In the months since Trevor Noah’s exit from “The Daily Show,” everyone from all corners has thrown in their own picks for who should take over as host on the late night show — including us here at /Film, when BJ Colangelo made her pitch for Roy Wood, Jr. But in a development that one can imagine will be well-received by most, it seems increasingly likely that Hasan Minhaj will step up and take the big job.
Variety reports that Comedy Central had hoped to fill the vacancy by May of this year, but the writer’s strike — officially enacted by the WGA when the AMPTP producers guild refused to bargain for a new contract in good faith — ultimately added further complications to such plans. “The Daily Show” hasn’t aired any episodes in the time since the strike began, not even repeats, so viewers will have to wait until a new deal is reached before any new episodes with the new host come to fruition. The report also cautions that there is no guarantee that Minhaj will actually be chosen, especially in light of the fact that “a deal is not believed to have been finalized.” But it remains clear that he’s now considered among the finalists for the position, with his previous experience on the show almost certainly working in his favor.
Should an announcement follow in the weeks or months ahead, headlines about Minhaj hosting “The Daily Show” should lead to a renewed interest in the late night show after the lengthy hiatus during the strike.