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- Trevor Noah has won Europe's Erasmus Prize, making him the first comedian to win the prestigious prize since Charlie Chaplin in 1965.
- The award is given annually to a "person or institution that has made an exceptional contribution to the humanities, the social sciences or the arts, in Europe and beyond".
- "With his sharp-minded, mocking yet inclusive political comedy, Noah, in the eyes of the jury, upholds the 'Erasmian Spirit'," reads a press statement by The Praemium Erasmianum Foundation.
Trevor Noah's comedic talents are making the South African a historical figure.
The former Daily Show host has won Europe's Erasmus Prize, making him the first comedian to win the prestigious prize since Charlie Chaplin in 1965.
What is the Erasmus Prize?
Named after Dutch philosopher and humanist scholar Desiderius Erasmus, who lived from 1466 to 1536, the prize is selected by the Praemium Erasmianum Foundation – a cultural institution founded in 1958 by Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands that is active in the fields of humanities, social sciences and the arts. The award is given annually to a "person or institution that has made an exceptional contribution to the humanities, the social sciences or the arts, in Europe and beyond" and comes with a cash prize of €150 000 (R2.9 million).
The Praemium Erasmianum Foundation announced Noah as the winner of the Erasmus Prize on Thursday.
"He receives the prize for his inspired contribution to the theme In Praise of Folly, named after Erasmus' most famous book, filled with humour, social criticism and political satire," reads a press statement.
The foundation revealed that "only once before in its 65-year history has a humourist won the Erasmus Prize: Charlie Chaplin received the award from His Highness Prince Bernhard in 1965".
Noting that Noah's time as host of The Daily Show coincided with Donald Trump's Presidency, Covid-19 and the Black Lives Matter movement, the foundation praised the comedian for "his astute reflections on such issues," adding he had "garnered a young, diverse and global audience and, in the process, infused a highly polarised media landscape with a breath of fresh air."
Furthermore, Noah was lauded for staking his claim "in the world of contemporary political satire" and becoming "an inspiration to budding talents and a curator of comedy shows in Africa".
"Satirical humour may be provocative, shocking and even offensive, but it is fundamental in a free society," wrote Lyn Snodgrass - Associate Professor and Head of Department of Political and Conflict Studies, Nelson Mandela University - for The Conversation in 2016. "Charlie Chaplin observed that: 'The function of comedy is to sharpen our sensitivity to the perversions of justice within the society in which we live'."
The foundation concluded the above observation "applies equally to Noah and his work," giving even more reason to award him the prestigious prize.
This is not the first time Noah has been internationally recognised for his work in humour.
He has been nominated for and won multiple NAACP Image Awards for his outstanding work as host of The Daily Show and won two for his autobiography, Born A Crime.
Noah has also been nominated for multiple Emmy Awards and has won MTV awards and Nickelodeon Kids' Choice awards for his work.
Noah made his breakthrough in stand-up comedy at a young age. His solo shows, among them, The Daywalker (2009), Crazy Normal (2011), That's Racist (2012), and It's My Culture (2013), made him a household name in South Africa.
The 39-year-old rose to fame in the US when he signed on to host The Daily Show. In 2022, the talk show picked up the most Emmy nominations since Noah became host, attributing to his magnetic charm.
In September, Noah announced his time as host of "the most popular satirical television programme in the world" was ending.
He said goodbye to The Daily Show on 8 December.
READ MORE | Trevor Noah's emotional goodbye to The Daily Show: 'This has been an honour. Thank you'
After seven years of consistency, Noah is now travelling the world while entertaining fans with his Off the Record stand-up tour. He will bring his show to South Africa in August and September.
READ MORE | Trevor Noah adds more shows to SA line-up
