Hasan Minhaj is a correspondant for “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah.” Credit: Courtesy of Comedy Central
The future of the Supreme Court, the fate of the Affordable Care Act, free trade, higher education and U.S. foreign policy. This election is no laughing matter — unless you work for “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah.”
In a conference call to college reporters, Hasan Minhaj and Roy Wood Jr., correspondents for the satirical news show, dished on what it’s been like trying to make light of what has been by many standards a divisive and rhetorically brutal election season.
“Comedy is helpful … to help people keep their sanity through all of this,” Wood said. “It reminds you that you’re not alone in feeling a certain way.”
Minhaj and Wood discussed everything from millennial voter turnout to third parties, as well as how they find jokes in dark stories and the perspective they to the news bring as minorities.
“I think the two-party system is a very narrow-minded way to conduct elections. I don’t necessarily buy into the notion that (third parties) throw elections. I do think they bring attention to issues that other parties don’t pay attention to.” — Roy Wood Jr., correspondent for “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah.”
“Speaking on my perspective as an immigrant … this democracy thing — do not take it for granted,” Minhaj said. “We are very lucky. It is a flawed system, but it’s the best system we have to bring about change in the world.”
Minhaj went on to call America’s ability to change and respond to its citizens “pretty dope.”
Wood spent some of his time speaking on the high esteem he held for third parties.
Roy Wood Jr. is a correspondent for “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah.” Credit: Courtesy of Gavin Bond
“I think the two-party system is a very narrow-minded way to conduct elections,” he said. “I don’t necessarily buy into the notion that (third parties) throw elections. I do think they bring attention to issues that other parties don’t pay attention to.”
Wood went on to credit Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont who ran for the Democratic presidential nomination, for pushing Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton’s platform to the left on issues like the cost of higher education.
“I do think (third parties) should be included in the debates,” Wood said. “I feel bad they don’t have a seat on the table.”
Zach Horn, a third-year in environment, economy development and sustainability, said he keeps up with political news regularly, but still gets a good amount of his news from “The Daily Show.”
“It offers me an outlet to see some of the news I might miss,” he said. “And then I can … look up The New York Times and Washington Post articles they’ve referenced.”
Horn also said he thought voters would be better served by watching “The Daily Show.”
“It’s a good way to draw people into what’s happening,” he said. “I think it would get more people interested in politics in general.”
Wood also made a point to tell voters that the current state of American politics might not necessarily end on Tuesday.
“(Republican presidential nominee) Donald Trump has awakened a lot of people in this country who haven’t been heard in a long time,” he said. “They’re going to be interested in political representation. 2018 will probably hold as much weight (as 2020).”
Minhaj and Wood are set to continue their political coverage when “The Daily Show” hosts its live Election Day special, airing from 11 p.m. to midnight on Comedy Central.
