semitic comments go. Those weren’t typical Jewish jokes from those with Jewish ancestry. Those jokes were anti-Semitic completely. And I don’t believe that his family is Jewish in any way because the jokes are so bad. Apparently, it’s okay to be anti-semitic but not okay to be mysogynistic.

    • nemo says:

      ditto.
      I’m, a jewish woman, felt VERY uncomfortable while reading thse “jokes”. and I’m not a grumpy person who’s looking for things to be offended from.

    • hmmm says:

      Agreed. Does he have a strong Jewish identity? I don’t think so. Is he a hate filled Jew? No. Yet, that drop of Jewish blood somehow gives him authority and licence to aim his unfunny trenchancy at Israel and at Jews, just like he does at women, just like he does at white women? He’s such a multicultural mosaic/melting pot of jokes. :rolls eyes:

  39. Beth says:

    People are very sensitive about politically incorrect jokes. I say his biggest lapse in judgment is sharing them on Twitter, because a lot of people don’t like un-PC jokes. Personally, I don’t think it’s a big deal. Colbert has made some pretty outrageous comments in the name of satire, and while I know Trevor isn’t really being satirical, I don’t really see the scandal here.

  40. chloeee says:

    While some of the jokes dug up via twitter are not prime examples, I have to say that I know he is a funny and smart dude with important insights due to his upbringing and he will be great on the daily show

  41. TOPgirl says:

    I’m surprised they chose this guy! Why? He’s an idiot!

  42. Stacy says:

    This guy seems like an asshat. And, for people who are saying that he shouldn’t be judged on things he said years ago, a friend of mine had an interesting thought. The Daily Show makes a point out of combing through the history of what public figures say to expose their hypocrisy and stupidity. How is this different? Free speech is important, and this moron has it too, but it doesn’t mean he’s the right choice for new host. I have a hard time believing that Jon Stewart would support Noah if he was aware that these were things he had said in the past. Plus, if the guy is too dumb to realize people would go looking through his social media, and so make an effort to clean it up, he doesn’t deserve the hosting gig.

  43. bettyrose says:

    Disappointment is not outrage. Sophomoric humor will always be popular among a certain set, but the Daily Show was better than that. We didn’t have to be “cool girls” to be part of the club. It’s the end of an era and there’s no harm in lamenting that on this site.

    • PennyLane says:

      Thanks for bringing up the ‘cool girl’ aspect of social pressure to not express any disappointment about these unfunny tweets.

      Here is the quote from Gone Girl:

      “Men always say that as the defining compliment, don’t they? She’s a cool girl. Being the Cool Girl means I am a hot, brilliant, funny woman who adores football, poker, dirty jokes, and burping, who plays video games, drinks cheap beer, loves threesomes and anal sex, and jams hot dogs and hamburgers into her mouth like she’s hosting the world’s biggest culinary gang bang while somehow maintaining a size 2, because Cool Girls are above all hot. Hot and understanding. Cool Girls never get angry; they only smile in a chagrined, loving manner and let their men do whatever they want. Go ahead, sh!t on me, I don’t mind, I’m the Cool Girl.”

      • bettyrose says:

        This passage made the whole book for me. But then I was shocked watching a first season episode of Roseanne on Netflix. She gives a nearly identical speech to Jackie, but calls it “perfect girlfriend” or something. Mid 80s but the concept didn’t ignite discussion back then.

  44. Mrs. Darcy says:

    Hmm. My unicorn ass is twitching at this guy’s lame comedy – how quickly it went bad, only yesterday I’d never heard of him and thought he was cute!

    I think Comedy Central are clearly hoping to compete with John Oliver. Trouble is Brits can get away with making fun of America because they are self effacing and charming and can pull out the “Aw shucks you got the better of us in the revolution” schtick. (I say this as an American living in Britain, they work way less hard to charm Americans in their own country though!). John Oliver is also just goofy looking enough (I love him, just saying) to get away with far more than a guy this smooth looking. Good looking comedians are kind of rare for a reason. I think this doesn’t bode well. But then again if he’s working from a script maybe not much of his cheap shots at easy targets will make it through. Stewart’s shoes are impossible to fill at this stage, maybe they purposely went for an interim fall guy until they could get somebody better?

