What Trevor Noah Learned About America By Leaving America

Summary

In an interview with Stephen Colbert, comedian Trevor Noah discusses winning a surprise Emmy Award for The Daily Show after having left the show in 2022. Noah also touches on insights he gained from traveling for his comedy special, noting how overseas, voters tend to criticize elected leaders rather than opponents. He finds American politics tribal like sports fandom. Noah and Colbert banter lightheartedly about national anthems, with Noah praising the dramatic lyrics of The Star-Spangled Banner. They joke America boldly defends its citizens abroad, contrasting with uncertain support from less dominant countries.

Takeaways

• 😀 Trevor Noah won an Emmy Award in 2022 for The Daily Show, which he hosted until that year
• 😊 Trevor will be hosting the Grammy Awards on CBS in two weeks
• 🤗 Trevor traveled all over the world for his latest comedy special and learned new perspectives
• 😃 Trevor says people overseas criticize their own leaders more than opposing candidates like in the US
• 🙂 Trevor points out other countries don't play their national anthem as often as the US does
• 😉 Trevor jokes the US national anthem lyrics are unique with 'bombs bursting' and the flag still waving
• 🤔 Trevor observes Americans promise to intervene globally to help citizens abroad if needed
• 😳 Trevor finds US friends assertive about rights and justice when traveling unlike some others
• 🤨 Trevor notes the confidence of US power and reach globally to protect its citizens
• 😏 Trevor kids the US national anthem fits well with adding 'bitch' after lines for effect

Q & A

Who was Stephen's first guest mentioned in the transcript?

Trevor Noah.

What significant event is Trevor Noah hosting in two weeks from the date of the show mentioned?

The 66th Grammy Awards.

What award did Trevor Noah win that was mentioned during his introduction?

An Emmy Award.

Why was Trevor surprised to win the Emmy, according to the conversation?

Because he hadn't done 'The Daily Show' since 2022.

What is the title of Trevor Noah's latest Netflix special mentioned in the transcript?

"Where Was I?"

What unique observation did Trevor make about political criticism in overseas countries compared to the United States?

Overseas, people spend more time criticizing the politicians they voted for rather than those they oppose, unlike in the U.S., where there's a tendency to support their 'team' unconditionally.

According to Trevor, how do other countries view the playing of national anthems at sports events compared to the United States?

Other countries do not play their national anthem before sports events unless there is international attendance, which contrasts with the U.S. practice of playing it regardless.

What did Trevor Noah appreciate about the American national anthem?

He loves its marks, cadence, and the story it tells, noting its uniqueness for including 'bombs bursting' in its lyrics.

How did Trevor describe the confidence of Americans abroad, according to his experiences?

Americans abroad display a notable confidence, knowing their country would come to their aid if needed, unlike his uncertainty about South Africa's ability to do the same for him.

What humor did Trevor and Stephen share about the ending of the American national anthem?

They joked about adding "bitch" to the end of lines in the anthem to emphasize its assertive tone.

Outlines

00:00

😄 Trevor Noah reminisces about winning an Emmy and standing up awkwardly

Trevor Noah discusses winning an Emmy Award in 2022 for The Daily Show, which he stopped hosting that year. He was surprised because he thought John Oliver would win as usual. When his name was called, Henry Winkler's wife told him he had to stand up, which felt awkward.

05:02

🎤 Stephen Colbert and Trevor Noah praise America's national anthem

Stephen Colbert and Trevor Noah talk about how America's national anthem is unique. Unlike other countries that only play theirs when competing internationally, the U.S. plays it before most sports games. The lyrics about bombs and war make it the greatest. They joke patriotically about the defiant, rallying message of the anthem.

Keywords

💡Daily Show

This was a popular satirical news program formerly hosted by Trevor Noah. It is referenced several times, establishing his credentials as a comedian and talk show host familiar with discussing politics and current events.

💡Emmy Award

A prestigious television award that Trevor Noah won in 2022 despite no longer hosting the Daily Show at that time. This surprises both Noah and the host Stephen Colbert, further highlighting Noah's reputation.

