Throughout the six-episode run of Netflix’s Everybody’s in L.A., John Mulaney’s comedian guests kept trying to find ways to describe the live talk show’s chaotic-bordering-on-surreal atmosphere. “I feel like this entire show is a Banksy!” a confused Jon Stewart suggested. Nikki Glaser perhaps explained it best, by telling Mulaney, “It’s like an inside joke that only you are in on.”
That line applies just as well to Mulaney’s delightful 2019 Netflix special John Mulaney & the Sack Lunch Bunch. Both then and now, the...
That line applies just as well to Mulaney’s delightful 2019 Netflix special John Mulaney & the Sack Lunch Bunch. Both then and now, the...
- 5/14/2024
- by Alan Sepinwall
- Rollingstone.com
“We’ve all failed in our lives, but have you ever failed so bad, you bring back Jon Stewart?” Minhaj mused yesterday at the Netflix is a Joke comedy festival.
“I saved a dying institution,” Minhaj added. “You’re welcome.”
For those not following along, after an extended on-air audition process, Comedy Central had reportedly chosen Minhaj to be Trevor Noah’s successor at The Daily Show last summer and planned to make the announcement at the conclusion of the Writers Strike.
Before that could happen, The New Yorker published a widely-shared article that accused Minhaj of embellishing his confessional-style standup material with exaggerations and falsehoods. Although Minhaj later responded with his side of the story and a fact-check of the New Yorker’s fact-check, by then Comedy Central had reportedly backed away from Minhaj amid the controversy.
The Daily Show never did lock down a permanent host.
Continue reading...
“I saved a dying institution,” Minhaj added. “You’re welcome.”
For those not following along, after an extended on-air audition process, Comedy Central had reportedly chosen Minhaj to be Trevor Noah’s successor at The Daily Show last summer and planned to make the announcement at the conclusion of the Writers Strike.
Before that could happen, The New Yorker published a widely-shared article that accused Minhaj of embellishing his confessional-style standup material with exaggerations and falsehoods. Although Minhaj later responded with his side of the story and a fact-check of the New Yorker’s fact-check, by then Comedy Central had reportedly backed away from Minhaj amid the controversy.
The Daily Show never did lock down a permanent host.
Continue reading...
- 5/3/2024
- by Nick Riccardo
- LateNighter
Hasan Minhaj turned a career downturn into a comic bit last night a the Netflix Is a Joke festival in Los Angeles, saying that his lost opportunity to host The Daily Show actually saved the long-running institution.
“We’ve all failed in our lives,” Minhaj said, “but have you ever failed so bad, you bring back Jon Stewart?” I saved a dying institution. You’re welcome.”
The reference came during a joking exchange between Minhaj, who was serving as emcee of a festival showcase, and current Daily Show correspondent Ronny Chieng, who had just taken the stage.
“I’m surprised that Hasan’s able to do this show,” Chieng cracked, according to Deadline’s sister publication Variety. “I guess canceling is not what it used to be.”
Last September, Minhaj conceded during a New Yorker magazine interview that he had fabricated parts of his seemingly fact-based stand-up routine, most damningly...
“We’ve all failed in our lives,” Minhaj said, “but have you ever failed so bad, you bring back Jon Stewart?” I saved a dying institution. You’re welcome.”
The reference came during a joking exchange between Minhaj, who was serving as emcee of a festival showcase, and current Daily Show correspondent Ronny Chieng, who had just taken the stage.
“I’m surprised that Hasan’s able to do this show,” Chieng cracked, according to Deadline’s sister publication Variety. “I guess canceling is not what it used to be.”
Last September, Minhaj conceded during a New Yorker magazine interview that he had fabricated parts of his seemingly fact-based stand-up routine, most damningly...
- 5/3/2024
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Hasan Minhaj joked about losing the opportunity to host The Daily Show following a scandal involving fabricated stand-up stories Thursday at an appearance at the Netflix Is a Joke festival.
According to Variety, Minhaj served as the emcee of one of the fest’s stand-up showcases, with current Daily Show correspondent Ronny Chieng also on the bill. Upon taking the stage, Chieng quipped, “I’m surprised that Hasan’s able to do this show. I guess ‘canceling’ is not what it used to be,” a nod to Minhaj’s ordeal...
According to Variety, Minhaj served as the emcee of one of the fest’s stand-up showcases, with current Daily Show correspondent Ronny Chieng also on the bill. Upon taking the stage, Chieng quipped, “I’m surprised that Hasan’s able to do this show. I guess ‘canceling’ is not what it used to be,” a nod to Minhaj’s ordeal...
- 5/3/2024
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
Hasan Minhaj is ready to laugh about it all.
At the Netflix Is a Joke comedy festival on Thursday, Minhaj hosted a showcase highlighting various comedians. At the end of the lineup was Ronny Chieng, who joked, “I’m surprised that Hasan’s able to do this show. I guess ‘cancelling’ is not what it used to be.”
He was referring to a controversy sparked by a September story in the New Yorker that aimed to fact-check Minhaj’s stand-up comedy. The month before, Variety had exclusively reported that he was the frontrunner to replace Trevor Noah as host of “The Daily Show,” but he lost the job after the scandal arose. Instead, famed host Jon Stewart returned for Monday night episodes, while other correspondents anchor for the rest of the week.
On Thursday, Minhaj pretended to heckle Chieng from the crowd, calling out, “You planted that story about me!
At the Netflix Is a Joke comedy festival on Thursday, Minhaj hosted a showcase highlighting various comedians. At the end of the lineup was Ronny Chieng, who joked, “I’m surprised that Hasan’s able to do this show. I guess ‘cancelling’ is not what it used to be.”
He was referring to a controversy sparked by a September story in the New Yorker that aimed to fact-check Minhaj’s stand-up comedy. The month before, Variety had exclusively reported that he was the frontrunner to replace Trevor Noah as host of “The Daily Show,” but he lost the job after the scandal arose. Instead, famed host Jon Stewart returned for Monday night episodes, while other correspondents anchor for the rest of the week.
On Thursday, Minhaj pretended to heckle Chieng from the crowd, calling out, “You planted that story about me!
- 5/3/2024
- by Selome Hailu
- Variety Film + TV
SeriesFest is gearing up for its tenth iteration and has set the first names for its lineup.
The event, which is in Denver between May 1 and 5, has added Hasan Minhaj, who will headline a performance at Red Rocks, Minnie Driver and Grey’s Anatomy stars James Pickens Jr, Kevin McKidd and Caterina Scorsone as well as exec producer Betsy Beers.
Minhaj, who was the host of Netflix’s Patriot Act, will close out the event with the show at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre on Sunday May 5.
There will also be the SeriesFest Soiree, marking the event’s 10th anniversary. The gala will take place on Friday May 3 and will honor Shondaland & Betsy Beers, SAG-AFTRA and Minnie Driver.
National Executive Director & Chief Negotiator, SAG-AFTRA, Duncan Crabtree-Ireland will return to SeriesFest to accept the award, which won a landmark deal with the studios last year to end the actors strike. SAG-AFTRA will...
The event, which is in Denver between May 1 and 5, has added Hasan Minhaj, who will headline a performance at Red Rocks, Minnie Driver and Grey’s Anatomy stars James Pickens Jr, Kevin McKidd and Caterina Scorsone as well as exec producer Betsy Beers.
