Podcast Problems: Trevor Noah 'Clashing' With Spotify About Direction of Show 3 Months After Launch
Trevor Noah has allegedly grown frustrated with Spotif
Trevor Noah has allegedly grown frustrated with Spotify, with the former late-night talk show host and the company's executives clashing about the direction of his new podcast, RadarOnline.com has learned.
Noah, 39, only inked his deal with the company last year. The first episode of What Now? with Trevor Noah launched on November 9.
Noah left 'The Daily Show' after seven years in December 2022.
Fast-forward to three months later, and the relationship has already soured. Word on the street is Noah's team has been trying to re-negotiate or change his Spotify contract, which sources said worries the streaming giant that he might try to opt out of his "minimum guarantee," aka the amount he's paid to deliver an agreed upon number of podcasts.
The clash is reportedly over podcast guests. Noah hopes to bring on newsy figures, but Spotify executives want him to stick in his lane and focus on celebrity interviews, according to Semafor. The ex-Daily Show host spoke about his dream guests, revealing he'd like to bring in an array of talent, not just his A-list pals.
Sources shared Trevor has grown frustrated with the direction of his podcast.
“No, we’re going to have A-list conversations,” he countered when asked, saying that he was equally as interested in booking scientists and CEOs as celebrities and politicians," Noah said during an interview in November.
“Hopefully, you can get a deeper understanding of how they see the world,” Noah explained. “And maybe even talk about how they feel about how the world sees them.”
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However, a Spotify spokesperson shut down the rift rumors with their recently added podcast host.
“We are happy with the show and we have no news on any changes to share,” the representative said in response to Semafor's reporting. They did not touch on the rumors of creative differences or any possible contract changes.
RadarOnline.com has reached out to Noah's rep for comment.
Spotify allegedly wants him to focus on interviewing his celebrity pals.
When Noah left the late-night world in 2022, he made his next move clear by revealing he wanted to shed light on deeper issues.
"I realized there's another part of my life that I want to ... carry on exploring," he said at the time. "I miss learning other languages. I miss going to other countries and putting on shows. I miss just being everywhere, doing everything."
When talking about his podcast, Noah joked, “We’ll also probably fix every single issue humankind has ever faced, so you definitely want to join us for every episode.”
But Trevor wants to talk to world leaders and other prominent figures.
Spotify promised "listeners will get a chance to hear Trevor Noah like never before," saying he'll "go deep with a special guest, including entertainers, CEOs, actors, athletes, and thought leaders" when the company announced his original podcast last year. But so far, Noah's guests have been limited to mostly celebrities, including Dwane "The Rock" Johnson, Kevin Hart, Kerry Washington, DaBaby, and more.
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