Comedian Trevor Noah wins prestigious Dutch Erasmus Prize

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Comedian Trevor Noah, has won the prestigious Dutch Erasmus Prize. The former host of Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” is the first humorist to receive the honor since Charlie Chaplin in 1965. The award is named for Dutch philosopher Desiderius Erasmus, who lived from 1466 to 1536. The Praemium Erasmianum Foundation said Thursday that “with his sharp-minded, mocking yet inclusive political comedy, Noah, in the eyes of the jury, upholds the ‘Erasmian Spirit.’” Noah, who is 39,  rose to prominence as a stand-up comic in his native South Africa. The Dutch foundation noted that his time anchoring “The Daily Show” coincided with Donald Trump’s presidency, the COVID-19 pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement.