Originally written by Carl White.
When South African Trevor Noah appeared on the late-night television scene several years ago, I was completely surprised. The name wasn’t familiar to me. He seemed to handle himself quite well as the host of The Daily Show, replacing Jon Stewart. I had many questions about the young comic. These were answered when I viewed You Laugh, But It’s True (2014) through the Library’s Hoopla database.
Noah is the son of an African woman and a Norwegian father. He grew up during the Apartheid when intermarriage was discouraged. As he grew older, he became interested in the field of comedy. There were only a few Black comedians in Africa, and they had worked on their craft for years. Black and white comedians considered him an upstart who hadn’t paid his dues. This didn’t stop him. Instead, he launched a one-man comedy tour, which was very successful.
This is a documentary and commentary about Noah’s life. It’s very interesting and funny. It also reveals a stunning tragedy that affected his life. The film shows how he avoided getting involved with crime on the streets to become a successful and popular television personality.
I thought You Laugh, But It’s True was uplifting. It’s renewed my faith in the human spirit.
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