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Many people are familiar with Trevor Noah. He is best known for being the host of Comedy Central’s The Daily Show, where he provides satirical commentary on many issues in the world every day.

Although the 35-year-old had accomplished a lot before he came on to The Daily Show, not a lot of folks are familiar with the kinds of work he did. If you’re curious to know what Trevor Noah’s job was before he became a known face on Comedy Central, read on below to find out.

Trevor Noah was born and raised in South Africa

Fans who have seen either The Daily Show or his stand-up performances are well aware that Trevor Noah is not American. The comedian has been very open about his country of origin and what his life was like growing up.

Trevor Noah was born in 1985 in Johannesburg to a white father and black mother. Much of his early childhood was spent during apartheid, where interracial relationships were prohibited, so life for Trevor Noah was not easy. He documented a lot of his experiences in his 2016 bestselling autobiography, Born a Crime.

Trevor Noah did a lot of comedy and hosting in South Africa

Despite the fact that Trevor Noah went through a lot of hardship, he still wanted to put a smile on other people’s face.

After university, being inspired by the likes of Eddy Murphy and Chris Rock, Trevor Noah began doing stand-up comedy around South Africa alongside other comedians in the country as well as some international celebrities like Gabriel Iglesias and Russell Peters.

His funny personality subsequently allowed him to expand into hosting gigs for various South African TV programs. Trevor Noah even got the chance to compete on the South African version of Strictly Come Dancing in 2008 and he won second place.

In 2010, Trevor Noah created his own late night talk show called Tonight with Trevor Noah. It was on the air for two seasons.

Trevor Noah went to America to escape his violent ex-stepfather

In 2011, Trevor Noah left South Africa and relocated to Los Angeles. He recalled that it was a decision made because of his violent ex-stepfather.

Trevor Noah’s mother, Patricia, remarried in 1992 and both she and Trevor suffered at the hands of her new husband. The couple divorced in 1996, but when Patricia remarried in 2009, her ex-husband tracked her down and shot her in the head. Fortunately, Patricia survived. However, when Trevor Noah confronted his ex-stepfather, the guy threatened to kill Trevor Noah. As such, the comedian packed his bags and left the country.

In the U.S., Trevor Noah became a hit with American audience. He appeared on shows such as such as The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and Late Show with David Letterman before joining The Daily Show with Jon Stewart as a correspondent.

Trevor Noah became the host of ‘The Daily Show’ in 2015

After a short stint on The Daily Show as a correspondent, Trevor Noah became a full-time host upon the departure of Jon Stewart.

Trevor Noah once shared that, when he got the news that he had been given the hosting position, it was an unbelievable moment for him. “I’m in Dubai—I’m literally driving the middle of the night, and my phone rings,” he said. “And my manager says, ‘How would you like to be the host of The Daily Show?’ And I get out of the car, and my legs—I didn’t have legs.”

Nevertheless, Trevor Noah was the perfect person for the job. He has won many awards for his role on The Daily Show and become a familiar face on TV every weekday.

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