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Trevor Noah paid tribute to the ‘brilliant’ black women in his life on his final edition of The Daily Show Thursday.

In a segment, the South African comedian, 38, thanked his fans and the black women who ‘nourished and formed’ him and were ‘a lot of the reason why’ he’s been successful in show business.

Noah said, ‘Special shout out to black women – I’ve often been credited with having these grand ideas. People say, “Oh Trevor, you’re so smart.” I’m like, “Who do you think teaches me? Who do you think shaped me, nourished me and formed me?” 

‘From my mom, my grand[mom], my aunt, all these black women in my life, but in America as well. I tell people if you want to truly learn about America, talk to black women cause, unlike everybody else, black women can’t afford to f*** around and find out.’

Noah said that ‘blackpeople understand how hard it is when things go bad, especially in America, but any place where black people live… when things go bad, black people know that it’s worse for them.’

Noah said ‘blackwomen in particular, they know what s*** is. They know what happens if things do not go the way it should.’

Noah named a number of black leaders who are influential to him – a group consisting of Tarana Burke, Tressie McMillan Cottom, Roxane Gay and Zoé Samudzi – calling them ‘brilliant, brilliant women’ who informed, educated and argued with him.

‘Do yourself a favor: you truly want to know what to do or how to do it?’ he said. ‘Or maybe the best way or the most equitable way? Talk to black women – they’re a lot of the reason why I’m here and so I’m grateful to them. I’m grateful to every single one of you. This has been an honor. Thank you.’

On his final show, Noah looked back on his stewardship on the Comedy Central series, which began in September of 2015.

‘I remember when we started the show, we couldn’t get enough people to fill an audience,’ Noah said. ‘There were empty seats and then I look at this now, I don’t take it for granted ever. 

He continued: ‘Every seat that has ever been filled to watch something that I’m doing, I always appreciate it because I know there’s an empty seat that sits behind it so thank you so much. Thank you to the people who watch, the people who share the clips.’

Noah said he appreciated ‘everyone who’s had an opinion, everyone whose been kind enough and gracious enough, even if it’s a critique.

‘I wanna say I appreciate those people. Even the people who hate-watch, you still pulled up the ratings so thank you, I’m eternally grateful to you.’

In the monologue of his final program, Noah said, ‘Thank you so much for coming out and for tuning in – especially tonight. Because this is the final episode of The Daily Show with Trevor Noah. It’s not just that – it’s also a celebration.’

He joked, ‘When I started the show, I had three clear goals. I’m going to make sure Hillary gets elected, I’m going to make sure that I prevent a global pandemic from starting, and I’m going to become best friends with Kanye West.’

Noah then appeared in a series of goodbye segments featuring his contributors Michael Kosta, Dulcé Sloan, Ronny Chieng, Roy Wood Jr., Desi Lydic and Jordan Klepper.

Kosta told him he was sad he was leaving the show, adding, ‘You know what, I wouldn’t trade our friendship for anything, Trevor. ‘

In a mock exit interview, Noah told Desi Lydic, ‘Everyone who knows you is lucky to know you,’ adding that she was ‘one of the funniest people [he’s] ever met but one of the worst weather people [he’s] ever worked with.’

Sloan wished Noah well as she said he was headed for a career in films, to which Noah said, ‘I’m not actually leaving for a movie coming out leaving for another show. I don’t have anything lined up at the moment.’

She replied, ‘Wait a minute. So you are leaving a good job? You are quitting a job without having another job lined up? S***, are you crazy? You don’t leave a job!’

Chieng thanked Noah ‘for everything,’ adding, ‘You have changed my life,’ adding, ‘you had closer friends than me who are more talented than me, but you said, “No, I want this guy because you are adamant about having Asian representation on the show,” and I really appreciated it. 

‘The whole time here, it felt like it was just the two of us immigrants coming together to tell Americans what was wrong with them, which they always appreciate.’

After a few jokes, he ended his segment in telling Noah, ‘On behalf of everyone watching right now and from the bottom of my heart, can I be the new host?’

Wood did an extended bit in which he tried to coax Noah into saying he was not really from Africa.

‘Everybody has to do it to get the job, bro,’ he said. ‘Looking black, sounding British, that is how you get the job … that is how you play the game, man. Just be real with me, bro, just be real with me. It’s been seven years, you are not African!’

After Noah denied it, Wood said, ‘Whatever, it’s been a good run.’

After a segment featuring Klepper, Noah welcomed his friend Neal Brennan onto the series, where they spoke about Noah’s success and the keys to staying happy.

Brennan said, ‘I worry what’s going to happen when you wake up tomorrow at one in the afternoon: Do you realize that you’re not going to be the host of The Daily Show anymore?

He added, ‘Yeah, you’re just gonna be a best-selling author, who does comedy in sold-out arenas around the world,’ prior to handing him a bouquet of flowers.

The show also featured a segment of goodbyes from notable names such as Vice President Kamala Harris, Oprah Winfrey, Hillary Clinton, Issa Rae, Tracee Ellis Ross, Nick Offerman and Jesse Williams. 

Noah announced he was leaving the show during a September 29 taping in saying that he felt gratitude after seven years of hosting the show, which Jon Stewart left in 2015.

‘I realized, after the seven years, my time is up,’ the Johannesburg, South Africa-born TV personality said.

Noah said that ‘so many people didn’t believe in us,’ adding that ‘it was a crazy bet to make’ to anoint him host of the series.

‘I still think it was a crazy choice – this random African,’ he said. ‘I wanted to say thank you to the audience for an amazing seven years. It’s been wild. It’s been truly wild.’

Noah’s departure comes amid a time a number of his colleagues have ended their shows, including Conan O’Brien last year and Samantha Bee earlier this year.

Noah currently has a Netflix special titled I Wish You Would, and is set to hit the road next year on the Off the Record Tour, which will tour through 28 cities.

The Daily Show initially hit the air in 1996 on Comedy Central with Craig Kilborn hosting. Jon Stewart was host of the show between 1999 until 2015.

The show is slated to return to the air January 17, as a number of guests hosts have been announced. They include Al Franken, Chelsea Handler, D.L. Hughley, Leslie Jones, John Leguizamo, Hasan Minhaj, Kal Penn, Sarah Silverman, Wanda Sykes and Marlon Wayans.