Trevor Noah fashions himself a modern Charlie Chaplin, compares Trump to African dictators, Hitler

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Trevor Noah compares Trump to Hitler

In a recent interview, 'The Daily Show' host Trevor Noah compared President Trump to African dictators and Adolf Hitler, and said the president processes information in a 'simplistic way.'

“The Daily Show” host Trevor Noah compared President Trump to African dictators and Adolf Hitler, and said the president processes information in a “simplistic way” during a scathing conversation in which he said the “Charlie Chaplin effect” helps put a "positive" spin on current politics.

Noah discussed hosting a late-night show with Gold Derby, a Hollywood publication dedicated to various entertainment awards. The funnyman was asked what he has learned after nearly three years on the job, and quickly turned the conversation toward politics.

“I think there are many lessons I’ve learned while hosting the show but those lessons are oftentimes overshadowed by learning how to live in America under a Trump presidency, which has been as exciting as learning how to be the host of ‘The Daily Show,’” Noah said.

Noah – who was born in South Africa -- said Trump has made it easier for him to understand American politics because “he himself processes the information in such a simplistic way” and even compared him to brutal tyrants.

“Trump reminds me in many ways of many African dictators. His demeanor, his style, who he presents himself as and how he processes his power is something that’s all too familiar, not just for an African but for someone from the Middle East, for instance,” Noah said. “Anyone who comes from a developing nation is all too familiar with a leader like him, so it’s not as shocking as it may be for many other people.”

Noah said that comedy is a tool for understanding American politics that would otherwise be “terrifying,” and his goal is to make the audience laugh at what is occurring.

“Not because what is happening is not serious but because we feel like laughter helps you process that information, or at least I do,” he said.

Noah then compared current comedy to Charlie Chaplin’s famous portrayal of a Hitler-like character in the 1940 film "The Great Dictator."

“So in doing that I feel like we add a level of positivity into the world, because people do struggle to process negative information day in and day out, and when you can find a way to put a positive spin on it, you create, in many ways, the Charlie Chaplin effect that he created during the war, when World War II was happening, soldiers were watching his videos about Hitler and it changed the way they perceived this undefeatable leader in their minds, because of the way he was comedically processed,” Noah said.

Media Research Center writer Corinne Weaver doesn’t agree with the comparison and blasted Noah for designating himself a hero.

“So not only is President Trump Hitler in this scenario, but also Trevor Noah automatically becomes, in his own mind, the fearless comedian mocking a ruthless, bloodthirsty dictator,” Weaver wrote about the comparison.

“So not only is President Trump Hitler in this scenario, but also Trevor Noah automatically becomes, in his own mind, the fearless comedian mocking a ruthless, bloodthirsty dictator."

— Media Research Center writer Corinne Weaver

Weaver continued, “Chaplin didn’t make ‘videos’ for the soldiers to watch and upload them to YouTube. His 1940 film, 'The Great Dictator,' was one film, considered to be a work of art and nominated for as being ‘culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant.’ So, nothing like Noah’s work.”