For comedian Hasan Minhaj, comedy is about sending a message and building a relationship with the audience.
Minhaj, known for his work with “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah” and the web series “The Truth with Hasan Minhaj,” performed his one-man show “Homecoming King” at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater on Sunday night.
The critically acclaimed production detailed Minhaj’s life and experiences and often jumped back and forth between heartfelt confessions to the audience and comic relief.
Minhaj used his family’s challenges and successes to paint a humorous picture of what individuals face today on all sides of racism, prejudice and everyday difficulties.
“I think satire is the only thing where you have the opportunity to break down someone’s argument and show how ridiculous it is,” Minhaj said. “If you can make them laugh, you can really drop their guard for just a moment.”
The show addresses everything from life as a Muslim American after Sept. 11, 2001, to time spent on a Pizza Hut commercial. He invites the audience to laugh with him and think with him as he recalls his life’s leveling moments, he said.
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“When I first started, it was all trying to make them laugh and I realized that was all about me,” Minhaj said. “Now, to me, laughter and silence, laughter and tears are two sides of the same coin. Those are deeply powerful emotions.”
The conversation that occurs during a performance is one of the most important things, Minhaj said. The audience dwells on public issues and laughs with all of them in mind as Minhaj talks around the message “love is larger than hate.”
“I think comedy can help send a message really effectively with the right audience,” said audience member Vyasa Babu.
For many, however, the comedian was somewhat unknown.
Excluding his work on “The Daily Show,” those attending weren’t familiar with work he has done, such as other stand-up performances or appearances on “Stand Up Planet,” a documentary TV series produced by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
The series focuses on enlightening others on what life is like in other parts of the world through the lens of comedy.
Comedy has the ability to go beyond entertainment and break down boundaries, Minhaj said.
“Think about any argument you ever had with another human being,” he said. “If in the argument you can make them laugh, there’s this moment of love and empathy. I think that is the power comedy has.”
