Comedian Trevor Noah Apologises for Saying India-Pakistan Going to War Would Be ‘Entertaining’

Comedian and late-night talk show host, Trevor Noah, has apologised after facing a major online backlash for his comments over heightened tensions between India and Pakistan.

Noah, 35, apologised after a Twitter user criticised him, posting, “It’s sad when someone who’s had a violent past mocks war through a Bollywood stereotype. @Trevornoah’s mother was shot in the head by her husband (Trevor’s stepfather). Imagine someone making fun of it with a Xhosa stereotype - the tribe his mum belongs to.”

Noah responded, saying, using comedy was his way of processing “pain and discomfort” and that he has joked in the past about his mother being shot in the head.

“Actually if you watch my stand up you’ll see that I did make jokes after my mother was shot in the head. As a comedian I use comedy to process pain and discomfort in my world but I am sorry that this hurt you and others, that’s not what I was trying to do,” Noah tweeted Saturday.

Actually if you watch my stand up you'll see that I did make jokes after my mother was shot in the head. As a comedian I use comedy to process pain and discomfort in my world but I am sorry that this hurt you and others, that's not what I was trying to do. https://t.co/OuVnkHyIfG

— Trevor Noah (@Trevornoah) March 2, 2019

In another post, Noah wrote, “It’s amazing to me that my joke about the conflict in India and Pakistan trended more than the story of the actual conflict itself. Sometimes it seems like people are more offended by the jokes comedians make about an issue than the issue itself."

It's amazing to me that my joke about the conflict in India and Pakistan trended more than the story of the actual conflict itself. Sometimes it seems like people are more offended by the jokes comedians make about an issue than the issue itself.

— Trevor Noah (@Trevornoah) March 2, 2019

In an episode of The Daily Show, the host said the two nations going to war would be “most entertaining” and “it would also be the longest war of all time - another dance number!“.

Indian celebrities Swara Bhasker, Mallika Dua, among others also slammed the comedian over his insensitive comments on Indo-Pak tensions.

“@Trevornoah 1. War isn’t funny or entertaining. 2. Hindi is not gibberish. Your stereotype of Indo-Pak is ignorant,” Bhasker wrote, adding she was a fan but the writing was “lazy” and “arrogant“.

@Trevornoah 1. War isn’t funny or entertaining. 2. Hindi is not gibberish. Ur stereotype of indo- pak is ignorant & racist. 3. Ur set smacks of essentialism & a patronising generalisation & is v #FirstWorld 4. Human lives were lost & at stake. SO disappointing! @ComedyCentral pic.twitter.com/c46TqB9btd

— Swara Bhasker (@ReallySwara) March 1, 2019

Shockingly unintelligent & tone deaf What makes it sadder is that @Trevornoah cracked such a below average, shit joke. Something Russel Peters probably threw in the bin before his first open mic in life. If you’re going to be a racist comic than at least get the comic bit right. https://t.co/r23s9eCiuK

— Mallika Dua (@MallikaDua) March 1, 2019

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