After 7 years, Trevor Noah hosts his final episode of “The Daily Show.”

For Trevor Noah’s last episode as host of Comedy Central’s satirical news program “The Daily Show,” the network threw a party complete with a packed audience, a rotating roster of correspondents, and a slew of celebrity guests to celebrate his seven years at the helm.

In his last speech, Noah urged his listeners not to be depressed, saying, “It doesn’t feel like seven years,” especially not at the desk. Obviously, I had to go back to my house in the meantime. Nevertheless, I can say that this has been an incredible trip.

With the help of tributes from reporters and a video montage of farewells from celebrities including Oprah Winfrey, Issa Rae, Kamala Harris, Tracy Ross, Bill Gates, Hillary Clinton, and others, the host was able to make it through the night.

The South African comedian, who brought an outsider’s perspective to the show because of his history, said, “I would never presume to understand America, you know, given the very little time I feel I’ve been here.” Despite this, he did provide some observations based on his time in the country.

Trevor Noah’s file, version 3.
After Trevor Noah’s departure from ‘The Daily Show,’ the late-night television landscape will change dramatically.
The impact of American political parties was highlighted, and Noah challenged his audience to consider the issues without filtering them through the principles of either the Democratic Party or the Republican Party.

Since “we live in a culture in which we are progressively exposing ourselves to things that difference us,” he said, “we forget that great friendships emerge from our common similarities, and then the conflicts are how we polish each other as human beings.”

It’s not an either/or situation, as Noah put it: “There are issues in the world, but politics is only an inventive method to finding answers to those problems. More than two methods exist to address each problem. There are many more options available to you than just these two.

In the show’s final minutes, Noah thanked the Black women who had “enlightened me, educated me, and disputed with me.”

People are constantly giving me credit for, you know, having these fantastic ideas. Who do you think taught me? Who is it that you feel has shaped me, nourished me, and educated you about who I am? My mother, my grandmother, my aunt, and all the other Black women who have been a part of my existence.

If you want to know the truth about America, he said, “talk to Black women.”

After Jon Stewart’s 16-year tenure as host, during which the program became a late-night staple, the show transitioned to Trevor Noah in 2015.

In Los Angeles, California on September 19, 2018, the 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards were presented. Trevor Noah was in attendance. In Los Angeles, California, LIVE on September 19, 2021. (Image via Getty Images and Rich Fury)
I thought Trevor Noah’s big announcement was almost inevitable.
Since the comedian had only been working as a correspondent for “The Daily Show” for a short while before being given the hosting gig, he was hardly prepared for the responsibility. Noah had already built up a sizable fan following in other countries, while being relatively unknown to television audiences in the United States at the time.

He quickly centered the program on himself, playing tour guide as he took viewers through varied American events including Trump’s administration and the Covington Catholic High School shooting.

Upon announcing his departure from the show in late September, Noah hinted that his decision to leave was driven by his desire to perform in front of an audience rather than behind the scenes.

I didn’t leave my flat for two years, so I miss performing and exploring other cultures and languages.

The stand-up comedian will only be gone for a short time; on January 20, he will kick off the first leg of his “Trevor Noah: Off the Record” tour in Atlanta.

Chelsea Handler, D. L. Hughley, Leslie Jones, Hasan Minhaj, Kal Penn, and Wanda Sykes are among the comedy greats selected by the network to stand in as hosts when the program resumes on January 17.

The network has not yet determined whether a permanent host would be sitting in the chair or if visitors would continue to host the show indefinitely, thus it is unclear what the long-term intentions are for the program.