Making use of his social media accounts, the actor/writer/standup comedian reflects on his exit from the talk show after serving as a correspondent for almost a decade.
- Oct 6, 2023
AceShowbiz - Ray Wood Jr. shocked fans when he announced his departure from "The Daily Show" after nearly a decade. Making use of his social media accounts, the actor/writer/standup comedian reflected on his exit.
"After eight amazing years on The Daily Show, where I've been able to pursue my comedic and political curiosities with some of the best writers, producers, crew and correspondents anyone could hope for, l've made the decision to move on," Ray wrote in a statement.
Ray went on thanking former "The Daily Show" host Trevor Noah, "Paramount and especially Comedy Central for giving me the runway to also produce three one-hour standup specials, for letting me host two award winning podcasts, letting me write & shoot my own comedy pilot, write a film, and much, much more. I look forward to finding other ways to collaborate with them down the road."
"Until then, I am excited to nurture new ideas and see what the future holds for me in the shifting sands of late night television, scripted comedy, and whatever else the comedy gods may have in store for me in 2024 and beyond," he concluded.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for "The Daily Show" said in a statement, "Roy Wood Jr. is a comedic genius and beloved teammate." The rep added, "His insights and hilarity helped us make sense of the 2016 election, the pandemic and countless hours of Fox News. We thank him for his time with us and can't wait to see what he does next."
Speaking to NPR, Ray admitted that he found it difficult for him to expand his career if he's still serving as correspondent on the show. "I can't come up with plan B while still working with plan A," he shared. "The job of correspondent… it's not really one where you can juggle multiple things. [And] I think eight years is a good run."
Ray's departure comes while the producers are still searching for a new host to replace Trevor, who announced that he's leaving the show in 2022. The talk show is set to return on October 16 with a fresh lineup of guest hosts before it names a new host in 2024.
