Is New Hampshire Native Ronny Chieng the Next Host of ‘The Daily Show’?
About five years ago, I’d just checked in to do a spot at The Comedy Cellar in New York’s Greenwich Village. The Cellar can be a cliquey place, so depending on who you’re sharing the bill with, it’s just as easy to feel out-of-place and alienated as proud to be playing one of the best comedy clubs on the planet.
So, I was a bit surprised when someone tapped me on the shoulder and said, “Hey, are you Jon? I heard you’re from New Hampshire. I’m Ronny.”
If the name Ronny Chieng doesn’t mean much to you, now might be a good time to learn it. With the surprise announcement that Trevor Noah is stepping down from “The Daily Show” just seven years after replacing Jon Stewart, Chieng’s name has been tossed around in speculating on who will host the fourth incarnation of Comedy Central’s flagship show.
Correspondent Roy Wood Jr. seems to have the inside track, according to buzz from some of my old Cellar pals and industry gossip. With her TBS show canceled, Samantha Bee’s name has also been prevalent, as many feel she should’ve gotten the gig back in 2015 over Noah.
But remember, nobody saw Trevor Noah taking over for Jon Stewart, either. Chieng spent five years growing up in Manchester, New Hampshire, after moving with his family from Singapore. In 2016, he was named one of Ten Comics to Watch by Variety, and made his big-screen debut in the comedy “Crazy Rich Asians,” alongside Constance Wu, Akwafina, and “Hangover” star Ken Jeong.
And a quirk I wish I’d asked about: Chieng also apparently likes to collect watches.
I like nearly every comic who's been suggested out as a potential replacement at "The Daily Show," but it would be disloyal for me not to root for Ronny. I don’t know what it is about being from New Hampshire, but from wrestlers to comedians, New Hampshire folks always seem to seek each other out just to say hello.
What I can tell you is that Ronny Chieng is an incredibly funny talent, and it’ll be nice to see him eventually join the likes of Seth Meyers and Charles Rocket in bringing us the real fake news.