Late Nighters: Kal Penn, Hasan Minhaj Among Slate of Guest Hosts for Comedy Central’s ‘The Daily Show’
- They will anchor the show as it returns in January sans host Trevor Noah, who’s leaving on Dec. 8, after seven years behind the desk.
Comedy Central has announced a slate of guest hosts for “The Daily Show” in the place of longtime host Trevor Noah, who is set to leave the show this week. The guest hosts will anchor the show when it returns from its hiatus Jan. 17, according to The Hollywood Reporter. They include Kal Penn, Hasan Minhaj, Al Franken, Chelsea Handler, D.L. Hughley, Leslie Jones, John Leguizamo, Sarah Silverman, Wanda Sykes and Marlon Wayans.
“As we enter Trevor’s final week, we want to thank him for his many contributions,” Paramount Media Networks CEO Chris McCarthy said in a statement sent to entertainment portals like The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline. “Trevor redefined the show, as did Jon Stewart before him, and as we look to the future, we are excited to reimagine it yet again with the help of this incredible list of talent and correspondents along with the immensely talented ‘Daily Show’ team.”
Noah will sign off from his seven-year tenure at the head of the news comedy program on Thursday, Dec. 8, “after which show will take a few weeks off to retool,” Rolling Stone reported. When the show returns on Jan. 17, “Leslie Jones will take the seat behind the desk first, according to a Vulture report.
Last month, Variety magazine named Penn among the potential people that could replace Noah. “The Paramount Global network could look for a host well-versed in political comedy, or simply someone who has straddled the divide between Hollywood and Washington,” Variety said.
However, it is unclear exactly when each person will serve as host, or how long each guest host stint will last. The show is expected to announce a new host sometime next year “with the aim of them starting by September 2023,” the Rolling Stone report said.
Last month, Variety magazine named Penn among the potential people that could replace Noah. “The Paramount Global network could look for a host well-versed in political comedy, or simply someone who has straddled the divide between Hollywood and Washington,” Variety said. “People like Samantha Bee, the former “Daily Show” correspondent, or Kal Penn, the actor who logged a stint in the Obama administration and hosted a short-lived late-night show on Disney’s Freeform, could have the experience Comedy Central is seeking.”
Speaking about the article on “The Late Late Show With James Corden,” the Indian American actor told Corden that he’s open to hosting the show. Penn said he “grew up on Jon Stewart’s TV show, so obviously, I revere Trevor Noah, so the mere fact that I was even mentioned in an article like that is a huge honor, I feel like I should leave it at that,” he said. “I mean, who wouldn’t want to have that opportunity? It’s a show that I think many of us grew up on and just really appreciate.”