Kanye, Will Smith, and How Social Media Pollutes the Well of Civil Discourse by Trevor Noah

Podcast from the Awards Circuit: Trevor Noah received seven Emmy nominations for “The Daily Show.” Additionally: The Roundtable discusses the wide-open Emmy elections this year.

Trevor Noah acknowledges that he didn’t anticipate his social media exchange with Kanye West earlier this year to go as viral as it did.

After Noah highlighted West’s treatment of ex-wife Kim Kardashian on “The Daily Show,” West retaliated by calling Noah a racial slur on Instagram, which resulted in West being suspended from the service for a day. When this happened, Noah replied on Instagram, saying “I don’t care if you support Trump and I don’t care if you roast Pete. The biggest trick racists ever performed on black people was teaching us to strip each other of our blackness if we disagree. I am concerned, though, if I see you travelling in a direction that could lead to pain or disaster.

West’s presence at the Grammys, which Noah hosted, was cancelled, a decision that Noah condemned. In an interview with Variety’s Awards Circuit Podcast, Noah gave his reasoning for his response.

He explains, “I’ve just grown more at ease voicing my mind in circumstances when I feel like the mob forgets that we’re dealing with humans. It’s simple to observe a train collision from a distance, remain silent, and let it happen. Then, after the train derailment, we exclaim, “Oh, I saw it coming!” So why didn’t you speak up then? You have a responsibility to speak the truth, especially if you have some sort of platform. You know, observe something and communicate.

“And I also realise that people are a conundrum. We have the ability to love those we despise and despise those we cherish. The complexity and paradox of the human race as a whole. I don’t like living in a world where people are continuously treated like garbage, therefore Someone who has left a lasting influence on my life is Kanye West. I’ve practically been through different stages of my life because to his music, but there are also times when I think, “Man, Kanye, you’re going off the rails here.” However, I can still assert, “I care about you as a person, which is why I’m speaking up. I’m not going to stop caring about you or start to despise you all of a sudden. That is how I attempt to view the world and how I would like others to view me.

“I hope you’ll be able to tell that person, ‘Hey, I believe what you’re doing here is wrong,’ if I’ve engaged you as a human being and if you like me or anyone in your life. I believe you might be moving in a risky direction. I like you, so I’m stating it to you. I don’t treat you inhumanely. And I believe that we have grown extremely accustomed to throwing away people, writing them off as irredeemable individuals. Rather, I believe that each of us deserves the chance to change for the better. We should all be given the chance to find atonement.

We speak with the host of “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah” on this episode of Variety’s Awards Circuit podcast about a variety of subjects, including how to produce a topical late-night show when the news is so often depressing. The success of his correspondents, the possibility that he is the only weeknight talk show host without a COVID, how he was able to rekindle his audience’s enthusiasm, and the show’s numerous Emmy nominations—seven for “The Daily Show” and its companion series, which is the most since Noah took over as host in 2015. below to hear!

Noah offers a lot of intriguing ideas about how society in the social media age is so eager to pass judgement on people’s behaviour, whether they are celebrities or not. Just days had passed since Will Smith had smacked Chris Rock on the Oscars stage when he hosted the Grammys. And while Noah only briefly touched on it during his awards ceremony, it was still one of the most important news items at the time. However, he claims that the concept that it was “another incident when people were so willing to toss a human person away” also upset him.

He declares, “I find it fascinating.” “If we judge it by the standards of justice, or even just by the standards of compassion… What wrong nullifies all rights, and how many rights are worth a wrong? When does someone become evil? I was surprised by the number of people who simply said, “Will Smith is a trash human being and he is the worst person, he should be in jail,” without any further thought. Whoa, wow, I thought. Okay.’ I found that to be incredibly fascinating. Rather than stating, “This guy that we’ve loved for so long, who hasn’t done a single thing wrong,” Here, something went wrong. What exactly went wrong, if anything? Must we enter that? Should we investigate its humanity? Should we inquire or pose questions? Do we even care? That’s not the world we live in anymore, nope, nope.

