Comedian Trevor Noah has caused outrage with a joke about Colombians while hosting the 67th Grammys Awards on Sunday night.
This year’s ceremony marked the fifth straight time the Johannesburg-born 40-year-old has hosted the glitzy LA music awards.
“I don’t know if you’ve noticed, there’s been a few changes in Washington,” Noah began with a wry smile, referencing Donald Trump’s return to the White House.
“I’m going to enjoy tonight, because this may be the last time I get to host anything in this country,” he joked.
Later, the 40-year-old took aim at the president’s new tariffs levied against Mexico and Canada – joking that “Maple syrup is about to be $50!”
2025 was the fifth hosting gig in a row for Noah
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Noah also charged head on into some on-the-nose satirical commentary of the contentious immigration debate, continuing his digs at Trump.
The host joked that the award winners would be determined by “13,000 members of the Recording Academy and 20 million illegal immigrants”.
His barbs at the expense of the president did not save the South African comedian from a tirade of online reaction after his joke about the Latin star Shakria’s home country of Colombia.
“Three-time Grammy winner Shakira is in the house,” Noah exclaimed before adding: “The greatest thing out of Colombia that isn’t a Class A felony.”
Noah’s political jokes sparked fury online
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The reference to Colombia’s historical role in the drug trade was quickly blasted as inappropriate by viewers, citing the Trump administration’s robust deportation polices.
Fans took to social media in their droves to share their anger at the joke.
“That joke about Colombia was so f*****g unnecessary. Colombians are being deported left and right, you claim to be against Trump’s policies, and yet you do a joke like that? It oozes of performative activism. How dare you,” one wrote furiously on X.
Another raged: “I love that anti-Colombian racism is somehow exempt from all this ‘unity’ talk coming from LA right now”.
“Shredding my Trevor Noah stan card after that Colombia joke… @Trevornoah ur so unfunny they have to queue the fake laugh tracks every 5 seconds #Grammys2025,” a third slammed.
A fourth declared: “Colombia is talent, culture, and resilience. Shakira is one of many who make us shine worldwide. No need for outdated, tone-deaf jokes. Do better @Trevornoah! #GRAMMYs #Grammys2025”.
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Trump’s immigration polices proved one of the nights most divisive topics
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Noah’s joke was seen as particularly pointed given the recent confrontation between the Trump and Colombian president Gustavo Petro.
Petro refused to allow military flights from the US carrying deported illegal migrants to land in his country.
“I cannot make migrants stay in a country that does not want them, but if that country sends them back, it should be with dignity and respect for them and for our country,” he said.
“I don’t like your oil, Trump, you’re going to wipe out the human species because of greed,” the Colombian premiere also wrote in an X post.
However, the Latin nation was quickly forced to back down after Trump promised “decisive retaliatory measures” including visa sanctions and tariffs if they did not comply.