For the third consecutive year, Trevor Noah (a recent Billboard cover star) hosted the Grammy Awards – but for the first time, Noah is hosting an awards show after wrapping his seven-year run as head honcho on The Daily Show. (Since his final show on Dec. 8, 2022, various celebrity hosts have taken turns in the main chair.)

The South Africa-bred comedian tipped to leaving the Comedy Central institution in his opening monologue at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Sunday (Feb. 5) night. “I was so inspired by the lyrics of ‘Break My Soul’ I actually quit my job,” Noah said, referencing Beyoncé’s Hot 100 No. 1 with the lyric, “I just fell in love / And I just quit my job.” He added, “I just wish Beyonce had also written a song about the importance of having savings before you quit your job.”

He also jested about one of Beyoncé’s fellow album of the year nominees, Harry Styles. “Women throw their panties at him – and he looks better in them than they do,” Noah said, next to a sheepishly laughing Styles. “Easily the world’s sexiest man – the sex symbol of the globe, especially now that they killed off the green M&M.”

When he walked by Taylor Swift (a three-time album of the year champ), Noah switched into Groucho Marx mode for a delightfully silly malapropism: “I love your song ‘Anti-Hero’ – my auntie is also a hero.”

He even gave Adele – a woman who seemingly has everything she could want – a clutch assist. After explaining that he’d read that Adele always wanted to meet Dwayne Johnson, he quipped, “I don’t have a Dwayne Johnson, but I do have someone here named The Rock.” With that, Johnson came out for a quick on-camera meet with the British Grammy favorite, both chuckling awkwardly, as befitting a first-time meeting in front of a live TV audience.

As for the Crypto.com Arena’s um, memorable name, Noah offered this bon mot: “The only arena with escape plans for the Bahamas.”