Minhaj, who was the host of Netflix’s Patriot Act, will close out the event with the show at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre on Sunday May 5.
There will also be the SeriesFest Soiree, marking the event’s 10th anniversary. The gala will take place on Friday May 3 and will honor Shondaland & Betsy Beers, SAG-AFTRA and Minnie Driver.
National Executive Director & Chief Negotiator, SAG-AFTRA, Duncan Crabtree-Ireland will return to SeriesFest to accept the award, which won a landmark deal with the studios last year to end the actors strike. SAG-AFTRA will...
- 3/21/2024
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
A female colleague once said that all movies about pregnancy fall under the category “body horror,” regardless of whether they’re a horror film or not. When I naively asked if that was true, she replied: Dude, have you ever been pregnant? Check, and mate. Pop culture’s overall view regarding bringing new life into the world as a simple, follow-the-manual miracle has stuck even into the 21st century: You get an adorable baby bump, gotta rush to the hospital, labor can be hard, and then [pop] out comes a newborn.
- 3/10/2024
- by David Fear
- Rollingstone.com
Stand-up comedian Hasan Minhaj was close to being the new host for “The Daily Show” if only his scandal didn’t reemerge.
After it’s announced that Jon Stewart will make a surprising return to the talk show, a new report suggested that Minhaj lost out on the hosting gig due to a controversy, reports aceshowbiz.com.
Citing multiple sources, The Hollywood Reporter stated that Minhaj’s deal to take over as Trevor Noah’s replacement was all but done by late summer.
Around the same time, The New Yorker published a damning article claiming that the show’s former correspondent fabricated autobiographical details of his comedy.
In 2022, in a stand up Minhaj claimed that he once opened a letter filled with white powder that fell on his daughter. Fearing that it was anthrax, he and his wife Beena Patel took their daughter to the hospital before they learned hours...
After it’s announced that Jon Stewart will make a surprising return to the talk show, a new report suggested that Minhaj lost out on the hosting gig due to a controversy, reports aceshowbiz.com.
Citing multiple sources, The Hollywood Reporter stated that Minhaj’s deal to take over as Trevor Noah’s replacement was all but done by late summer.
Around the same time, The New Yorker published a damning article claiming that the show’s former correspondent fabricated autobiographical details of his comedy.
In 2022, in a stand up Minhaj claimed that he once opened a letter filled with white powder that fell on his daughter. Fearing that it was anthrax, he and his wife Beena Patel took their daughter to the hospital before they learned hours...
- 1/26/2024
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
Shortly after Trevor Noah abruptly announced he’d be leaving The Daily Show in late 2022, Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios CEO Chris McCarthy knew he needed allies.
There was “a lot of pressure to just choose someone,” he told The Hollywood Reporter early last year, though he resisted naming an immediate replacement. Instead, the team, led by longtime showrunner Jen Flanz, lined up a stable of guest hosts, a mix of bold-faced names like Sarah Silverman and Chelsea Handler as well as correspondents from the show. McCarthy also sought the counsel of James “Babydoll” Dixon, manager of late-night hosts Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel, and a previous Daily Show executive producer himself. In fact, in those early transition months, McCarthy spent “a lot of time with Babydoll getting his advice,” he said, “and we called Jon a couple times.”
Of course, Stewart was still hosting The Problem with Jon...
There was “a lot of pressure to just choose someone,” he told The Hollywood Reporter early last year, though he resisted naming an immediate replacement. Instead, the team, led by longtime showrunner Jen Flanz, lined up a stable of guest hosts, a mix of bold-faced names like Sarah Silverman and Chelsea Handler as well as correspondents from the show. McCarthy also sought the counsel of James “Babydoll” Dixon, manager of late-night hosts Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel, and a previous Daily Show executive producer himself. In fact, in those early transition months, McCarthy spent “a lot of time with Babydoll getting his advice,” he said, “and we called Jon a couple times.”
Of course, Stewart was still hosting The Problem with Jon...
- 1/25/2024
- by Lacey Rose
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Jon Stewart is heading back to “The Daily Show.”
More than 25 years after starting on the Emmy Award-winning late-night show and nearly nine years after his exit, Stewart will host Monday episodes of “The Daily Show” through the 2024 presidential election. The Emmy Award-winning host will also serve as an executive producer on “The Daily Show” during this run.
“Jon Stewart is the voice of our generation, and we are honored to have him return to Comedy Central’s ‘The Daily Show’ to help us all make sense of the insanity and division roiling the country as we enter the election season,” said Chris McCarthy, president and CEO of Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios, in a statement. “In our age of staggering hypocrisy and performative politics, Jon is the perfect person to puncture the empty rhetoric and provide much-needed clarity with his brilliant wit.”
While Stewart will host the show on Mondays...
More than 25 years after starting on the Emmy Award-winning late-night show and nearly nine years after his exit, Stewart will host Monday episodes of “The Daily Show” through the 2024 presidential election. The Emmy Award-winning host will also serve as an executive producer on “The Daily Show” during this run.
“Jon Stewart is the voice of our generation, and we are honored to have him return to Comedy Central’s ‘The Daily Show’ to help us all make sense of the insanity and division roiling the country as we enter the election season,” said Chris McCarthy, president and CEO of Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios, in a statement. “In our age of staggering hypocrisy and performative politics, Jon is the perfect person to puncture the empty rhetoric and provide much-needed clarity with his brilliant wit.”
While Stewart will host the show on Mondays...
- 1/24/2024
- by Christopher Rosen
- Gold Derby
Jon Stewart is back at The Daily Show. After a yearlong search for Trevor Noah’s replacement, the longtime host and Noah’s predecessor has agreed to return on Monday nights through the 2024 election.
The new setup, a major coup for the show and for parent company Paramount, is set to begin Feb. 12. For the remainder of the week, the Comedy Central series will rely on a team of correspondents, which are likely to include Jordan Klepper, Desi Lydic, Ronny Chieng, Michael Kosta and Dulcé Sloan. Stewart, who spent 16 years at the show, the majority of them Emmy-winning, will be heavily involved as an executive producer on the other nights as well. The move comes after Stewart prematurely exited his Apple TV+ show, The Problem, following creative differences between the iPhone maker and its host over potential topics and guests.
“Jon Stewart is the voice of our generation, and we...
The new setup, a major coup for the show and for parent company Paramount, is set to begin Feb. 12. For the remainder of the week, the Comedy Central series will rely on a team of correspondents, which are likely to include Jordan Klepper, Desi Lydic, Ronny Chieng, Michael Kosta and Dulcé Sloan. Stewart, who spent 16 years at the show, the majority of them Emmy-winning, will be heavily involved as an executive producer on the other nights as well. The move comes after Stewart prematurely exited his Apple TV+ show, The Problem, following creative differences between the iPhone maker and its host over potential topics and guests.
“Jon Stewart is the voice of our generation, and we...
- 1/24/2024
- by Lacey Rose
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Trevor Noah is entering his next act as a podcast host. The former host of Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” launches his deep-dive interview show, a Spotify original podcast, next week.
In each episode of the new podcast, Noah will have an extended discussion with a single guest. For now, he’s keeping mum on who will be joining him on “What Now?” but said the guests run the gamut from the famous to the obscure.
“We are very lucky,” he said in an interview with Variety. “We have a mix of massive stars as guests, and some people who nobody knows… Not everybody you speak to has to be a superstar. Someone will be No. 1 at the box office, someone will be a scientist who will change how we live for the rest of our lives.”
He added, “The main thing I can say to you: expect to be in some way,...
In each episode of the new podcast, Noah will have an extended discussion with a single guest. For now, he’s keeping mum on who will be joining him on “What Now?” but said the guests run the gamut from the famous to the obscure.
“We are very lucky,” he said in an interview with Variety. “We have a mix of massive stars as guests, and some people who nobody knows… Not everybody you speak to has to be a superstar. Someone will be No. 1 at the box office, someone will be a scientist who will change how we live for the rest of our lives.”
He added, “The main thing I can say to you: expect to be in some way,...
- 11/2/2023
- by Todd Spangler
- Variety Film + TV
A New Yorker article published last month suggested that comedian Hasan Minhaj had fabricated experiences of racism.
On Thursday, Minhaj responded with a 20-minute video explanation on social media.
In the article, Minhaj admitted he had embellished stories in the past to achieve a deeper “emotional truth.”
As The New Yorker puts it, “Minhaj has elided or concocted other details in his stories, often to place himself more squarely at the center of the action.”
“With everything that’s happening in the world, I’m aware even talking about this now feels so trivial,” he said. “But being accused of ‘faking racism’ is not trivial. It’s very serious, and it demands an explanation.”
“I want to answer the biggest question that’s probably on your mind: Is Hasan Minhaj secretly a psycho?” he continued. “Underneath all that pomp, is Hasan Minhaj just a con artist who uses fake racism...
On Thursday, Minhaj responded with a 20-minute video explanation on social media.
In the article, Minhaj admitted he had embellished stories in the past to achieve a deeper “emotional truth.”
As The New Yorker puts it, “Minhaj has elided or concocted other details in his stories, often to place himself more squarely at the center of the action.”
“With everything that’s happening in the world, I’m aware even talking about this now feels so trivial,” he said. “But being accused of ‘faking racism’ is not trivial. It’s very serious, and it demands an explanation.”
“I want to answer the biggest question that’s probably on your mind: Is Hasan Minhaj secretly a psycho?” he continued. “Underneath all that pomp, is Hasan Minhaj just a con artist who uses fake racism...
- 10/28/2023
- by Baila Eve Zisman
- Uinterview
Last month, comedian Hasan Minhaj was the target of a New Yorker exposé that claimed he had a habit of embellishing stories in the name of laughs, with the piece saying he concocted instances of racism that were ultimately damaging to his subjects. Now, Minhaj – who previously said that his stories tend to be 70% truth and 30% hyperbole – is doubling down on his response, saying, “With everything that’s happening in the world, I’m aware even talking about this now feels so trivial…But being accused of ‘faking racism’ is not trivial. It’s very serious, and it demands an explanation.”
In a 21-minute video sent to The Hollywood Reporter, Hasan Minhaj lays out his defense, claiming that the piece in question has far too many errors to ignore. But this isn’t just the comedian shooting a video on his computer and trying to save face; Minhaj has a set,...
In a 21-minute video sent to The Hollywood Reporter, Hasan Minhaj lays out his defense, claiming that the piece in question has far too many errors to ignore. But this isn’t just the comedian shooting a video on his computer and trying to save face; Minhaj has a set,...
- 10/27/2023
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
Hasan Minhaj is an American comedian, writer, political commentator, actor, and television host. His comedic style, which uses satire and observational comedy, focuses on Indian culture, modern American politics, and his social life as an Indian American. Minhaj has received critical acclaim and recognition over the course of his career including an Emmy Award, a Peabody Award, and two Webby Awards. He was also listed in Time’s 2019 list of the 100 most influential people in the world. On 15 September 2023, The New Yorker released an article detailing instances of Minhaj allegedly fabricating or embellishing stories with false elements...
- 10/27/2023
- by Nkem
- TVovermind.com
Weeks after a New Yorker article alleged fabrications in his comedy standup, Hasan Minhaj is speaking out. In a 20-minute video posted on his Instagram account Thursday, Minhaj rejects allegations in the article, saying “it was so needlessly misleading.” You can watch the video below.
“With everything that’s happening in the world, I’m aware even talking about this now feels so trivial,” Minhaj says in the video. “But being accused of ‘faking racism’ is not trivial. It’s very serious, and it demands an explanation.
“To everyone who read that article,” he continued, “I want to answer the biggest question that’s probably on your mind: Is Hasan Minhaj secretly a psycho? Underneath all that pomp, is Hasan Minhaj just a con artist who uses fake racism and Islamophobia to advance his career? Because after reading that article, I would also think that.”
He continued, “I just want...
“With everything that’s happening in the world, I’m aware even talking about this now feels so trivial,” Minhaj says in the video. “But being accused of ‘faking racism’ is not trivial. It’s very serious, and it demands an explanation.
“To everyone who read that article,” he continued, “I want to answer the biggest question that’s probably on your mind: Is Hasan Minhaj secretly a psycho? Underneath all that pomp, is Hasan Minhaj just a con artist who uses fake racism and Islamophobia to advance his career? Because after reading that article, I would also think that.”
He continued, “I just want...
- 10/26/2023
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
Hasan Minhaj Addresses 'New Yorker' Article Amid Claims of Lying in Comedy Specials, Author Responds
Hasan Minhaj is speaking out.
The 38-year-old comedian and TV host shared a video on Thursday (October 26), in which he addressed allegations that he lied and/or embellished stories told in past comedy stand-up specials, as explored in a New Yorker article.
“Every story in my style is built around a seed of truth. My comedy Arnold Palmer is 70% emotional truth — this happened — and then 30% hyperbole, exaggeration, fiction,” he’s quoted as saying in the article.
Keep reading to find out more…In the new video, he says the profile, written by Clare Malone, has “omissions and factual errors” that “misrepresented my life story, so I wanted to give people the context and materials I provided The New Yorker with full transparency.”
The New Yorker issued a response, which the author shared on X: “Hasan Minhaj confirms in this video that he selectively presents information and embellishes to make a point: exactly what we reported.
The 38-year-old comedian and TV host shared a video on Thursday (October 26), in which he addressed allegations that he lied and/or embellished stories told in past comedy stand-up specials, as explored in a New Yorker article.
“Every story in my style is built around a seed of truth. My comedy Arnold Palmer is 70% emotional truth — this happened — and then 30% hyperbole, exaggeration, fiction,” he’s quoted as saying in the article.
Keep reading to find out more…In the new video, he says the profile, written by Clare Malone, has “omissions and factual errors” that “misrepresented my life story, so I wanted to give people the context and materials I provided The New Yorker with full transparency.”
The New Yorker issued a response, which the author shared on X: “Hasan Minhaj confirms in this video that he selectively presents information and embellishes to make a point: exactly what we reported.
- 10/26/2023
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
Just over a month after The New Yorker published a story in which it was revealed that Hasan Minhaj embellished some of his stand-up routines, the comedian has responded in a 20-minute video in which he calls the New Yorker’s exposé “needlessly misleading.”
