2. Trevor Noah, The Daily Show
In addition to shaking up the late night field status quo of non-existent diversity upon his selection to be Jon Stewart's replacement, Noah has managed to maintain the biting humor and the combination of jokes and real talk that made Stewart's show so successful, while also making it his own.
With his boyish face, charming smile and personality, he infuses the show with a youthful energy. More importantly, he brings a new perspective to it. Having grown up as a mixed race kid in South Africa during Apartheid, he has a deep connection and understanding of race relations in the U.S. and elsewhere. And he hasn't held back from sharing his knowledge with audiences through his jokes, going beyond the topic of race and providing a global viewpoint on American culture as a whole, as it is seen from an "outsider."
For example, in one episode, he compared American gun politics to that of other countries to express the idea that Americans' opinions on the matter are radically different from much of the rest of the world. In another episode he compared Donald Trump to African leaders — whom likely few, if any, viewers know much about. The fact that Noah finds a way to inject these tidbits and his "outsider" analysis in a comical, soft but authoritative way that is neither offensive or condescending, but rather quite palatable, is a testament to his talent.
Noah is intelligent, fearless, and charming. In short, he is a fine successor to Stewart and he's earned his place in the spotlight, the classification as a breakout star, and if we're lucky, many, many more seasons of The Daily Show.
Where else you may have seen him: His own stand-up comedy specials.
What's next: Probably/hopefully more Daily Show and stand-up.
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