💡Grammy Awards

A major music awards show that Trevor Noah will be hosting, showing his versatility as an entertainer beyond just political satire.

💡comedian

Trevor Noah is introduced as an "Emmy Award winning comedian", setting viewer expectations regarding his professional background and comedic skills that flavor the discussion.

💡perspective

When away from America, Trevor Noah gained new perspective on things like national anthems in sports and attitudes towards political leaders. This helps him provide cultural commentary.

💡overseas

By traveling overseas, Trevor Noah noticed differences in how countries relate to their elected leaders and national pride. This comparative experience informed his comedy material.

💡politics

Trevor Noah draws analogies between politics and sports fandoms in America, noting stark differences with other countries. Much of his comedy centers around politics.

💡anthem

As an example of American national pride, Trevor Noah analyzes the lyrics and constant playing of the national anthem in sports, contrasting it with other countries' attitudes.

💡home

Both South Africa and now America are discussed as Trevor Noah's "home" countries at different points. His multinational background informs his worldview and comedy.

💡culture

Trevor Noah identifies many cultural elements that surprised him about America, including attitudes towards politics, national pride displays, etc. Analyzing culture provides comedy fodder.

Highlights

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Transcripts

>> Stephen: AROUND THE HORN. [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]

WELCOME BACK, EVERYBODY. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I'M HAPPY

TO SAY THAT MY FIRST GUEST TONIGHT IS AN EMMY AWARD WINNING

COMEDIAN YOU KNOW AS THE FORMER HOST OF "THE DAILY SHOW" BUT IN

TWO WEEKS HE WILL HOST THE 66TH GRAMMY AWARDS RIGHT HERE ON CBS.

PLEASE WELCOME BACK TO "THE LATE SHOW," MR. TREV

MR. TREVOR NOAH. ♪ ♪

[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] DO YOU KNOW WHAT I FORGET?

>> Trevor: WHAT DO YOU FORGET? >> Stephen: I'LL TELL YOU WHAT

I FORGET WHEN I HAVEN'T SEEN YOU IN A WHILE, CERTAINLY WHEN I

YOU'RE REALLY STRONG. YOU GAVE ME A BACK SLAP THAT

BORDERED ON THE EDGE OF CHIROPRACTIC.

>> Trevor: I TRY TO GIVE GOOD HUGS.

YOU HUG SOMEONE, THEY SHOULD FILL YOU.

>> Stephen: I AGREE, ALL IN. CONGRATULATIONS ON THE EMMY.

WERE YOU SURPRISED AT ALL, NOT BECAUSE YOU WEREN'T A GREAT

SHOWING YOU DON'T DESERVE IT, BUT YOU HAVEN'T DONE "THE DAILY

SHOW" SINCE 2022. >> Trevor: ONE OF THE

STRANGEST FEELINGS OF ALL TIME. MOST OF T THE YEAR >> COME JOHN

OLIVER WINS. WE CHEER FOR JOHN OLIVER BUT YOU

GET USED TO IT. WE ALL KNOW EACH OTHER.

I WAS HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH HENRY WINKLER AND HIS WIFE WHILE

THIS WAS HAPPENING IN THE NOMINATIONS COME UP.

OH, YEAH, THAT'S MY THING. ANYWAY, AS I WAS SAYING.

WE WERE TALKING WHEN EVERYONE STANDING.

WE STAND FOR EVERYONE? WHAT DO WE DO?

>> Stephen: I THOUGHT "IT'S UNSUSTAINABLE" ALL OF THIS

STANDING. >> Trevor: ABOUT THE SAME

THING AND THEN THEY SAID MY NAME AND SHE WAS LIKE, NOW YOU HAVE

TO STAND. [LAUGHTER]

I STOOD UP. HE WAS REALLY AN AMAZING SHOCK.