“With everything that’s happening in the world, I’m aware even talking about this now feels so trivial,” Minhaj says in the video. “But being accused of ‘faking racism’ is not trivial. It’s very serious, and it demands an explanation … To everyone who read that article, I want to answer the biggest question that’s probably on your mind: Is Hasan Minhaj secretly a psycho? Underneath all that pomp, is Hasan Minhaj just a con artist who uses fake racism and Islamophobia to advance his career? Because after reading that article, I would also think that.”
“I just want to say to anyone who...
“With everything that’s happening in the world, I’m aware even talking about this now feels so trivial,” Minhaj says in the video. “But being accused of ‘faking racism’ is not trivial. It’s very serious, and it demands an explanation … To everyone who read that article, I want to answer the biggest question that’s probably on your mind: Is Hasan Minhaj secretly a psycho? Underneath all that pomp, is Hasan Minhaj just a con artist who uses fake racism and Islamophobia to advance his career? Because after reading that article, I would also think that.”
“I just want to say to anyone who...
- 10/26/2023
- by Zack Sharf
- Variety Film + TV
Hasan Minhaj would like you to hear his side of things.
So the Patriot Act host produced a “deep dive” video, which our sister site The Hollywood Reporter published Thursday, that addresses his embellishment of stories told in his past stand-up comedy specials. Those stories came to the fore in a New Yorker article, published in September, in which he was quoted as saying, “My comedy Arnold Palmer is 70% emotional truth — this happened — and then 30% hyperbole, exaggeration, fiction.”
More from TVLineTVLine Items: Bravo Renewals, Willie Nelson Birthday Special and MoreFrasier Sneak Peek: June Diane Raphael Plays a Blind Date for Frasier.
So the Patriot Act host produced a “deep dive” video, which our sister site The Hollywood Reporter published Thursday, that addresses his embellishment of stories told in his past stand-up comedy specials. Those stories came to the fore in a New Yorker article, published in September, in which he was quoted as saying, “My comedy Arnold Palmer is 70% emotional truth — this happened — and then 30% hyperbole, exaggeration, fiction.”
More from TVLineTVLine Items: Bravo Renewals, Willie Nelson Birthday Special and MoreFrasier Sneak Peek: June Diane Raphael Plays a Blind Date for Frasier.
- 10/26/2023
- by Kimberly Roots
- TVLine.com
Hasan Minhaj is addressing his now-infamous New Yorker interview from September 2023 that alleged the comedian embellished his stand-up act.
Minhaj in the article denied “manipulating” audiences with his fabricated or exaggerated life stories, including racist encounters with the FBI, police officers, and an anthrax scare involving his young daughter at their personal residence.
The “Patriot Act” comedian released a 20-minute video to The Hollywood Reporter to call out the “factual errors” in The New Yorker article, as well as play an audio clip of his conversation with the reporter to provide his full quotes.
“There were omissions and factual errors in The New Yorker article that misrepresented my life story, so I wanted to give people the context and materials I provided The New Yorker with full transparency,” Minhaj said. “With everything that’s happening in the world, I’m aware even talking about this now feels so trivial. But...
Minhaj in the article denied “manipulating” audiences with his fabricated or exaggerated life stories, including racist encounters with the FBI, police officers, and an anthrax scare involving his young daughter at their personal residence.
The “Patriot Act” comedian released a 20-minute video to The Hollywood Reporter to call out the “factual errors” in The New Yorker article, as well as play an audio clip of his conversation with the reporter to provide his full quotes.
“There were omissions and factual errors in The New Yorker article that misrepresented my life story, so I wanted to give people the context and materials I provided The New Yorker with full transparency,” Minhaj said. “With everything that’s happening in the world, I’m aware even talking about this now feels so trivial. But...
- 10/26/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Over a month after the New Yorker’s profile on him, Hasan Minhaj has responded to the piece in which he admitted to fabricating parts of his standup act. His response comes in the form of a 20-minute video that contains recordings from the original New Yorker profile.
“To everyone who read that article,” Minhaj said in the video, “I want to answer the biggest question that’s probably on your mind: Is Hasan Minhaj secretly a psycho?”
“I’m not a psycho. But this New Yorker article definitely made me look like one,” the comedian continued. “It was so needlessly misleading, not just about my stand-up, but also about me as a person. The truth is, racism, FBI surveillance and the threats to my family happened. And I said this on the record.”
The comedian also explained why he “took a beat before responding,” saying that “like you I...
“To everyone who read that article,” Minhaj said in the video, “I want to answer the biggest question that’s probably on your mind: Is Hasan Minhaj secretly a psycho?”
“I’m not a psycho. But this New Yorker article definitely made me look like one,” the comedian continued. “It was so needlessly misleading, not just about my stand-up, but also about me as a person. The truth is, racism, FBI surveillance and the threats to my family happened. And I said this on the record.”
The comedian also explained why he “took a beat before responding,” saying that “like you I...
- 10/26/2023
- by Kayla Cobb
- The Wrap
Hasan Minhaj has mostly stayed quiet about a September New Yorker profile that alleges he fabricated or exaggerated elements of stories he tells in his stand-up comedy, a bombshell story that raised questions about his public persona.
Although he gave a statement Sept. 15 after the article’s publication that said, in part, “All my standup stories are based on events that happened to me,” Minhaj hasn’t responded in detail — until now, and in, as the comedian puts it, “the most Hasan Minhaj way possible: a 20-minute deep dive with graphics and excessive hand motions.”
“There were omissions and factual errors in The New Yorker article that misrepresented my life story, so I wanted to give people the context and materials I provided The New Yorker with full transparency,” Minhaj said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter.
In the video — which you can see in full below — Minhaj provides...
Although he gave a statement Sept. 15 after the article’s publication that said, in part, “All my standup stories are based on events that happened to me,” Minhaj hasn’t responded in detail — until now, and in, as the comedian puts it, “the most Hasan Minhaj way possible: a 20-minute deep dive with graphics and excessive hand motions.”
“There were omissions and factual errors in The New Yorker article that misrepresented my life story, so I wanted to give people the context and materials I provided The New Yorker with full transparency,” Minhaj said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter.
In the video — which you can see in full below — Minhaj provides...
- 10/26/2023
- by Rick Porter
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Martin Scorsese’s new movie Killers of the Flower Moon is getting serious Oscar buzz — but Reservation Dogs star Devery Jacobs is not a fan.
The Native actress spelled out her criticisms of the film, which stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro, in a lengthy thread on social media on Monday. The film centers on a series of murders among the Osage tribe in Oklahoma in the 1920s, and Jacobs called it “painful, grueling, unrelenting and unnecessarily graphic… Imagine the worst atrocities committed against [your] ancestors, then having to sit [through] a movie explicitly filled [with] them, [with] the only respite being 30 [minute] long...
The Native actress spelled out her criticisms of the film, which stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro, in a lengthy thread on social media on Monday. The film centers on a series of murders among the Osage tribe in Oklahoma in the 1920s, and Jacobs called it “painful, grueling, unrelenting and unnecessarily graphic… Imagine the worst atrocities committed against [your] ancestors, then having to sit [through] a movie explicitly filled [with] them, [with] the only respite being 30 [minute] long...
