When comedy trumped

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The name ‘Hasan Minhaj’ is going to need no introduction from now onwards. Mostly everyone with an internet or television connection is now familiar with the Indian-American comedian who roasted Donald Trump at the recently held White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) dinner.

While Trump has provided ample fodder for comedians and social media trolls ever since he graced the chair of the POTUS, this time it was his absence that was picked on by Hasan in an iconic speech that has been trending ever since. And people have a lot to say about the roast.

“It was amazingly put together humour and I admire his guts,” says Shubhashish Bharuka, standup comedian. “To roast the President in front of the entire media and audience is amazing. I loved it...more than loved it.”

“I knew he was going to be good because last time also he did a great speech,” says Naveen Richard, standup comedian and YouTube sensation.

“I just wanted to see how much he will get away with this time because the political situation there was way more chilled earlier. And he was great because he was honest and moved people.”

Asked to compare that with the scenario here, where a roast by All India Bakchod resulted in lawsuits and severe backlash, the comedians were unanimous in their opinion. Says Subhashish, “We are an extremely serious kind of people and get offended by the silliest of things. From classrooms to the society, that is the situation. Teachers say ‘What is the joke? Get out of my class’ instead of ‘Share the joke so we can also laugh’.”

“They say sticks and stones can break our bones but words will never harm us. That is not true here,” says Naveen.

“Here words will hurt a lot of people and then they will come with sticks and stones to break your bones.”

This kind of ‘on-the-go offence’ is found in plenty on the internet too. Some people have called Hasan out for indulging in plain Trump-bashing in the name of comedy but the comedian, who is the first Muslim and South Asian American to have headlined the WHCA dinner, is in no dearth of supporters.

“People like Hasan Minhaj and Vir Das are the new voices of the youth,” opines Natasha Muchhala, a professional.

“They are funny, they are smart and they mince no words. It is their ability to take potshots at people in power, no matter how thin-skinned they are, that makes them so endearing,” she says.

While Hasan got away with his criticism and commentary, one wonders how comedians in India will react if given a chance to perform in the Parliament once? “If I am certain about not being arrested or killed, I will also like to roast everyone sitting there,” laughs Subhashish.
Naveen is more charitable. “Even though I have strong beliefs about all this, the aim of my comedy is to make people forget about the world. As it is, the world is full of problems. So people need a break,” he says.