The Daily Show starts off its new year with dates for the show’s guest hosts. The illustrious Trevor Noah gave up his seat behind Comedy Central’s most iconic desk in December when he surprised staff and fans alike with his announcement that he had decided to leave The Daily Show. Comedy Central is going to work to replace him by testing out a string of new comedy stars. Some have been on The Daily Show before. Some have even hosted their own comedy news show. But with such big shoes to fill, fans of the show are wondering how any guest host could possibly replace Noah. But The Daily Show has been in this predicament before.

When Jon Stewart left the show in 2015, viewers thought that it might be the end of the show entirely. Stewart was The Daily Show. And he remains to this day, one of the great political satirists of our time. Noah had been brought to the foot of a tall mountain when he started his tenure. But he took over with a grace and wit fans came to adore over the course of seven years. The seat behind that desk has become a venerated position in the world of comedy. Now we turn a critical eye on just who is qualified to host The Daily Show.

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Leslie Jones

     NBCUniversal

Leslie Jones is a veteran of Saturday Night Live and will be hosting The Daily Show from January 17 to 19. With an impressive stand-up resumé, Jones starred in the 2016 Ghostbusters reboot and has most recently hosted the game show Supermarket Sweep. She played in Eddie Murphy’s 2021 sequel Coming 2 America and has been seen on Taika Waititi’s show Our Flag Means Death. She’s also been a guest host on Ellen.

Jones’ strongest act comes from her many appearances on SNL’s Weekend Update, a comedy news segment that satirizes current events from the previous week. Though she was the oldest person ever to join the cast of Saturday Night Live, she brought an intense youthful energy to the show and proved that she was just as good at performing as she was at writing. She’ll need both skills to guest-host The Daily Show.

Wanda Sykes

     Netflix

Wanda Sykes has been one of the great American comedians since she started doing stand-up in 1987. She’ll be hosting The Daily Show from January 23 to 26. Highly respected by her peers, Sykes has won numerous awards for her comedy and is often brought in as a guest star on popular shows. You’ve probably already heard her voice on Futurama, The Simpsons, or Bojack Horseman.

Sykes has worked with Stewart before on shows like Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist, and has been a staple of Comedy Central since the ’90s. She’s also already appeared on The Daily Show as a guest star, under both Stewart and Noah. She’s a heavy hitter in the comedy scene, and she’ll be tough to compete with if anyone else wants that chair.

D.L. Hughley

     ABC

D.L. Hughley is known to be an excellent show host and stand-up comedian, and he’ll host The Daily Show from January 30 to February 2. Though he had a long career before it, Hughley is best known for his work on The Original Kings of Comedy where he performed alongside Bernie Mac, Steve Harvey, and Cedric the Entertainer. He performed in Def Comedy Jam, starting his career with greats like J.B. Smoove, Chris Rock, and Dave Chapelle.

Hughley currently hosts The D.L. Hughley Show, a late-night talk show that covers current events affecting African-Americans. The show has been called raw, unapologetic, and thoroughly funny. He is quite respected among comedians and has a lot of experience hosting his own shows. He is certainly an excellent pick to host The Daily Show.

Chelsea Handler

Chelsea Handler is a politically active comedian who will host The Daily Show from February 6 to 9. She’s an accomplished author and documentarian who has had several of her books make the New York Times Best Seller List. She has frequented Comedy Central’s stand-up line, but she’s mostly known for her news show, Chelsea Lately, which she ran for seven years.

Handler has been in the spotlight for dating rappers and releasing sex tapes, but she has always been exonerated in the public eye due to her unabashed honesty and quick wit. She’s better known for using her comedic talents in pursuit of social justice. She is a strong proponent of women’s healthcare and often uses her personal experiences to send a message of compassion to those women and girls who might be struggling. Her mix of comedy and political activism makes her an ideal candidate for The Daily Show.

Sarah Silverman

Sarah Silverman is another top-tier comic, and she’ll be hosting The Daily Show from February 13 to 16. Silverman has been distinguishing herself in comedy and acting since she was fired from Saturday Night Live in 1994. Though her style didn’t fit the show that helped, so many comedians get their start, she has used her independence to define the world around her instead of letting it define her. She’s often mentioned among comedy greats like Dave Atell, Amy Poehler, and Jane Lynch.

Silverman is known for her show The Sarah Silverman Program and was often featured in Comedy Central’s A-list of stand-up comedians. She became increasingly political during the 2016 presidential election, but she is better known for her brash and unique style of comedy. She’s starred in popular movies like School of Rock, Wreck-it Ralph, and Seth MacFarlane’s A Million Ways to Die in the West. Her strong voice and hilarious style make her a powerful contender to host The Daily Show.