- 10/23/2023
- by Dave Nemetz
- TVLine.com
Hasan Minhaj is no longer a contender for the next host of The Daily Show, according to a new report. Puck News’ Matthew Belloni told newsletter subscribers that Minhaj — who was a Daily Show correspondent before hosting Patriot Act on Netflix — was once the No. 1 choice to succeed Trevor Noah as Daily Show host. “Minhaj would have been announced as the new Tds host this summer had the strike not intervened,” Belloni wrote, per TVLine. “Instead, both sides sat on the announcement, and then… disaster.” In a New Yorker profile this September, Minhaj admitted to embellishing stories in his standup comedy, telling the magazine that his routines are “70 percent emotional truth — this happened — and then 30 percent hyperbole, exaggeration, fiction.” He added, “The emotional truth is first. The factual truth is secondary.” Amid the ensuing controversy, former Daily Show correspondent Roy Wood Jr. — who was reportedly eyed for the hosting job,...
- 10/21/2023
- TV Insider
The short list of potential successors to Trevor Noah’s Daily Show throne has narrowed by one.
Puck News reports that embattled frontrunner Hasan Minhaj has been informed by Daily Show parent Paramount Global that he is not getting the coveted hosting gig. The news comes roughly one month after the former Patriot Act headliner found himself at the center of controversy after a damning New Yorker exposé revealed that he had embellished elements of his standup act.
More from TVLineThe Daily Show Guest Hosts Revealed: Who's New? And Who Earned an Encore?Queer for Fear Producer Names Bryan Fuller,...
Puck News reports that embattled frontrunner Hasan Minhaj has been informed by Daily Show parent Paramount Global that he is not getting the coveted hosting gig. The news comes roughly one month after the former Patriot Act headliner found himself at the center of controversy after a damning New Yorker exposé revealed that he had embellished elements of his standup act.
More from TVLineThe Daily Show Guest Hosts Revealed: Who's New? And Who Earned an Encore?Queer for Fear Producer Names Bryan Fuller,...
- 10/20/2023
- by Michael Ausiello
- TVLine.com
Former “Daily Show” correspondent Roy Wood Jr. has defended Hasan Minhaj, saying that last month’s “embellishment” controversy should not take the “Patriot Act” star out of running to become the permanent host of the Comedy Central series.
“I don’t believe Hasan could never host because of his situation. I don’t necessarily agree with that,” Wood told Variety on Wednesday. After a New Yorker article last month questioned the truth of his stand-up routines, Minhaj admitted to making up or embroidering stories of racial harassment that supposedly happened to him.
“I definitely think there is a place for him to clarify his intentions, but nothing about what Hasan did, none of it has to do with the content he presented on ‘The Patriot Act,’” said Wood, referring to the show Minhaj hosted on Netflix from 2018 to 2020.
“Can he show up and do the job? I say yes,” Wood insisted.
“I don’t believe Hasan could never host because of his situation. I don’t necessarily agree with that,” Wood told Variety on Wednesday. After a New Yorker article last month questioned the truth of his stand-up routines, Minhaj admitted to making up or embroidering stories of racial harassment that supposedly happened to him.
“I definitely think there is a place for him to clarify his intentions, but nothing about what Hasan did, none of it has to do with the content he presented on ‘The Patriot Act,’” said Wood, referring to the show Minhaj hosted on Netflix from 2018 to 2020.
“Can he show up and do the job? I say yes,” Wood insisted.
- 10/18/2023
- by Sharon Knolle
- The Wrap
During the recently ended writers strike, many people who worked on the staffs of TV’s late-night shows wished things would get back to normal. Roy Wood Jr. was surprised to find that he was not one of them.
Wood, one of the team of faux news correspondents on Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” since 2015, says the strike got him thinking about his place at the venerable series — and about late-night TV in general. He decided to exit, even though he has been seen in some circles as a candidate to take over as host of the program, which has been without a steady on-air leader since Trevor Noah left in late 2022.
“I do not believe late-night as we know it will be the way we continue,” Wood tells Variety. “Budgets are changing, and we are going into the age of some people, demographically, who did not necessarily always grow up with late night.
Wood, one of the team of faux news correspondents on Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” since 2015, says the strike got him thinking about his place at the venerable series — and about late-night TV in general. He decided to exit, even though he has been seen in some circles as a candidate to take over as host of the program, which has been without a steady on-air leader since Trevor Noah left in late 2022.
“I do not believe late-night as we know it will be the way we continue,” Wood tells Variety. “Budgets are changing, and we are going into the age of some people, demographically, who did not necessarily always grow up with late night.
- 10/18/2023
- by Brian Steinberg
- Variety Film + TV
When I reach Roy Wood Jr. by phone, he’s resting in a hotel room in Napa, California, where he’s in town for a corporate gig. The comedian relishes these quiet moments in between jobs, where he’s able to turn his mind off and “not do shit.” He’s been going full bore for the past year, touring the country performing stand-up shows, hosting the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, serving as a Daily Show correspondent, and auditioning to be its next host in the wake of Trevor Noah’s sudden departure.
- 10/16/2023
- by Marlow Stern
- Rollingstone.com
Bill Maher was off television for five months, thanks to the WGA strike. So naturally, he had a lot to catch up on in Friday’s edition of Real Time on HBO.
Maher kept the focus squarely on politics in his opening monologue and in his panel discussion, with particular emphasis on covering the immigration border crisis. The panel was composed of Matt Welch, editor-at-large of Reason Magazine, and Sarah Isgur, senior editor for the online magaine The Dispatch.
The migrants issue has mushroomed into “a national crisis,” Maher noted. Panelists Welch and Isgur talked about the fentanyl plague that’s part and parcel of the loose border enforcement. Welch indicated that the crackdown on opioids is part of the reason that fentanyl has risen in popularity, turning “into a hockey stick” of overdose charting. He later referred to it as “bathtub heroin.”
Isgur advocated for patients in hospitals to...
Maher kept the focus squarely on politics in his opening monologue and in his panel discussion, with particular emphasis on covering the immigration border crisis. The panel was composed of Matt Welch, editor-at-large of Reason Magazine, and Sarah Isgur, senior editor for the online magaine The Dispatch.
The migrants issue has mushroomed into “a national crisis,” Maher noted. Panelists Welch and Isgur talked about the fentanyl plague that’s part and parcel of the loose border enforcement. Welch indicated that the crackdown on opioids is part of the reason that fentanyl has risen in popularity, turning “into a hockey stick” of overdose charting. He later referred to it as “bathtub heroin.”
Isgur advocated for patients in hospitals to...
- 10/7/2023
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Roy Wood Jr., a longtime contributor to Comedy Central’s “Daily Show”, is saying goodbye to the late-night program as executives continue their quest for a successor to former host Trevor Noah.
Wood clarified his departure to NPR, explaining: “I can’t come up with Plan B while still working with Plan A.”
Read More: ‘Daily Show’ Looking At Other New Hosts Beyond Hasan Minhaj: Report
He expressed his reluctance to continue as a correspondent while another host was being considered, stating: “The job of correspondent… it’s not really one where you can juggle multiple things. [And] I think eight years is a good run.”
Regarding the show’s current situation, Wood’s exit highlights Comedy Central’s challenges as it expands its search for a new leading figure. After Trevor Noah announced his exit in late 2022, guest hosts took over until the Hollywood writers strike halted production.