>> Stephen: IN DECEMBER, YOU RELEASED YOUR LATEST NETFLIX

SPECIAL CALLED "WHERE WAS I?" IT TURNS OUT, EVERYWHERE.

YOU TRAVELED ALL OVER THE WORLD. WHAT DID YOU --

WHERE DID YOU GO AND WHAT DID YOU LEARN ABOUT THIS COUNTRY

YOU'VE MADE YOUR HOME FROM BEING AWAY FROM IT?

>> Trevor: THAT'S REALLY INTERESTING.

>> Stephen: WHAT PERSPECTIVE DID YOU GET?

A FISH OUT OF WATER SOMETIMES FEELS DIFFERENTLY ABOUT THE

WATER WHEN YOU'RE NOT IN IT. SPEECH IS SOMETIMES TRUE.

I HOPE THAT ON LIKE A FISH I WAS BREATHING WHILE I WAS AWAY.

I HAD A GREAT TIME. I GOT TO GO BACK TO

SOUTH AFRICA. I HAD BEEN THERE FOR A WHILE.

THAT'S WHERE I STARTED MY COMEDY.

THAT WAS HOME BEFORE I MADE THIS MY HOME.

WENT TO BERLIN, SCANDINAVIA. HERE'S THE BIGGEST THING I

LEARNED. THE BIGGEST THING I LEARNED AND

IT WAS A MOST LIKE THIS. OVERSEAS I FIND PEOPLE SPEND

MORE TIME CRITICIZING THE PEOPLE THEY VOTED FOR AND NOT THE

PEOPLE THAT THEY WISH TO VOTE AGAINST WHEN IT COMES TO

POLITICS. DOES THIS MAKE SENSE?

>> Stepen: SURE, I UNDERSTAND.

>> Trevor: THE PEOPLE OVERSEAS WILL VOTE FOR THE PEOPLE THEY

WANT TO VOTE FOR AND THEN SPEND THEIR TIME CRITICIZING THEM FOR

NOT PERFORMING FOR THE VOTES. IN AMERICA IT'S MOST LIKE

SPORTS. YOUR TEAM CAN DO NO WRONG AND

ALL YOU DO IS COMPLAIN ABOUT THE REFEREES CALLS AGAINST THE OTHER

TEAM. >> Stephen: I TOTALLY

UNDERSTAND. >> Trevor: IT'S A WEIRD

DYNAMIC. >> Stephen: AND ALL THE

ELECTIONS HAVE BECOME NATIONALIZED AND EVERYONE JOINS

THE TEAM. CERTAIN LOCAL ELECTIONS, NO

MATTER WHO WE ELECT, EVERYONE IN NEW YORK HATES THE MAYOR.

IT'S HEALTHY FOREVER ON ACCEPTING MAYOR.

>> Trevor: IF WE THINK ABOUT HOW THAT WORKS OUT, MANY MAYORS,

MANY NONMIRRORS. ONE IS NOT HAVING A GOOD TIME.

EVERYONE ELSE'S. YOU TAKE FOR GRANTED MY TALK

ABOUT THIS MY SPECIAL. THE NATIONAL ANTHEM.

YOU DON'T HEAR IT IN OTHER COUNTRIES.

>> Stephen: THEY DON'T PLAY IT ALL THE TIME?

>> Trevor: THEY NEVER PLAYED BEFORE SPORTS.

>> Stephen: REALLY? >> Trevor: THE NATIONAL ANTHEM

YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO PLAY WHEN THERE IS NO OTHER COUNTRY IN

ATTENDANCE. IT'S OUR WAY OF SHOWING YOU THAT

WE LIKE OUR COUNTRY. BUT IF YOU'RE NOT THERE, I DON'T

NEED TO DO THAT. IT'S THE SAME WAYS SOME MARRIED

COUPLES WILL ONLY BE AFFECTIONATE WHEN OTHER PEOPLE

AROUND JUST TO SHOW YOU THAT THEY'RE MARRIED.

THEY WILL BE LIKE OH, YES, OF COURSE.

