Former Daily Show comedian making stop in Halifax for first time

CITYnews halifax / By Steve Gow

Just a month after announcing he was leaving The Daily Show after eight years, Roy Wood Jr. will be performing in Halifax.

The American stand-up comic and former correspondent on the late-night comedy series will be headlining a Just For Laughs Comedy Tour that will see him take the stage at Rebecca Cohn Auditorium tonight.

The appearance comes only a few months after Wood Jr. received a lot of attention for hosting the White House Correspondents’ Dinner where he roasted U.S. President Joe Biden among other politicians and ripped into Washington insiders and politics.

“There is some degree of care and concern from Washington on listening to constituents,” says Wood Jr. of the recent appearance. “But the politicians seem a lot more hellbent on doing what they want to do for money and corporations and that part of it is a little disheartening.”

In part, that dispiriting frustration is what caused Wood Jr. to decide to leave The Daily Show in October, even as he was being touted as one of the leading candidates to take over as host after Trevor Noah departed last year.

“The longer you do the job, the more difficult it becomes, which is maintaining a positive outlook in spite of everything,” he tells CityNews Halifax. “But then there are small victories where you can turn the tide (and) it is exhausting work but it can be done so I think in that regard, that’s what kept me doing this but I’ve had a really good time though away from The Daily Show in trying to figure out how I want to go about fighting things next.”

The upcoming Atlantic Canada tour will certainly allow Wood Jr. to take that much needed break from American politics and gain a fresh perspective. In fact, the 44-year-old funnyman says he is especially excited to talk about Canadian politics for a change.

“I watched the House of Commons the other night on whatever this Canadian C-SPAN you have up here and Lord, they are arguing,” says Wood Jr. “A lot of yelling going on over heating and heating costs (and) I love that that’s how cold it is in Canada, that you argue about heating costs like it is gun control because the cold can kill you.”

Wood Jr. says audiences can expect a fun show tonight at the Rebecca Cohn Auditorium alongside three other stand-up comedians. However, he admits if you’re looking for the same brash correspondent Wood Jr. played on The Daily Show, you may not get it.

“I am not nearly as political. I am opinionated about issues but my stuff from The Daily Show definitely attacks issues with a much harder edge than I do on stage,” he says. “Regardless, it is four great comics on the stage. I’m headlining but we have Joyelle Nicole Johnson from the States and Canadians Malik Elassal and Arthur Simeon as well and there will be variances of perspectives.”