Initially, Comedy...
Wood clarified his departure to NPR, explaining: “I can’t come up with Plan B while still working with Plan A.”
Read More: ‘Daily Show’ Looking At Other New Hosts Beyond Hasan Minhaj: Report
He expressed his reluctance to continue as a correspondent while another host was being considered, stating: “The job of correspondent… it’s not really one where you can juggle multiple things. [And] I think eight years is a good run.”
Regarding the show’s current situation, Wood’s exit highlights Comedy Central’s challenges as it expands its search for a new leading figure. After Trevor Noah announced his exit in late 2022, guest hosts took over until the Hollywood writers strike halted production.
Initially, Comedy...
- 10/5/2023
- by Emerson Pearson
- ET Canada
Roy Wood Jr. has formally announced his plans to leave The Daily Show.
The comedian and correspondent for the Comedy Central series revealed his plans to leave the show amid its search for a new host in an interview with NPR published on Thursday. The decision to leave, according Wood, was based on the demand of the correspondent’s role on his schedule and attention, as well as a disinterest in continuing in the position while “waiting for someone else to take the top job,” according to NPR.
“I can’t come up with [what] Plan B is while still working with Plan A,” Wood said. “The job of correspondent … it’s not really one where you can juggle multiple things. [And] I think eight years is a good run.”
The comedian and actor said that he isn’t sure how seriously he is being considered for the top spot, which is...
The comedian and correspondent for the Comedy Central series revealed his plans to leave the show amid its search for a new host in an interview with NPR published on Thursday. The decision to leave, according Wood, was based on the demand of the correspondent’s role on his schedule and attention, as well as a disinterest in continuing in the position while “waiting for someone else to take the top job,” according to NPR.
“I can’t come up with [what] Plan B is while still working with Plan A,” Wood said. “The job of correspondent … it’s not really one where you can juggle multiple things. [And] I think eight years is a good run.”
The comedian and actor said that he isn’t sure how seriously he is being considered for the top spot, which is...
- 10/5/2023
- by Abbey White
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Roy Wood Jr., a longtime contributor to Comedy Central’s “Daily Show,” will not appear on the late-night program when it returns to production later this month, the latest wrinkle to develop at the long-running show as executives continue to hunt for a successor to former host Trevor Noah.
“I can’t come up with Plan B is while still working with Plan A,” the comedian told NPR, noting he doesn’t want to continue as one of the show’s cadre of correspondents while someone else is being considered for the top role. “The job of correspondent…it’s not really one where you can juggle multiple things. [And] I think eight years is a good run,” he said.
His exit spotlights complications at the venerable program as Comedy Central broadens its search for a new lead figure. Noah abruptly announced his exit in late 2022 in front of a live...
“I can’t come up with Plan B is while still working with Plan A,” the comedian told NPR, noting he doesn’t want to continue as one of the show’s cadre of correspondents while someone else is being considered for the top role. “The job of correspondent…it’s not really one where you can juggle multiple things. [And] I think eight years is a good run,” he said.
His exit spotlights complications at the venerable program as Comedy Central broadens its search for a new lead figure. Noah abruptly announced his exit in late 2022 in front of a live...
- 10/5/2023
- by Brian Steinberg
- Variety Film + TV
When The Daily Show comes back with new episodes later this month, Roy Wood Jr. won’t be returning with it.
The longtime Daily Show correspondent is exiting the late-night series, TVLine has confirmed.
More from TVLineSNL Promotes 2 Cast Members Ahead of Season 49 Premiere Roy Wood Jr. Elaborates on Decision to Leave The Daily Show Amid the 'Shifting Sands of Late Night'TVLine Items: Casey Wilson Hosts Baking Show, Bright Young Women Series and More
“Roy Wood Jr. is a comedic genius and beloved teammate,” a spokesperson for The Daily Show said in a statement. “His insights and hilarity helped us make sense of the 2016 election,...
The longtime Daily Show correspondent is exiting the late-night series, TVLine has confirmed.
More from TVLineSNL Promotes 2 Cast Members Ahead of Season 49 Premiere Roy Wood Jr. Elaborates on Decision to Leave The Daily Show Amid the 'Shifting Sands of Late Night'TVLine Items: Casey Wilson Hosts Baking Show, Bright Young Women Series and More
“Roy Wood Jr. is a comedic genius and beloved teammate,” a spokesperson for The Daily Show said in a statement. “His insights and hilarity helped us make sense of the 2016 election,...
- 10/5/2023
- by Rebecca Iannucci
- TVLine.com
While earlier reports indicated that Hasan Minhaj was a shoo-in to replace Trevor Noah as new host of “The Daily Show”, the latest indicates that may not be the case.
According to Variety, Comedy Central is now “considering a wider range of candidates” for the coveted gig.
Read More: Hasan Minhaj Among Top Contenders To Host ‘The Daily Show’
While Minhaj is said to still be under consideration, the net is being widened as the search continues to fill the spot left vacant by Noah, who exited late last year; since then, a series of guests hosts have sat in as the search for a permanent host is underway.
Perhaps not coincidentally, the news comes soon after a bombshell exposé in the New Yorker provided evidence that Minaj discussed events from his life in his comedy routines that were entirely fabricated, even though he claimed they’d actually occurred.
Minhaj...
According to Variety, Comedy Central is now “considering a wider range of candidates” for the coveted gig.
Read More: Hasan Minhaj Among Top Contenders To Host ‘The Daily Show’
While Minhaj is said to still be under consideration, the net is being widened as the search continues to fill the spot left vacant by Noah, who exited late last year; since then, a series of guests hosts have sat in as the search for a permanent host is underway.
Perhaps not coincidentally, the news comes soon after a bombshell exposé in the New Yorker provided evidence that Minaj discussed events from his life in his comedy routines that were entirely fabricated, even though he claimed they’d actually occurred.
Minhaj...
- 9/27/2023
- by Etcanadadigital
- ET Canada
It’s official: The Daily Show will name its new host… sometime next year.
In announcing that its flagship late-night program will return with new episodes post-wga strike on Oct. 16, Comedy Central confirmed Wednesday that the show’s new permanent host will take his/her seat behind the iconic desk in 2024. In the meantime, guest hosts will continue to fill the void left by Trevor Noah.
On Tuesday morning it was announced (en masse) that CBS’ The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live, NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and NBC’s Late Night...
In announcing that its flagship late-night program will return with new episodes post-wga strike on Oct. 16, Comedy Central confirmed Wednesday that the show’s new permanent host will take his/her seat behind the iconic desk in 2024. In the meantime, guest hosts will continue to fill the void left by Trevor Noah.
On Tuesday morning it was announced (en masse) that CBS’ The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live, NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and NBC’s Late Night...
- 9/27/2023
- by Michael Ausiello
- TVLine.com
Comedy Central’s “Daily Show” will return to the air on October 16, the latest of TV’s late-night shows to chart a reboot following a shut-down due to the Hollywood writers strike.
While wee-hours rivals like “Tonight:” and “Late Show” are coming back on October 2 with their regular hosts, “Daily” will continue to rely on guests, as it has since Trevor Noah left the program last year.
