Trevor Noah Responds to Criticism after ‘Africa won the World Cup’ Joke

Host of “The Daily Show” Trevor Noah is in the eye of a storm after his jokes in the wake of France’s memorable World Cup triumph Sunday.

The South African-born comedian congratulated Africa for the victory, joking: “Africa won the World Cup! Africa won the World Cup!”

This is in reference to the many players of African descent selected by France coach Didier Deschamps for the Mundial.

He added that he knew the team was French, but “you don’t get that tan hanging out in the South of France.”

 

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His take on the matter brought a sharply critical letter from the French ambassador to the U.S., Gerard Araud, insisting France “does not refer to its citizens based on their race, religion or origin. To us there is no hyphenated identity.”

Noah however did not take the criticism lying down, as he read the letter to the studio audience during a break in Wednesday’s show, saying being French didn’t erase their African heritage.