The Daily Show host Trevor Noah stopped by Late Night with Seth Meyers on Monday to discuss the South African comedian’s first American presidential election. Noah has been covering it since Jon Stewart left the show in August. He’s no stranger to the process, but that didn’t stop him from playing the fool for the benefit of his and Meyers’ jokes. Plus, he really likes Republican candidate and children’s boogeyman Ben Carson.
“My favorite candidate is Ben Carson. He’s going to be out soon,” said Noah. A lone audience member, thinking The Daily Show host to be serious, briefly cheered the admission. Noah and Meyers used the opportunity to riff at the person’s expense, but the former quickly launched back into his reasons for liking Carson.
“He has so many layers to him. Trump is Trump, we get it. But Ben Carson is layered. He’s like a man of mystery. He’s got a dangerous side that maybe didn’t actually happen, which is even more dangerous. And he’s chill. I like that. On top of everything, he’s just like, ‘Ugh.'”
Comedians, reporters and pundits don’t have too much trouble lampooning Donald Trump, but the same could be said for Carson. (Like when the retired neurosurgeon’s campaign accidentally forgot parts of New England in a failed geography lesson.) Noah, however, doesn’t think so. For him, Carson’s personality and campaign are far richer, which results in more material for his revered Comedy Central program.