A new host is expected to take over the desk in early 2024. Guest hosts will continue to lead the program for the rest of the year, Comedy Central said.
The maneuvers show the Paramount Global cable networ considering a wider array of candidates to take the reins of the program according to people familiar with the matter, after having previously identified Hasan Minhaj as a leading possibility. The decision appears to come in the wake of a recent report in The New Yorker...
While wee-hours rivals like “Tonight:” and “Late Show” are coming back on October 2 with their regular hosts, “Daily” will continue to rely on guests, as it has since Trevor Noah left the program last year.
A new host is expected to take over the desk in early 2024. Guest hosts will continue to lead the program for the rest of the year, Comedy Central said.
The maneuvers show the Paramount Global cable networ considering a wider array of candidates to take the reins of the program according to people familiar with the matter, after having previously identified Hasan Minhaj as a leading possibility. The decision appears to come in the wake of a recent report in The New Yorker...
- 9/27/2023
- by Brian Steinberg
- Variety Film + TV
To the average person, the New Yorker’s expose on Hasan Minhaj’s fabrications in his stand-up routine may be shocking. But three former “Daily Show” staffers who spoke exclusively with TheWrap said they were not surprised.
“There was always this suspicion that maybe this guy’s full of s–t. Maybe he’s exaggerating,” one former staffer told TheWrap, noting that Minhaj’s stories in his stand-up always seemed “too perfectly set up.”
The admissions by Minhaj that several incident of racism didn’t happen to him, or didn’t happen the way he recounted, should disqualify him to host the Comedy Central news-comedy show, they said.
“It’s extremely dangerous to cry wolf on racism, especially if you want to be the host of a very influential, politically-driven show,” a former “Daily Show” staffer said.
“I don’t know how [his staff] can take him seriously on day one when...
“There was always this suspicion that maybe this guy’s full of s–t. Maybe he’s exaggerating,” one former staffer told TheWrap, noting that Minhaj’s stories in his stand-up always seemed “too perfectly set up.”
The admissions by Minhaj that several incident of racism didn’t happen to him, or didn’t happen the way he recounted, should disqualify him to host the Comedy Central news-comedy show, they said.
“It’s extremely dangerous to cry wolf on racism, especially if you want to be the host of a very influential, politically-driven show,” a former “Daily Show” staffer said.
“I don’t know how [his staff] can take him seriously on day one when...
- 9/26/2023
- by Kayla Cobb
- The Wrap
Today, Spotify, in partnership with Warner Bros. and DC, announced The Riddler: Secrets in the Dark will premiere on Tuesday, October 10 with all 8 episodes available exclusively on Spotify. The series will follow an unexpected adventure from the perspective of one of the most cunning DC Super-Villains in Gotham City, Edward Nygma voiced by Hasan Minhaj. Minhaj leads the cast, reprising his role from last year’s global sensation, Batman Unburied. You can check out a special video message from Hasan here.
Colman Domingo joins the cast as Batman, who begrudgingly teams up with Minhaj’s Riddler to track down a masked vigilante on the loose in Gotham City. The mysterious character is murdering notorious DC Super-Villains all over Gotham City, and all clues point to the suspect being the Caped Crusader himself. Now, with a target on his head, The Riddler is forced to break out of Arkham Asylum and team up with Batman.
Colman Domingo joins the cast as Batman, who begrudgingly teams up with Minhaj’s Riddler to track down a masked vigilante on the loose in Gotham City. The mysterious character is murdering notorious DC Super-Villains all over Gotham City, and all clues point to the suspect being the Caped Crusader himself. Now, with a target on his head, The Riddler is forced to break out of Arkham Asylum and team up with Batman.
- 9/22/2023
- Podnews.net
Colman Domingo is entering the Batcave. The actor, who is in the Oscars race thanks to his work in civil rights drama Rustin, will voice Batman in the Spotify limited series The Riddler: Secrets In The Dark.
Comedian Hasan Minhaj stars in Secrets in the Dark, which comes after Minhaj voiced the Batman villain in Spotify’s Batman: Unburied. The new series, which bows Oct. 10, forces Batman to team with Edward Nygma (The Riddler) to stop a mysterious vigilante who is killing Gotham’s villains — including The Riddler. Winston Duke previously voiced Batman in Batman Unburied.
The cast of Secrets in the Dark also includes Gina Rodriguez as Barbara Gordon, Calum Worthy as The Messenger, Hannah Simone as Nadira, Peyton Crim as Killer Croc, Jim Pirri as Arnold Flass, Jason Isaacs as Alfred, Ashly Burch as Vicki Vale, Hugh Scott as Calendar Man, Bri Giger as Summer Gleeson, Aflamu Johnson...
Comedian Hasan Minhaj stars in Secrets in the Dark, which comes after Minhaj voiced the Batman villain in Spotify’s Batman: Unburied. The new series, which bows Oct. 10, forces Batman to team with Edward Nygma (The Riddler) to stop a mysterious vigilante who is killing Gotham’s villains — including The Riddler. Winston Duke previously voiced Batman in Batman Unburied.
The cast of Secrets in the Dark also includes Gina Rodriguez as Barbara Gordon, Calum Worthy as The Messenger, Hannah Simone as Nadira, Peyton Crim as Killer Croc, Jim Pirri as Arnold Flass, Jason Isaacs as Alfred, Ashly Burch as Vicki Vale, Hugh Scott as Calendar Man, Bri Giger as Summer Gleeson, Aflamu Johnson...
- 9/21/2023
- by Aaron Couch
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Not many people know this, but during the Capitol riots, Hasan Minhaj saved Nancy Pelosi’s life. He grabbed the then-Speaker under one arm and dashed through the House Chamber like a running back while dodging hordes of pepper-spraying insurrectionists. Then, afterwards, he barged into the Oval Office and sat down in a chair reserved for Jared Kushner.
You should have seen the look on Donald Trump’s face when Minhaj started sprinkling white powder all over the Resolute Desk…
Ok, obviously I’m embellishing for comedic effect. But at least I’m being faithful to the emotional truth — which is that Minhaj, the 38-year-old Muslim Indian American comedian who’s said to be on the short-list as the future permanent host of “The Daily Show,” is suddenly dealing with a huge credibility problem.
Maybe you saw The New Yorker expose that stirred up all the trouble. In what seemed...
You should have seen the look on Donald Trump’s face when Minhaj started sprinkling white powder all over the Resolute Desk…
Ok, obviously I’m embellishing for comedic effect. But at least I’m being faithful to the emotional truth — which is that Minhaj, the 38-year-old Muslim Indian American comedian who’s said to be on the short-list as the future permanent host of “The Daily Show,” is suddenly dealing with a huge credibility problem.
Maybe you saw The New Yorker expose that stirred up all the trouble. In what seemed...
- 9/20/2023
- by Benjamin Svetkey
- The Wrap
Whoopi Goldberg is coming to the defense of Hasan Minhaj, who has received some criticism after acknowledging that he has embellished stories that were basically based in fact in his stand-up routines.
“That’s what we do” (as comedians), Goldberg said during Monday’s The View. “That’s what we do, we tell stories and we embellish them.”
She added, “If you’re going to hold a comic to the point where you’re going to check up on stories, you have to understand, a lot of it is not the exact thing that happened because why would we tell exactly what happened? It’s not that interesting. There’s information that we will give you as comics that will have grains of truth, but don’t take it to the bank. That’s our job, a seed of truth: sometimes truth and sometimes total B.S.”
