Trevor Noah offered a more nuanced perspective, while acknowledging that race played a role in the backlash.
In a recent revealing conversation about Stephen Bartlett's “CEO diaryPodcast, Trevor Noah reveals his difficult beginnings daily show Journey.
The comedian spoke candidly about facing death threats and xenophobic backlash in his early days as a host.
“It was absolutely awful,” Noah admitted, reflecting on his initial reception as Jon Stewart's successor.
The South African comedian said he realized he had a role to play that was more than just entertainment.
“I quickly learned that it was more than just a position…For many people, Jon Stewart was America's most trusted man and the voice of a generation.
“The politicians who rely on him are like, 'What would Jon Stewart think?'” he said.
Racial underpinnings and resistance to change
Noah acknowledged that race played a role in the backlash, but offered a more nuanced perspective.
“I'm careful to say, 'This is about race,' but I think it's more about all the things that make you different.
“If I had a different skin color than Jon Stewart, people would probably feel like I look different than Jon Stewart when I'm sitting at a desk. The show changed the show.” he explained.
Surprisingly, much of the resistance came from unexpected sources, he said.
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Death threats and xenophobic attacks
Hostilities escalated to dangerous levels, and Noah received death threats and xenophobic messages.
“People will just say, 'Go back to where you came from,'” he revealed.
Still, Noah said his South African background gave him a unique perspective on hate.
“My gift and curse was that I was from South Africa, so I know… it's like racism at its best,” he said jokingly.
Despite the overwhelming negativity, Noah believed he owed his survival to the team around him.
“You can't choose what happens to you, but you can almost certainly choose who you deal with,” he reflected.
He said this philosophy shaped his approach to all future endeavors. “If I wanted to work with great people, I'd take a shitty job, because it doesn't feel good to do great work with terrible people.”
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Breaking down the stigma of mental health
Beyond his professional struggles, Noah became an advocate for mental health awareness, especially among people of color.
Having experienced depression himself, he emphasized the importance of treatment.
Noah also noted that statistics show that men, especially men of color, are more likely to suppress their mental health needs and not attend therapy.
“There are complicated reasons for that. [men of colour don’t seek therapy]But I think it's really important for men who have gone to therapy, myself included, to talk about why they went to therapy. ”
WATCH: Trevor Noah talks about Stephen BartlettCEO diarypodcast
