I have just been listening to Oprah’s chat with Trevor Noah during her Super Soul Sunday podcast. For years I have been fascinated by and enjoyed the comedy of Trevor Noah. I don’t see him as a comedian though, I see him as a storyteller whose stories make us laugh. I never imagined though that he would climb so high that he would break the South African ceiling and ascend to the world’s stage. I never imagined but I did hope.
I couldn’t wait to get my hands on his book when it was released in the hope of getting some insight into the life experience that gave rise to these stories and it did not disappoint. I guess as a Coloured person I saw him as one of “us” and, technically, by the old government’s definition, he is. His upbringing though was very different and in a lot of ways unique, so his life experience was unique. It was as though he is born to walk straddling two worlds at a time. I know that sounds strange so let me explain what I mean. He is neither white nor black but grew up as a black person. He was treated differently even within his own family because his skin was lighter. This led to very unique experiences for him as a child. Now he is a South African (and a proud one at that) living in New York and hosting a top-rated American show once again allowing him to experience the world from a unique point of view. I guess we all do but this guy…eish…his experiences seem to be the stuff of legend. Ok Ok I exaggerate but you know what I mean 🙂
I am in awe of Trevor Noah for various other reasons as well though.
- He is authentic- He has no airs and graces. He is always true to his roots.
- He has integrity – when he was first called by Jon Stewart and invited to the US, he turned him down because he was in the middle of a tour and didn’t want to disappoint his fans.
- He works hard– not just on the daily show. on everything. He puts 100% into everything he does.
- He is passionate about what he does – I love his Trump rants especially..lol
- He gives back – He has just launched the Trevor Noah foundation but that’s not all. Before he became an international sensation, he was touring South Africa with up and coming local comedians using his notoriety to raise theirs.
- He is wise – he views the world from a different perspective to most of us and, together with the wisdom his mom has handed to him, he has gained insight about the world that has led him to model behaviours and make decisions that have led him to where he is today.
I truly hope that he is working on part two of his book. I don’t know about you but I am dying to know how he went from becoming a stand-up comedian to the host of The Daily Show. He has done a ton of travelling in between so I can only imagine the stories he has to tell. I can’t wait. (Please release the next episode sooner rather than later Trevor!)
There is no way Trevor Noah has reached the top rung of his ladder yet. There is definitely more beyond the world that he can currently see. May he continue to rise.
What I love most about Trevor’s story though is that it is a reminder that anything is possible if you work hard. It’s a reminder that you don’t have to come from a rich family to achieve. It’s a reminder that we are all capable of greatness. We just have to believe while we work at it. It’s not gonna happen overnight, but it can and will happen. Don’t give up. Keep on rising.
I’ll leave with another of Trevor’s pearls of wisdom…
“Progression, in my opinion, is often identifying shortcomings – whether it’s views or the things you’re doing in your life, your relationships – and trying to find the places where you improve on those.” ~ Trevor Noah
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Grounded African 