NEW YORK.- Trevor Noah is ready to face one of the most difficult audiences of his career: millions of viewers who will see him once again as host of the Grammy.
“It’s by far the most stressful thing I do, but I love it every time,” Noah told The Associated Press days before Sunday’s ceremony. “Every year there is a new highlight and a new moment that becomes embedded in my memory.”
Los Awards 2024 Grammys will stream live on CBS, Paramount+, TNT and HBO Max from the Crypto.com Arena in The Angels. The ceremony, with SZA as the most nominated with nine mentions, will be Noah’s fourth consecutive edition as host of the awards.
Noah said he’s looking forward to the live performances, especially those from nominated artists Burna Boy, Billie Eilish, Dua Lipa and Travis Scott.
“I love seeing artists who have an innate understanding of how different and powerful the live experience is, and I think Burna Boy is one of those artists,” Noah said. “He really excels at transforming live energy into a special moment in time.
“Billie Eilish has never given a half-assed performance. Every time she’s on stage, it feels like you’re watching a vignette from a classic movie. It’s really thoughtful and it’s beautiful. I think Dua Lipa is one of the best pop performers of our time. She does a fantastic job for this generation. Travis Scott is definitely going to do something crazy, so we should prepare for that. I would tune in because I think (the Grammys) are a good mix of predictably awesome and then unpredictably awesome too “.
The Trevor Noah moment
The comedian, famous for hosting The Daily Show from Comedy Central from 2015 to 2022, just won an Emmy Award for Best Comedy and Variety Program for the show’s final season. He previously won an Emmy in 2017 for hosting a spin-off show, The Daily Show – Behind the Sceneswhich was nominated for short-form variety series.
Noah is not only a host this year, he’s also nominated, with his comedy album I Wish You Would competing against I’m an Entertainer the Wanda Sykes, Selective Outrage de Chris Rock, Someone You Love by Sarah Silverman and What’s in a Name? by Dave Chappelle.
“I’ve reviewed all of the Grammy bylaws, and there’s nothing that says hosting will give you any advantage in winning the award,” Noah joked. “I think Dave Chappelle is the favorite because he’s always the favorite, and rightly so.”
If that happens, don’t expect Noah to complain that he lost the Grammy to Chappelle or that this is the second time he’s lost a Best Comedy Album Grammy to him.
“I don’t understand how people live in a world where you can lose something you never had. I’ve never won a Grammy. I don’t have a Grammy. Unless Dave Chappelle comes to my house and takes my Grammy. I can never lose the Grammy against him,” he says.
Awards emcees have had a tough few years recently, with The Slap tarnishing the Oscars in 2022 and comedian Jo Koy coming under fire at this year’s Golden Globes.
The host challenge
“I think it was always difficult being a host. I always assumed that anything could happen. I guess the very nature of comedy has always felt that way to me,” Noah says. “I never blame the audience. I may not enjoy an audience, but I never blame the audience.”
Harvey Mason Jr., president and CEO of the Recording Academy, has endorsed Noah, calling the comedian a total pro as a host.
“There’s no hesitation, there’s never a hiccup. There’s never a hiccup. Plus, he relates very well to the artists and the music community, I think, because he’s a fan and an appreciator and a lover of music,” Mason said.
Noah says he’s enjoying his life after The Daily Show, which includes hosting the interview podcast What Now? with Trevor Noahwhich has had guests such as Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Bill Gates, Kerry Washington and DaBaby.
“I’m trying to build a platform where I feel really comfortable and where people feel really comfortable having honest, open conversations with each other,” Noah says. “We’re a little short on that compassion for others as human beings.”
Source: AP
