Trevor Noah (‘Where Was I’ and ‘I Wish You Would’) on being nominated at Grammys, Emmys, Golden Globes at the same time [Exclusive Video Interview]
“Stand-up is such a difficult art form that I allow myself the most flexibility in finding creative inspiration,” reveals comedian Trevor Noah. “So I live life. I play with different ideas. I go on tangents. And oftentimes the kernel of what the special becomes presents itself randomly.” Watch our exclusive video interview above.
Noah is nominated for Best Variety Special (Pre-Recorded) at the Emmys for his 2022 comedy special “I Wish You Would,” whose recording also earned him a Grammy bid for Best Comedy Album. In it, he tackles issues including the COVID-19 pandemic. “That was my catharsis,” he explains. “That was my release. It was different when I was on ‘The Daily Show.’ I was speaking about the pandemic through the lens of news or through the lens of politics. Doing that material in the special is more on a personal level. It’s how I feel about the pandemic. It’s how we feel as people.”
He’s also nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Stand-Up Performance on Television, a brand new category, for his brand new special “Where Was I,” in which the comedian, among other things, reflects on American identity by exploring the world. “I’ve always been fascinated at the idea that people are so sure of who they are in relation to their nation when that is just defined by, oftentimes, the place where you emerged from somebody else’s body,” he says. “I find it to be so peculiar and fascinating and funny because it’s almost like we are children at a sports game cheering for a team that we’ve inherited from our parents.”
The Golden Globes take place on January 7. The strike-delayed Emmys follow on January 15. And then the Grammys, which Noah is also hosting, are on February 4. So he’s in for a busy few weeks of ceremonies. “It is quite a lot,” he admits. “It means I’ve got to watch what I eat for too long, which I’m not a big fan of, because the problem is you get your suit tailored, and your suit is pretty much made for your body in that moment.” It’s also “a lot of emotion to be honest with you.” And when one is over, “before you can even go back into normal life and settle down, it happens again. I don’t think I’ve experienced that before. So I’ll have to give you an update afterwards and let you know how it turned out.”
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