Following the end of Trevor Noah’s seven-year stint on The Daily Show, Comedy Central is yet to announce a full-time replacement for the comedian. Instead, it's handled these last few months in a manner that some might consider to be unusual: by having a series of guest hosts fill in weekly at the desk made famous by Jon Stewart. So far comedy stars like Leslie Jones, Kal Penn, and Sarah Silverman. Now, for the week of March 20th, the seat will be filled by none other than SNL legend and former United States Senator Al Franken. The program's mix of comedy and politics should be perfect for such a veteran, which is why I believe the powers that be should give his pick for Noah’s replacement some serious consideration.
I recently spoke with the comedian and politician in anticipation of his upcoming hosting gig. When I asked him if he has anyone in mind to take over, he enthusiastically mentioned comedian Sarah Silverman:
I happen to be a big fan of Sarah Silverman, and I thought she did an excellent job. I'm not sure this would be the type of thing that she would want to do. It's a big job and it's a job you do four nights a week, I guess, every week or however many weeks a year. So, you know. I think she'd be great. There are others who have done the show that I thought have done a really, really great job. So, I don't know. I don't know what their plans are. Maybe they'll just infinitely have guest hosts, or something.
This is not a bad choice, not bad at all. It’s worth noting that the two of them have a history, as Al Franken was something of a mentor to Sarah Silverman during her short time on SNL in the early ‘90s. She even once accidentally stabbed him in the head. But given the fact that he’s still a big fan, there’s obviously no bad blood. Franken is also correct in saying that she did an excellent job and, in case you didn’t see her episodes yourself, Comedy Central has hooked us up with a compilation of her best moments on the show:
Of course, Al Franken clarified that hosting is a massive time commitment, and he seems very aware that a comedian of Sarah Silverman’s stature likely isn’t available for such a demanding job. She has multiple TV and film projects coming up and is always doing stand-up gigs. Also, more recently, you may have seen her as a part of the stacked cast in Mel Brooks’ and Hulu’s The History Of The World, Part II.
There are also a slew of other worthy candidates who one would assume are in contention for the job, many of whom being correspondents that have already graced the show. There was a rumor that Roy Wood Jr. was to replace Trevor Noah, and Jessica Williams has shared her thoughts on potentially taking over amid speculation. Truthfully, they all sound like viable options, but now is the time to choose -- as The Daily Show is said to return from hiatus with a new mainstay host in September.
Make sure and check out Al Franken’s first time hosting The Daily Show tonight, Monday March 20 on Comedy Central! You can also stream the show with the use of a Paramount+ subscription.
