Hosting ‘The Daily Show’ – What Really Happened To Hasan Minhaj

India-West News Desk

LOS ANGELES, CA – Since Trevor Noah’s departure in 2022, The Daily Show has seen a revolving door of hosts, leaving fans eager for a permanent replacement. Two leading contenders were long-time correspondents Hasan Minhaj and Roy Wood Jr. While Wood chose to move on, Minhaj’s much-anticipated chance to take the desk was unexpectedly halted—reportedly due to a controversial article in The New Yorker scrutinizing his comedic style.

In a recent roundtable with The Hollywood Reporter, Minhaj and Wood opened up about the confusion and uncertainty that followed the article’s release. Wood recalled the tense atmosphere at The Daily Show after the news broke. “When they said Hasan’s not going to be the host, no one was given any details,” Wood said. “We were all trying to figure out, ‘If not Hasan, then who? Should I stay? What really happened?’ All we heard was that they were reopening the search.”

Minhaj, meanwhile, has taken the setback with humor and perspective. He shared a joke he made to a friend shortly after the news: “How bad is it?” he asked. The reply: “The article is bad, but the photos are good.” Minhaj quipped, “It’s funny to fail so badly that you bring back Jon Stewart. That’s objectively funny.”

When asked about how the rejection was delivered, Minhaj described the typical “showbiz call” — a polite but firm letdown. Despite the disappointment, Minhaj said, “Everything in life, good or bad, is fodder,” indicating his readiness to turn challenges into material.

The May 23 episode alongside Minhaj featured Roy Wood Jr., Chelsea Handler, Sarah Silverman, Jamie Foxx and Seth Meyers.