Story highlights
- Trevor Noah made his first appearance on the hit show in December
- Stewart approves of the South African comedian as his replacement
(CNN)"The Daily Show" is getting a new host.
On Monday, the show announced that comedian Trevor Noah will take over for Jon Stewart, who announced in February that he was leaving after 16 years. Stewart himself succeeded Craig Kilborn and saw the news program's popularity skyrocket.
"You don't believe it for the first few hours," Noah told the New York Times from Dubai, where he's on tour. "You need a stiff drink, and then unfortunately you're in a place where you can't really get alcohol."
Noah, 31, who is South African and biracial, debuted on "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart" in December.
Stewart approves of his replacement.
"I'm thrilled for the show and for Trevor," Stewart said in a statement. "He's a tremendous comic and talent that we've loved working with."
Photos: Jon Stewart: Fake newsman, real news
Photos: Jon Stewart: Fake newsman, real news
Jon Stewart, whose wit has defined "The Daily Show" for more than 15 years, will sign off the iconic Comedy Central program on Thursday, August 6. Here's a look at some memorable moments of Stewart's storied career.
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Photos: Jon Stewart: Fake newsman, real news
He started as a stand-up comedian in New York, eventually becoming a regular on HBO's "The Larry Sanders Show." He is seen here as a guest on a 1993 episode of "Late Night with Conan O'Brien."
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Photos: Jon Stewart: Fake newsman, real news
Stewart soon caught the attention of MTV executives. In 1993, he co-hosted the network's Third Annual Rock N' Jock B-Ball Jam.
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Photos: Jon Stewart: Fake newsman, real news
As a precursor to his Comedy Central gig, Stewart got familiar interviewing celebrities on "The Jon Stewart Show," a short-lived program he hosted on MTV in the '90s.
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Photos: Jon Stewart: Fake newsman, real news
For more than 15 years, Stewart made "The Daily Show" must-see TV by injecting humor and witty criticism into his coverage of current events.
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Photos: Jon Stewart: Fake newsman, real news
In 2005, Stewart (pictured with CNN's Anderson Cooper) was included on Time magazine's list of the Time 100: The Most Influential People In The World.
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Photos: Jon Stewart: Fake newsman, real news
Stewart, who started his career in stand-up, helped comedians like Stephen Colbert, John Oliver and Steve Carell gain national notoriety though their appearances on "The Daily Show."
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Photos: Jon Stewart: Fake newsman, real news
In 2010, Stewart and fellow Comedy Central host Stephen Colbert hosted the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear on the National Mall in Washington. The event was attended by thousands and featured a mock debate and musical guests.
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Photos: Jon Stewart: Fake newsman, real news
In 2010, President Barack Obama became the first sitting president to appear on the show. He has appeared on the show six times over the course of his political career.
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Photos: Jon Stewart: Fake newsman, real news
In 2012, Stewart and Fox News' Bill O'Reilly "competed" in a mock debate called the "Rumble in the Air-conditioned Auditorium." Their jousting topics ranged from health care to entitlement spending, from Christmas to government counting of calories.
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Photos: Jon Stewart: Fake newsman, real news
Stewart hosted the 2013 MusiCares gala honoring fellow New Jersey native Bruce Springsteen. Stewart has credited the Boss with making him feel less like a loser.
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Photos: Jon Stewart: Fake newsman, real news
In 2013, Stewart took a 12-week hiatus from "The Daily Show" to make the film "Rosewater," his directorial debut. Released in 2014, the movie tells the story of journalist Maziar Bahari, far left with Tom Ortenberg and Stewart, and his 2009 imprisonment in Iran.
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Photos: Jon Stewart: Fake newsman, real news
"The Daily Show" staff has won 20 Emmy Awards collectively, including outstanding writing for a variety series and outstanding variety series.
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Under Stewart, the Comedy Central show has become extremely popular, with its satirical view of the news and current events. Noah has made three appearances on the show.
The nightly show has been good to its contributors. It spun off "The Colbert Report" with Stephen Colbert, and former correspondents Larry Wilmore and John Oliver went on to host "The Nightly Show" and "Last Week Tonight," respectively. "Daily Show" correspondent Samantha Bee is reportedly heading to TBS to helm her own show.
Fellow comic Chris Rock had one of the funniest reactions on Twitter.
Noah tweeted that "No one can replace Jon Stewart," but he seems excited to take on the role.
Are Americans ready for a foreign 'Daily Show' host? 02:10