Comedy Central Defends 'Daily Show' Host Trevor Noah Over Tweets
The comedian, who was accused of sexism and antisemitism, also spoke out.
— -- Comedy Central is standing by new "Daily Show" host Trevor Noah.
Just one day after the network announced that Noah would be replacing Jon Stewart on the show, the 31-year-old comedian has come under fire for tweets referencing Jewish people and women.
"Like many comedians, Trevor Noah pushes boundaries; he is provocative and spares no one, himself included," Comedy Central said in a statement. "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."
Meanwhile, the comedian defended himself: "To reduce my views to a handful of jokes that didn’t land is not a true reflection of my character, nor my evolution as a comedian," he tweeted.
The tweets being discussed contain jokes about "fat chicks" and women being in "the perfect uppercut position" should they decline a marriage proposal. He also poked fun at Jews, saying, "Behind every rap billionaire is a double as rich Jewish man," and he once retweeted a message from a follower that read, "Muslims don't hate Jews. Jews hate Muslims."
The Anti-Defamation League released a statement Tuesday wishing Noah success and urging him to carry on Stewart's legacy.
"We understand that comedians often use humor to poke fun at stereotypes and to push the envelope of political correctness, and it seems that many if not most of the tweets sent by Trevor Noah over the years fall into those categories," said Abraham H. Foxman, the national director of the ADL. "We hope that he and Comedy Central will make a conscious effort to ensure that 'The Daily Show' remains funny and irreverent without trafficking in bigoted jokes at the expense of Jews, other minorities and women."