The Daily Show Has Reportedly Found Its Frontrunner To Be The New Permanent Host
Nearly one year after the heartfelt yet shocking announcement of Trevor Noah's departure from "The Daily Show," someone already close to the comedic late-night news program is being strongly considered to take over as permanent host: Hasan Minhaj.
After serving as one of Noah's correspondents on "The Daily Show" from 2014 to 2018, he was one of many guest hosts brought in following Noah's departure. Per Variety, Minhaj is reportedly the front-running candidate for the job, though a contract has yet to be signed. Others, like comedian and fellow "The Daily Show" correspondent Roy Wood Jr., have tossed their names in the ring. Plus, Minhaj isn't 100% on board just yet.
In May 2023, he told Variety's Awards Circuit Podcast that he's open to the opportunity but needs to take into consideration how it would impact his wife and children. Noah stepped down because, as host, he had little time for much else, like his passion for touring the world doing standup. Minhaj, who doesn't want to find himself in a similar situation, said, "It's an all-encompassing, all-consuming thing. And other people have to live with the consequences of what I say. And I just want to make sure everybody, if that were to ever come to fruition, 'Hey, are we all on board with this?'"
Having Minhaj host "The Daily Show" would be a wild moment of life imitating art, as he plays co-anchor Eric Nomani on Season 2 of Apple TV+'s "The Morning Show," a series about a fictional network news program.
There are mixed fan reactions to the idea of Hasan Minhaj as permanent host
Ever since Hasan Minhaj was brought in as a guest host after Trevor Noah's official departure from "The Daily Show" in December 2022, there's been chatter among viewers about whether or not he should sit behind the desk permanently.
Some believe he's the perfect man for the job. On Reddit, u/Too-Far-Frame said, "He CRUSHED it during his week stint ... He was hilarious but also wasn't afraid to really drill someone down like Jon [Stewart] used to. He's also fine with getting silly giving basketball players candy sweets." Others, like u/spyson, agreed and felt Minhaj's hosting style was refreshing.
However, some viewers think there are better options out there. U/jkepros, who felt that Minhaj interrupted guests during interviews and had too much energy, envisions Leslie Jones as a solid candidate. Other "The Daily Show" fans enjoyed Kal Penn, with one commenting, "Penn s[tr]addles the line between seriousness and jokes quite well."
The show's executive producer Jen Flanz told Variety that she wants to see as many people as possible sit behind the desk before making a final decision. But with "The Daily Show" dark due to the writers' strike, that's currently impossible.