Jon Stewart opened “The Daily Show” on Monday night with a defense of the show’s future host Trevor Noah, after several of Noah’s old tweets were criticized last week for being sexist and offensive.
“I can say this, I think, without hesitation: Trever Noah will earn your trust and respect — or not,” Stewart said, to laughs.
“Just as I earned your trust and respect — or did not,” he added.
Stewart ran through the moments of his own career that alienated viewers, won them back, and put them off again.
“The only thing I would say is I do hope you give him an opportunity to earn that trust and respect,” he said, “because my experience with him is that he is an incredibly thoughtful and considerate and funny and smart indiviudal.”
Stewart said he was “excited” to see where Noah will take the program and that he would be watching.
“Finally, after 17 fucking years, I’m gonna record the Daily Show!” he said.
Noah had taken heat for several jokes he made on Twitter about women and Jewish people. An example: “Oh yeah the weekend. People are gonna get drunk & think that I’m sexy!” – fat chicks everywhere.”
Stewart’s heir apparent eventually addressed the outrage in a tweet.
“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,” Noah tweeted on March 31.
Watch the clip, courtesy of Comedy Central: