Trevor Noah says one of the "first things you lose" in authoritarianism is comedy and that fellow comics are "s‑‑‑ting themselves" under President Trump.

"When I was growing up until I was 6 years old, maybe even like closer to 10, free speech wasn't a thing," Noah, who was born in South Africa, said during a stand-up routine posted on his YouTube channel Wednesday.

"You couldn't just say whatever you wanted. There was no stand-up comedy in South Africa because you'd go to jail."

"One of the first things you lose, funny enough, in an authoritarian regime is comedy — this crazy trend that you can follow throughout time. Go to Russia, South Africa," Noah said.

The former "Daily Show" host's comments came in response to a question from an audience member about Noah's reaction to several high-profile U.S. comedians who

© The Hill