If you’d like some proof that late night talk show staffs have some pull when it comes to guest bookings, look no further than Chris Brown’s canceled appearance on last night’s Daily Show. Brown – who was convicted of assaulting former girlfriend Rihanna in 2009 – was originally scheduled to appear as Trevor Noah’s guest last night, but he was replaced at the last minute by Nick Cannon, and according to The Daily Beast it was more than a typical scheduling conflict:
Several Daily Show staffers told The Daily Beast that Brown’s interview booking has become a cause for concern around the office. But while many staffers disapprove of the booking decision, host Trevor Noah allegedly hopes to use the interview to bring light to domestic abuse issues. Our sources confirmed that Noah brought up such a possibility during an all-hands meeting on Monday afternoon.
As The Daily Beast notes, Noah’s mother was a victim of abuse by his ex-stepfather, who even threatened to kill Noah when he was a child. Given that, perhaps Noah thought he could’ve led a direct, candid discussion with Brown about domestic violence, but the Daily Show staff reportedly thought it’d make a bigger difference to victims to just not give a voice or late night platform to a guy who beats women, and they’re absolutely right. Brown hasn’t gotten a chilly reception at all the late night shows though – Jimmy Fallon welcomed him for a musical performance on The Tonight Show just last week.
