Jon Stewart is breaking his silence on the controversy surrounding his Daily Show replacement, Trevor Noah, after anti-Semitic tweets were dredged up from his past.
After Stewart’s replacement was announced late last month, there’s been a lot of backlash surrounding Comedy Central’s decision to hire Noah.
The network has stood by him, saying in a statement, “To judge him or his comedy based on a handful of jokes is unfair.”
CBS News reports Stewart is now asking viewers to give Noah a chance.
“I do hope you give him an opportunity to earn that trust and respect because my experience with him is that he is an incredibly thoughtful and considerate and funny and smart individual, and man, I think, you give him that time, and it's going to be well worth it,” he said on Monday’s show.
He did first have to joke about the “kerfuffle,” saying he wasn’t entirely sure if he ever fully earned the viewers’ respect.
“Trevor Noah will earn your trust and respect -- or not. Just as I earned your trust and respect -- or did not. Or sometimes earned it and then lost it. And then kind of got it back,” he joked.
image via Tina Kaawaloa/INFevents.com