FAMU grad Roy Wood Jr., last night began what many largely viewed as his audition for the top spot on the “Daily Show”, the satirical Emmy-winning show, during his guest host stint which will run through April 6.
The show has employed guest hosts to fill in until Comedy Central finds a permanent replacement for Trevor Noah who departed the show last year.
His fellow Daily Show correspondent colleagues Ronny Chieng, Michael Kosta, Desi Lydic, Dulcé Sloan, Lewis Black and Jordan Klepper will also get their guest host shot on the program between now and the week of May 8.
TMZ reported in October 2022 that Wood Jr., a longtime correspondent on the show, is a candidate to fill Noah’s seat. The report said Wood Jr. is “in the running” to take over. “Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ that Comedy Central executives view Roy as someone who could potentially become the next face of ‘TDS’,” the TMZ story said. They reported Wood Jr.’s contract was coming up for renewal and Comedy Central executives consider him “a natural fit” to replace Noah.
“With decades of comedy experience under his belt — just check out his multiple acclaimed Comedy Central specials — plus the political bona fides to take on the current events aspect of the gig, given his many years serving as a correspondent on ‘The Daily Show,’ Wood Jr. would be a wonderful successor to Corden,” wrote TMZ’s Chris Murphy.
The show has employed guest hosts to fill in until Comedy Central finds a permanent replacement for Trevor Noah who departed the show last year.
His fellow Daily Show correspondent colleagues Ronny Chieng, Michael Kosta, Desi Lydic, Dulcé Sloan, Lewis Black and Jordan Klepper will also get their guest host shot on the program between now and the week of May 8.
TMZ reported in October 2022 that Wood Jr., a longtime correspondent on the show, is a candidate to fill Noah’s seat. The report said Wood Jr. is “in the running” to take over. “Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ that Comedy Central executives view Roy as someone who could potentially become the next face of ‘TDS’,” the TMZ story said. They reported Wood Jr.’s contract was coming up for renewal and Comedy Central executives consider him “a natural fit” to replace Noah.
“His dry and brutally honest takes about hot topics in American politics, from critical race theory to Black History Month, delight as much as they inform, and appearances on Stephen Colbert’s ‘The Late Show’ prove he can banter with the best of them.”
Murphy also said Wood Jr. would serve as “a welcome alternative to the homogeny” of the late-night scene historically dominated by white males.
Earlier this year, Wood Jr., was tapped to serve as this year's entertainer at the 2023 White House Correspondents’ Dinner. The 2001 FAMU broadcast journalism grad is the son of a journalist and educator Roy Wood Sr., who for a time taught in the FAMU journalism program. His mother was also an educator.
Upon graduation, he said he was interested in working at ESPN, where he could crack jokes and talk sports after riding the bench as a baseball player.