Handpicked by John Stewart to replace him as host of The Daily Show, Trevor Noah is already proving to be a controversial figure for the producers at Comedy Central.
The South African comedian is relatively unknown in North America but his tweets and comments from his early career in comedy have preceded his inaugural appearance on the popular program.
Critics claim that Noah’s early comedy proves he is misogynistic and anti-Semitic.
Producers of the Daily Show are staunchly defending the new host, “they were bad jokes of a young comedian testing the boundaries.”
A number of the older jokes were presented for comment including such examples as: “South Africans know how to recycle like Israel knows how to be peaceful” and “A hot white woman with ass is like a unicorn. Even if you do see one, you’ll probably never get to ride it.”
The spokesperson defended Noah by stating, “Well, come on that second one’s funny ‘cause, you know… it’s, like, true.”
Noah is not the first celebrity to face scrutiny and backlash from past lapses in judgement. While the Kardashians have been able to turn negatives into financial positives, others find themselves in defensive positions trying to apologise for comments made on social media.
The relatively new trend of celebrities broadcasting their thoughts before thinking has not gone un-noticed by those looking to cash in on behavioural science and modification.
Google, whose nanotech watch planned for release in five years with the ability to find cancer cells, and Apple, whose new watch features a foot tapping Mickey Mouse, are now both in an arms race to develop the next level of smartwatch that will be able to chaperone celebrities and their access to social media through electric shocks.
A Google source who wished to remain anonymous said, “Until we can get UN sanctions to allow us to farm innocuous celebrities with the sole purpose of future fame, this will be the next best thing in controlling what people fine offensive.”
When challenged that their technology would eliminate creativity, the source said, “As long as there are stupid celebrities and a mass audience desiring to be angry over anything and everything there is money to be made. After that, we’ll just have to rely on drunks uploading things to YouTube and nobody’s found a way to make money off of them yet.”