After four years as one of the show's highest profile correspondents, Jessica Williams is leaving The Daily Show. Entertainment Weekly reports that the comedienne is set to leave this Thursday to focus on a show she's working on with Comedy Central going forward.
"I feel so many emotions," she told EW. "I feel like I’ve learned a lot about myself on the show. I’m 26 now. I’ve learned so much, I always kind of feel like it’s grad school — a sort of continuation of my education."
You nailed it on The #DailyShow, @msjwilly. We’re thrilled to make more stuff with you. Cue awesome highlight reel.https://t.co/mE27qI64MF
— Comedy Central (@ComedyCentral) June 29, 2016
Williams joined The Daily Show in 2012 as both the youngest and first black woman correspondent. Throughout her tenure on the show, she used her perspective to poke fun at sexism and racism in current events. Her field pieces earned her wide popularity, enough for fans to jockey for her to succeed Jon Stewart after the host announced his decision to depart in 2015. She turned the job down, but that didn't stop the people behind Hot Tub Time Machine 2 from envisioning her in the host's chair.
Williams signed a development deal with Comedy Central in March, and now plans on working on a show for the network. The untitled series will reportedly follow a "woke" 20-something who "still does not have it together." She also has her hit podcast 2 Dope Queens, which she produces with fellow comedienne Phoebe Robinson and showcases LGBT comics and comedians of color, as well as an upcoming movie.