The Daily Show's Roy Wood Jr. Announces Exit

The Daily Show is losing Roy Wood Jr. according to the comedian himself. In a new interview with NPR, the popular performer says that he's leaving the Comedy Central staple. But, there are no hard feelings between Wood and the show. Over the last few months, The Daily Show has been looking for a new host. Former head man Trevor Noah said that he was stepping down in a shocking moment for all the fans watching at home. From that moment, Comedy Central has been looking for the right person to sit behind the desk and deliver the kind of funny political observation that the show has been known for.

A lot of fans hoped that Roy Wood Jr. would be the man for the job. But, after months of deliberation, The Daily Show still hasn't announced a new host to follow in Noah's footsteps. Now, one of the strongest contenders for the seat has left the table entirely. His stint as a guest host on the show drew positive reviews. Most of the chatter online centered around Wood or Hasan Minhaj as the presumptive host. Now, neither might be the ones at the desk for a crucial 2024 cycle.

"I can't come up with Plan B is while still working with Plan A," Wood told NPR when asked about his decision. "The job of correspondent...it's not really one where you can juggle multiple things. [And] I think eight years is a good run."

The Daily Show Loses Roy Wood Jr.

So, with this move, The Daily Show is going to have to get creative with their search for a new lead voice. Existing contributors to the show haven't drawn as much buzz as Wood or Minhaj. Of course, Comedy Central is looking at this transition as key with a 2024 election cycle already starting to bubble on the back burner. Wood was down for the opportunity as he had tremendous respect for what The Daily Show is as an institution. 

"If you're offered the chance to host The Daily Show at any point in your life...you have to stop for a second and consider that," Wood explained to NPR. "The next question becomes, 'What does The Daily Show look like in 2024? And what does late night look like in 2024?'"

For their part, The Daily Show issued a statement to the outlet: "Roy Wood Jr. is a comedic genius and beloved teammate. His insights and hilarity helped us make sense of the 2016 election, the pandemic, and countless hours of Fox News. We thank him for his time with us and can't wait to see what he does next."

Who Will Be The Next Host of The Daily Show?

Recently, Minhaj came under fire for allegedly fabricating bits of his past in comedic material. That threw his candidacy for The Daily Show host into doubt. Noah left his post with a tearful goodbye message. Hopefully, the next host can inspire more emotion like this among the people watching at home.

"Then I look at this now and I don't take it for granted ever. Every seat that has ever been filled to watch something I'm doing is always appreciated because I know the empty seat that sits behind it," the host mused. "Thank you to people who watch, the people who share the clips, everyone who's had an opinion, everyone who's been kind enough and gracious enough, even if it's a critique."

"I've often been credited with having these grand ideas," Noah continued. "Who do you think teaches me, who do you think has shaped me, nourished me, informed me. From my mom, my gran, my aunts, all these black women in my life but then in America as well… I always tell people if you truly want to learn about America, talk to Black women. Because unlike everybody else Black women can't afford to fuck around and find out. Black people understand how hard it is when things go bad."

Who do you think the next host will be? Let us know down in the comments!