Trevor Noah has made history by becoming the first comedian to win the prestigious Erasmus Prize in nearly 60 years.
The last, and first, comic to win the prize was Charlie Chaplin, who received the honour in 1965. Noah is the first South African to win it.
The Erasmus Prize is awarded annually to a person or institution that has made an exceptional contribution to the humanities, the social sciences or the arts, in Europe and beyond. The award consists of a cash prize of €150,000, which is equivalent to nearly R3m. The prize is awarded by the board of the Praemium Erasmianum Foundation.
According to a statement from the foundation, Noah was awarded the prize for his inspired contribution to the theme “In Praise of Folly”, named after Erasmus’s most famous book “which is filled with humour, social criticism and political satire”.
“With his sharp-minded, mocking yet inclusive political comedy, Noah, in the eyes of the jury, upholds the ‘Erasmian Spirit,’” reads the statement.
The patron of the foundation, Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands, presents the prize during a ceremony that usually takes place at the Royal Palace in Amsterdam.
Trevor Noah wins Europe's prestigious Erasmus Prize, worth R3m
Trevor Noah has made history by becoming the first comedian to win the prestigious Erasmus Prize in nearly 60 years.
The last, and first, comic to win the prize was Charlie Chaplin, who received the honour in 1965. Noah is the first South African to win it.
The Erasmus Prize is awarded annually to a person or institution that has made an exceptional contribution to the humanities, the social sciences or the arts, in Europe and beyond. The award consists of a cash prize of €150,000, which is equivalent to nearly R3m. The prize is awarded by the board of the Praemium Erasmianum Foundation.
According to a statement from the foundation, Noah was awarded the prize for his inspired contribution to the theme “In Praise of Folly”, named after Erasmus’s most famous book “which is filled with humour, social criticism and political satire”.
“With his sharp-minded, mocking yet inclusive political comedy, Noah, in the eyes of the jury, upholds the ‘Erasmian Spirit,’” reads the statement.
The patron of the foundation, Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands, presents the prize during a ceremony that usually takes place at the Royal Palace in Amsterdam.
The former The Daily Show host has won various awards, including a Primetime Emmy Award from 11 nominations.
Noah has also hosted the Grammy Award shows three times in a row.
READ MORE