THEN WHEN THE VISITORS LEAVE, YOU ARE LIKE, WHAT TIME ARE WE

WATCHING... >> Stephen: IN AMERICA, WE ARE

THE MARRIED COUPLE CONSTANTLY SHOWING AFFECTION FOR EACH

OTHER. ISN'T THAT A MORE HEALTHY

RELATIONSHIP, TREVOR NOAH? >> Trevor: IT DEPENDS.

>> Stephen: ISN'T YOUR METAPHOR FALLING APART RIGHT

NOW? >> Trevor: IF YOU BELIEVE IT,

IT'S BEAUTIFUL AND THAT'S GOOD. BUT IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT.

YOU ASKED ABOUT THE DIFFERENCES. I DIDN'T SAY IT'S GOOD OR BAD.

I SAID IT'S DIFFERENT. IT'S WEIRD.

EVERY COUNTRY HAS WEIRD. PLEASE DON'T GET ME WRONG.

>> Stephen: WE ALSO HAVE THE BEST ANTHEM, THOUGH.

>> Trevor: GREATEST ANTHEM IN >> Stephen: THOSE LYRICS ARE

AMAZING. JOSE CAN YOU SEE.

>> Trevor: NO OTHER COUNTRY HAS BOMBS BURSTING IN ITS

ANTHEM. THE GREATEST ANTHEM.

20 TELL YOU. >> Stephen: WE PLAY OUR ANTHEM

FOR YOU, THAT'S FORESHADOWING. YOU WANT TO HEAR OUR ANTHEM,

BABY. >> Trevor: PEOPLE THINK I'M

JOKING WHEN I SAY THIS. I LOVE LISTENING TO THE AMERICAN

ANTHEM BECAUSE IT HITS ITS MARKS, IT HAS ITS CADENCE, TELLS

YOU A STORY, OTHER ANTHEMS ARE LIKE "OUR COUNTRY IS BEAUTIFUL.

IT'S A NICE COUNTRY. THE LANDSCAPE, THE PEOPLE."

AMERICA IS LIKE "TRY US. JUST TRY US."

>> Stephen: LET ME ASK YOUR QUESTION, DOES THAT

STAR-SPANGLED BANNER YET WAVE O'ER THE LAND OF THE FREE IN THE

HOME OF THE BRAVE? >> Trevor: THE ANTHEM IS SO

THANKS TO HER. PUT THE WORD "BITCH" AT THE END

OF ANY LIEN IT FITS. >> Stephen: AND OUR FLAG WAS

STILL THERE, "BITCH." [APPLAUSE]

>> Trevor: THERE IS THE FLAG. WHAT HE GOING TO SAY NOW?

>> Stephen: O SAY CAN YOU SEE. WE WILL BRING THE FLAG TO YOUR

COUNTRY. >> Trevor: I SAY THIS WITH MY

AMERICAN FRIENDS, THEY'LL SAY SOMETHING.

ANY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD, WE COULD BE IN AUSTRALIA, GREECE,

KENYA. THEY WILL DO SOMETHING, THE

POLICE WILL COME, THEY WILL DO SOMETHING.

I AM MEEK AND TIMID AND THEY WILL GO NO, THIS IS NOT RIGHT.

YES, IF YOU HAVE AN AMERICAN PASSPORT, IT IS NOT RIGHT.

YOU KNOW THAT YOUR COUNTRY WILL COME FETCH YOU.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT SOUTH AFRICA'S CAPABILITIES ARE.

IF I'M IN ANOTHER COUNTRY AND I'M IN TROUBLE, I DON'T KNOW

THAT THE SOUTH AFRICAN GOVERNMENT CAN PHONE THAT

COUNTRY AND BE LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT WE'LL DO TO YOU?

THEY'LL BE LIKE, WHAT WILL YOU DO?

AND THEN AT ALL FALSE -- WHAT HAPPENED TO TREVOR?

>> Stephen: WE WILL SEND LADYSMITH BLACK MOB MOMBAZA TO T

YOU OUT