Aasif Mandvi would have been the best choice of the long-tenure correspondents. But I kind of like the idea of having a host who can talk about the news from a non-'America first' perspective. We never get that.
I do think it will be easier for the targets of The Daily Show to marginalize the rebuffs when they come from one they can paint as an outsider.
I'd be a lot more sympathetic to that line of thinking if we were discussing a Daily Show of, say, Portugal or Turkmenistan. But seeing as how US policies profoundly affect the whole world, I don't have any inherent bias against hearing a voice or two from the rest of said world answer back now and then, maybe even especially if they're not from the British Isles.
Why so serious? Us politics is a side show for our amusement. Compared to a 40 year long nuclear arms race threatening global annihilation, everything else since then is cake.
Sometimes, an "outside" observer can zero in and provide insight on points that those "inside" take for granted, or can't see for the trees. Alistair Cooke made a 50 year career of it. I do think, though, that tone is key. Someone who sounds judgmental or condescending won't be very successful along that line, I think.
You'd rather not live in a much safer society? As to the latter point, as much as they want? You do realize Britain has freedom of the press, right?
So I take it you turn the TV off in disgust any time Jon Stewart criticizes Vladmir Putin? If a person has a clever observation about American culture, I don't give two shits what country they came from. America needs to stop covering its ears and closing its eyes to any external perspectives. It's true he doesn't have the personal experience growing up in America that has shaped Jon Stewart's point of view and emotions. He has a different, unique perspective and point of view on American culture, and it's not any more or less valid than Jon Stewart's.
We saw You Laugh But It's True on Netflix the other day (the documentary about Trevor Noah). That guy is good. Seems likeable.
I don't think Trevor Noah will last long as Stewart's replacement. Piers Morgan took over Larry King's place at CNN and see what happened. A non American hosting and giving his views about American politics on a cable show is not gonna still well with a lot of people on the right. If Noah could focus the show on more international politics, then perhaps it could work as John Oliver is doing that angle right now on his show. I think Aasif Mandvi should have been the logical choice for the Daily Show.
Which may be why he was on Person of Interest yesterday. Did Jason leave because they didn't give him the job?
JirinPanthosa and others have already addressed what a silly and counterproductive "waaaah, foreigners have opinions, this offends me" is, but I did want to still underline this: Trevor Noah and John Oliver are from South Africa and the UK, not North Korea and Djibouti. Both their native countries score better in international comparisons on freedom of press than the US does. They're both free to make as much fun of their presidents, monarchs, governments etc. as they like, and still visit their countries of origin safely. In fact, they both have a history of doing just that.
It's hard to think of an outside perspective having the outrage and indignation which elevates the show beyond just satirical observations. When I watch TDS, I feel that in addition to being funny and entertaining that they are trying to really illuminate and expose the issues not just comment on them. Maybe I'm putting Stewart on a pedestal but I want someone who is just as feverish not just one who sees things in a new light. I feel John Oliver brings that on his HBO show, maybe Trevor Noah will as well but I'm skeptical.
Now Sam Bee is gone too. It's like an exodus of the old. Al Madrigal finally showed up this week. I think he should've been the replacement. He is the person I find most personable & appealing of that entire group. Everyone has underestimated the importance of that factor. Stewart, if for no other reason, has won that audience because he is magnificently likeable. He's not a tremendous comedic talent. His standup was mediocre at best. His skills as an actor are ridiculous. He makes NO claim of credibility as a newsman. He's intelligent, reputable, wholly unpretentious, and he has blazed his path on sheer likeability Even many people who hate everything he stands for still like him. I don't feel that vibe happening with Trevor Noah. I got a bad feeling he's going to come off pretentiously
Well, when Jason Jones left a couple weeks ago I figured Sam Bee couldn't be far behind since they're married. I had forgotten some of Sam's (and even Jason's) better segments. I still worry, too, whether or not Trevor is going to give us what Jon has over the last 15 years or whatever it's been. Wait and see, I guess.
I think anyone with an accent trying to tell Americans what they're doing wrong is going to come off as pretentious for a lot of the casual viewers whose politics may not align so closely with the show, no matter how likable that person is. Oliver gets plenty of flack for that on his current show and did during his brief tenure as host of TDS, and you can see how they tweaked the writing as the summer went on to account for it. You're missing an important factor in why Stewart has become such a beloved personality though. He speaks his mind and speaks it with passion. Even during book-tour promotional interviews he is more than willing to (respectfully) go for the throat when faced with someone who is clearly less than honest or promoting political philosophy he finds distasteful or idiotic.