The Daily Show is in a period of transition following the departure of its most recent host, Trevor Noah. Since Noah signed off in December, the Comedy Central series has been relying on a lineup of guest hosts that includes notable names like Wanda Sykes and Leslie Jones. Though the entertainers who’ve sat at the desk thus far have their merits, one still can’t help but wonder who’ll take the gig on a full-time basis. A number of names have been thrown into the discussion at this point, including former show correspondent Jessica Williams’. The actress and comedian is now sharing some thoughts on possibly taking over for Noah.
Jessica Williams has had an interesting path in the entertainment industry, as she started her acting career with the ‘00s Nick dramedy series Just for Kicks in 2006. In 2012, she joined The Daily Show, and her sharp and quirky brand of comedy earned her a significant amount of notoriety. On paper, she seems like an ideal candidate for the hosting position. However, she’s not aiming to return to her old stomping grounds at this point, and her reasoning makes sense:
I'm really happy with where my career is going. I really, really love acting. There's something really special about it. I light up doing it and feel like I'm mining my own personal life and experiences and world on camera. And doing that in a scripted way is really fun. It feels almost like, in between action and cut, I just get to escape and go to a different world and just play this game and be present on set.
It’s true that her career has taken off in a big way over the past several years. Since leaving the comedy news show, she’s appeared on notable series like Girls and The Twilight Zone, while also being featured in an HBO special based on her 2 Dope Queens podcast. She also has film credits under her belt in Booksmart, two Fantastic Beasts sequels and Entergalactic. Her most recent production is Apple TV+’s Shrinking, which also stars Jason Segel and Harrison Ford. Despite her blossoming career, the actress is grateful for her stint on the long-running show. She further opened up to People about how the series impacted her professional trajectory:
Ever since my first day at The Daily Show, my life changed and my trajectory changed. I learned so much about myself. Being on The Daily Show was like finishing college, because I never finished college. And I learned a lot by watching the writers work together [and] watching Jon Stewart.
Jessica Williams isn’t the only Daily Show alum who’s been asked about succeeding Trevor Noah, who’s back on the stand-up comedy circuit. Correspondent Roy Wood Jr. was asked about hosting and, at the time, he admitted that he wouldn’t simply turn his nose up if the opportunity presented itself. However, he also said that he needed space to assess what he wants from a professional standpoint at this stage.
There are certainly a number of possibilities when considering the show’s next host but, if you’re like me, you just can’t shake the feeling that Jessica Williams would be a strong fit for the job. Heck, even Stephen Colbert has endorsed her at this point. But what it all comes down to is her happiness, and she appears to be quite content at the moment. So she’ll likely be waiting just like the rest of us to see how gets picked to take over for Trevor Noah.
The Daily Show airs Monday-Thursdays at 11 p.m. ET on Comedy Central as part of the 2023 TV schedule, and you can also stream past episodes with use of a Paramount+ subscription.
