An open letter to Trevor Noah

An old exercise in venerating my heroes. One of several letters written what feels like a lifetime ago.

Hey Trevor,

Your impressions are top notch, you’re ridiculously funny, and you’ve paved the way for innovation in entertainment for minorities and fringe folks everywhere.

This doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of what you’ve done for me, or the world for that matter.

I love that, being from completely different backgrounds and upbringings, you can be such a singular presence in my life. I watch your show nearly every day; I’ve seen nearly every episode of The Daily Show. I was a fan of Jon Stewart, but with you, Trevor, I can see so much more of myself. Your culture is present and fearless. It connects with audiences in a way that few can compare to.

Your autobiography made me well up in tears from cover to cover. I can’t stress this enough: your impact on culture and the political monsoon of the 2010s has made me a more well-rounded artist. I can feel more of my true self come into being, growing stronger with every P.O.C correspondent. You allow us, the proverbial me, to see ourselves in the media as true intellectuals for a change. I can feel stereotypes growing weaker every day, and we have you to thank in part.

Cheers,

Roger