  45. word says:

    Does anyone really think Comedy Central didn’t do a thorough investigation into this dude before hiring him? They wanted someone who would bring some controversy. They don’t want someone who will be pc and boring. Jon Stewart wasn’t either. I don’t agree with his tweets and if any other celeb tweeting them, they would be crucified…but I do think Comedy Central knew what it was doing when they hired him.

    • hmmm says:

      What is this PC you speak of? There is nothing politically correct about mocking assaults on women, mocking the appearance of some women, making uninformed (my opinion) views of Jews and Israel, all the while looking like the good-looking PC poster boy for diversity; like that ‘diversity’ gives him licence and validation for his bigotry. He is so much a far cry from Jon Stewart and his mature and thoughtful opinions that it just boggles the mind that this devolved frat boy was chosen as his successor. I guess it’s all about the image.

  46. bonsai mountain says:

    Yes, Kaiser, it’s unfair. Jon Stewart (whom I love) made really gross jokes back in the day. So has Steven Colbert (whom I love even more). Lena Dunham and Tina Fey are still really, really, problematic when it comes to race. The only family friendly comedian I can think of, off the top of my head, is Bill Cosby, and the less said about him, the better. Trevor ‘s really talented, and deserves a chance to shine. If he’s still doing stuff like this next year, Comedy Central can get rid of him. Easy peasy.

  47. Mickey Phillips says:

    Blah blah blah. Let’s all get offended about stupid shit because our lives are utterly meaningless and we are incapable of caring about anything that genuinely matters.

    I’m going to bed.

    • Snooks says:

      Uhh… you come to a *gossip site* called “Celebitchy” to scold people about how they’re not paying attention to important things that genuinely matter?? Sorry for getting off the very important topic of who is hot or not, your highness.

  48. Snooks says:

    PEOPLE! HE was NOT pushing any boundaries with these jokes! Because there ARE no boundaries on mocking fat women. On reducing women to their bodyparts. On slut-shaming/sexuality shaming women. On acting like women’s endeavors, activities and achievements are worthless. On treating women like they’re only worth something if they’re sexy to men.

    There are no boundaries on that in our culture! That is well within what’s widely permitted, allowed and glorified by the powerful people in our culture. And upheld by the majority of everyday people.

    So I’m completely sick of hearing the “boundary-pushing” excuse for this because it’s NOT TRUE.

  49. Bam32 says:

    His Netflix show was hilarious so l would be interest in seeing how he does on the Daily show. People are over reacting to his jokes. Every comedian works at jokes to find their style and shtick and they usually stick with what has the most success (most laughs) with an audience. I think those tweets are examples of that… Practicing material. Some are great tweets and some fall flat.

  50. Whaaaa? says:

    My only gripe is I don’t get why a South African has been hired to comment on American politics.

    • Lou says:

      Outsiders often have a more objective viewpoint. I don’t think a lot of Americans realise how insane many of their politicians look to the rest of the world.

  51. Daisyduck says:

    In South Africa we don’t have this problem of finding everything offensive. Maybe it’s because we have more important stuff to focus on in our semi 3rd world country 🙂
    Trevor is incredibly intelligent and his comedy here is so on point, especially when it comes to political comedy.

    I’ll just leave this here:

    http://time.com/3766915/trevor-noah-tweets-outrage/?xid=fbshare

  52. KatyD says:

    I’m sick of people saying that there’s more important things to attend to so we should overlook this racist, misogynistic prick and let the poor nasty dude say whatever he wants. How patronizing is that? It’s that kind of attitude that normalized nasty behavior and allows for racism and misogynistic behavior to continue. It’s saying women and minorities are not that important, which is an age-old attitude allowing for continuous oppresion. People have a right to express their opinions and to be disappointed in this guy as Stewart’s replacement. What’s amazing is that this guy comes from South Africa, a country with the highest rate of rape in the world. When I was in South Africa, a rape took place there which was as grotesque as the one in India. To say that misogynistic behavior is unimportant and you come from South Africa? Unbelievable. If anything, I am more sensitive to these things given the history of brutality towards women there.