People are immediately characterised, he continues. And a grey area is not where you can exist. You cannot have done something bad and be a good person. Additionally, it is impossible to be a horrible person and do good. Either you’re a good person or you’re a bad person. There you have it. According to your most recent activity, society will then change its mind about you. I make an effort not to let myself become really engrossed in that.

Of course, social media is largely to blame for the quick, loud, and intrusive response that the world now has to almost everything.

One of the worst things social media has done to us, in Noah’s opinion, is reward the hot take. “It has rewarded the most extreme expression of every available opinion. Unfortunately, the algorithm won’t push a nuanced opinion you express in a tweet as far because it doesn’t engage as many people, and engagements are what social media is all about. The issue is that raising tensions is the best way to generate the most engagements. And although that’s excellent for a social media company’s financial line, it’s horrible for us as people.

“The greatest method to draw everyone’s attention on the freeway is to produce a significant collision,” he said. Everyone will pause and turn to look, but it won’t be good for the freeway. I like to picture society as being on a motorway with everyone attempting to go someplace. On social media, that algorithm is aware that if I can make this into a major pileup or catastrophe, everyone will stop and respond. And I don’t believe that’s best for us as a species.

The Comedy Central late-night programme “The Daily Show” returned to its former facilities this spring, bringing with it an in-studio audience for the first time in two years.

Noah confesses, “I believe I took it for granted. “When the epidemic first started, I don’t believe I really considered what a difference it would make to have individuals that I was speaking to as the proxies for the audience at home because it was such a novelty. And at first, it was enjoyable, interesting, and unique. It was fascinating. And I found some aspects of doing the show without an audience enjoyable. But with time, you start to forget that you’re not grinning as much and that you’re not looking someone in the eye. You don’t realise how much our own emotions are influenced by those of others. The audience’s ability to uplift me is probably one of the things I’ve enjoyed most about returning to a studio with one. With them, I enjoy myself. We converse with one another and talk about current events. And it starts to focus more on the conversations I’m having with other people about the things we’re all going through, rather than what’s going on inside my head.

The “Daily Program” has received numerous Emmy nominations this year, including ones for outstanding variety talk show and writing for a variety series. “The Daily Show Presents: Jordan Klepper Fingers the Globe – Hungary for Democracy” was nominated for an award for outstanding writing for a variety special in the ever-expanding “The Daily Show” universe.

The problem with Jordan, according to Noah, is that he frequently gives the impression of being a mentalist or doing magic. But according to someone who has had the privilege of working with Jordan Klepper and conversing with him on all kinds of topics, what makes Jordan Klepper so good at what he does is that he listens. He pays close attention to what others have to say. I suppose his background in improv is the cause. He is a really fantastic improv. And so he does. And it’s fascinating how many paradoxes you’ll find in American politicians.

The fourth nomination for “Between the Scenes” for finest short form nonfiction or reality series was also received. Desi Lydic also received her first-ever individual Emmy nomination when she was nominated for outstanding actress in a short form comedy or drama series (for “Desi Lydic Foxsplains”).

Noah declares, “I do not take any of this for granted. “I am aware that tomorrow it will all be over. I therefore try my best every day. Never forget that we’re fortunate to be on television, I continually remind my staff. We’re fortunate that people continue to view what we produce. Therefore, I mean, that’s absurd for the nominees. It speaks well of the group. With the help of my executive producer Jen Flanz, our staff has increased from, I believe, 90 or so when I took over, to 140 or 150. It’s evidence of how hard everyone worked.

Our Awards Circuit Roundtable explores this year’s wide-open races on this episode of the Variety Awards Circuit Podcast as the Emmy voting comes to a close on Monday.

Michael Schneider’s “Awards Circuit” podcast from Variety is the place to go to hear engaging discussions about the finest in movies and television. Every week, “Awards Circuit” contains interviews with leading actors, directors, writers, and other creatives from film and television, as well as discussions and debates about award races and recent news in the industry. You can subscribe through Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or any other podcast downloader. Weekly new episodes are posted.