Trevor Noah and South African Context

Trevor Noah is the most successful comedian in Africa and is the host of the Emmy and Peabody Award-winning The Daily Show on Comedy Central. This year The Daily Show has been nominated for three Emmys, including Outstanding Variety Talk Series. 

Born in South Africa to a black South African mother and a white European father, Noah has hosted numerous television shows including South Africa’s music, television and film awards, and two seasons of his own late night talk show, Tonight with Trevor Noah. (https://www.trevornoah.com/about)

Watch the video of Trevor giving a tour of the house where he grew up.
CRIBS - Trevor's House Tour

Write down any new words you learned and answer these questions:
1. What is Trevor's view of his childhood home? How does the video present this view using humor?
2. A high percentage of the Daily Show's viewers are American. How do you think Americans view this video? What about different types of Americans - think about people from different classes, races, and ethnicities.
3. What is different about South Africa and your country? What is the same?

Now watch the video in which Trevor invites the camera crew to his grandmother's house and asks her questions.
Trevor Interviews His Grandmother

Write down any new words you learned and answer these questions:
1. What did you know about apartheid in South Africa before? What would you like to know about apartheid in South Africa?
2. What cultural etiquete does Trevor highlight? What cultural jokes does he make?
3. How did apartheid change Trevor's experience growing up?
4. What concepts of "black" and "white" are presented by Trevor's grandmother?
5. What concepts do you have about "black" and "white" in your country? What concepts do your grandparents have about "black" and "white" in your country?
6. What do you think South Africans would think about what it means to "black" and "white" in your country?

Now, its your turn! Take your camera (it doesn't matter if its your phone, you can audio record too) and interview one of your family members - your grandmother, grandfather, great aunt, great uncle, aunt, uncle. Preferably the person has years of experience and has seen different political times than you. Ask them about 5 questions.

The questions Trevor asks his grandmother were:
"They want me to ask you questions about my life"
"How old are you now?" (Is this culturally acceptable in your country?)
"What do you remember about Nelson Mandela?" (you could choose a famous person or event)
"Some people say it would be better to go back to apartheid. Why not?"
"What was my contribution? Was I fighting apartheid?"
"What was I like as a baby?"

Write out your questions first, but remember that you can be flexible and go with the flow of the conversation.

Finally, make a short 3 minute video describing what you learned from your interview (in English). What questions did you ask? What surprised you? Did your perspective about a political event, a social concept, or your family change?

Resources about Apartheid in South Africa:
The Second Sense - A Short Story by Nadine Gordimer
Facts and History about Apartheid
Short Video about Nelson Mandela - Nelson Mandela Foundation, UN Belaurus