In a recent interview with the New Yorker,...
“That’s what we do” (as comedians), Goldberg said during Monday’s The View. “That’s what we do, we tell stories and we embellish them.”
She added, “If you’re going to hold a comic to the point where you’re going to check up on stories, you have to understand, a lot of it is not the exact thing that happened because why would we tell exactly what happened? It’s not that interesting. There’s information that we will give you as comics that will have grains of truth, but don’t take it to the bank. That’s our job, a seed of truth: sometimes truth and sometimes total B.S.”
In a recent interview with the New Yorker,...
- 9/18/2023
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
Whoopi Goldberg came to Hasan Minhaj’s defense following claims that some of the jokes in his stand-ups are embellished.
During a segment on The View Monday, Goldberg and her fellow co-hosts took a moment to discuss Minhaj exaggerating things that have happened to him at times for the sake of the joke.
“That’s what we do,” Goldberg said of the role of comedians. “That’s what we do. We tell stories, and we embellish them.”
Goldberg then recalled a time when a reporter called to fact-check one of her stand-ups in which she said she had a degree from New York University. She told the reporter she did not have a degree from the university and never said she did, before realizing he was referring to one of her stand-up characters, Fontaine.
“If you’re gonna hold a comic to the point where you’re gonna check up on their stories,...
During a segment on The View Monday, Goldberg and her fellow co-hosts took a moment to discuss Minhaj exaggerating things that have happened to him at times for the sake of the joke.
“That’s what we do,” Goldberg said of the role of comedians. “That’s what we do. We tell stories, and we embellish them.”
Goldberg then recalled a time when a reporter called to fact-check one of her stand-ups in which she said she had a degree from New York University. She told the reporter she did not have a degree from the university and never said she did, before realizing he was referring to one of her stand-up characters, Fontaine.
“If you’re gonna hold a comic to the point where you’re gonna check up on their stories,...
- 9/18/2023
- by Christy Piña
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Whoopi Goldberg is defending Hasan Minhaj, who has ignited a fierce debate after admitting to embellishing stories in his stand-up routines over the years.
“That’s what we do,” Goldberg said on “The View” about the role of the comedian (via Entertainment Weekly). “That’s what we do, we tell stories and we embellish them.”
“If you’re gonna hold a comic to the point where you’re gonna check up on stories, you have to understand, a lot of it is not the exact thing that happened because why would we tell exactly what happened? It ain’t that interesting,” she also said, adding later, “There’s information that we will give you as comics that will have grains of truth, but don’t take it to the bank. That’s our job, a seed of truth. Sometimes truth and sometimes total Bs.”
In a story published by The New Yorker on Sept.
“That’s what we do,” Goldberg said on “The View” about the role of the comedian (via Entertainment Weekly). “That’s what we do, we tell stories and we embellish them.”
“If you’re gonna hold a comic to the point where you’re gonna check up on stories, you have to understand, a lot of it is not the exact thing that happened because why would we tell exactly what happened? It ain’t that interesting,” she also said, adding later, “There’s information that we will give you as comics that will have grains of truth, but don’t take it to the bank. That’s our job, a seed of truth. Sometimes truth and sometimes total Bs.”
In a story published by The New Yorker on Sept.
- 9/18/2023
- by Zack Sharf
- Variety Film + TV
Whoopi Goldberg is standing by fellow comedian Hasan Minhaj after the former “Patriot Act” star admitted to embellishing elements of his autobiographical stand-up sets.
“That’s what we do,” the “View” cohost Goldberg said on the daytime talk show (via Entertainment Weekly). “That’s what we do, we tell stories, and we embellish them.”
She continued, “If you’re going to hold a comic to the point where you’re going to check up on stories, you have to understand, a lot of it is not the exact thing that happened because why would we tell exactly what happened? It’s not that interesting. There’s information that we will give you as comics that will have grains of truth, but don’t take it to the bank. That’s our job, a seed of truth: sometimes truth and sometimes total B.S.”
Minhaj recently told The New Yorker that...
“That’s what we do,” the “View” cohost Goldberg said on the daytime talk show (via Entertainment Weekly). “That’s what we do, we tell stories, and we embellish them.”
She continued, “If you’re going to hold a comic to the point where you’re going to check up on stories, you have to understand, a lot of it is not the exact thing that happened because why would we tell exactly what happened? It’s not that interesting. There’s information that we will give you as comics that will have grains of truth, but don’t take it to the bank. That’s our job, a seed of truth: sometimes truth and sometimes total B.S.”
Minhaj recently told The New Yorker that...
- 9/18/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
The hosts of “The View” were a bit stunned on Monday after learning about the criticisms comedian Hasan Minhaj faces for admitting to over-exaggerating stories in his stand-up act. Moderator Whoopi Goldberg was particularly bothered by the blowback, noting that, as a comedian herself, “That’s what we do!”
In an exposé published by The New Yorker on Friday, Minhaj was called out for fabricating and/or embellishing stories in his stand-up act, but the comedian defended his actions, saying, “Every story in my style is built around a seed of truth.”
In a statement to TheWrap, Minhaj noted that “all my standup stories are based on events that happened to me.” And, according to Goldberg on Monday’s episode of “The View,” that’s not uncommon at all.
“That’s what we do!” she said. “That’s what we do. We tell stories, and then we embellish them.”
She...
In an exposé published by The New Yorker on Friday, Minhaj was called out for fabricating and/or embellishing stories in his stand-up act, but the comedian defended his actions, saying, “Every story in my style is built around a seed of truth.”
In a statement to TheWrap, Minhaj noted that “all my standup stories are based on events that happened to me.” And, according to Goldberg on Monday’s episode of “The View,” that’s not uncommon at all.
“That’s what we do!” she said. “That’s what we do. We tell stories, and then we embellish them.”
She...
- 9/18/2023
- by Andi Ortiz
- The Wrap
On Friday, The New Yorker published a bombshell story by Clare Malone detailing how comedian Hasan Minhaj, a former Daily Show correspondent and host of Netflix’s Patriot Act, had fabricated a number of stories that were featured on his show and in his stand-up routines, including being dumped by a prom date because of the color of his skin; that he’d recognized an FBI informant who’d been surveilling Muslim people in his community; that he received an envelope with white powder that he thought was anthrax and...
- 9/16/2023
- by Marlow Stern
- Rollingstone.com
A new profile on comedian Hasan Minhaj alleges that many anecdotes he recounted in his various comedy specials and Netflix series, “Patriot Act” — with Minaj seemingly acknowledging that to be the case.
In the New Yorker piece, writer Clare Malone notes that while comedians will offer exaggerate an event for comedic impact, she runs through several stories Minhaj used that simply never happened.
“Yes, a letter with powder was sent to my apartment that almost harmed my daughter.”
Following the story’s publication, Minhaj issued a response to The Hollywood Reporter saying “All my standup stories are based on events that happened to me.”
“Yes, I was rejected from going to prom because of my race,” he added. “Yes, a letter with powder was sent to my apartment that almost harmed my daughter. Yes, I had an interaction with law enforcement during the war on terror. Yes, I had varicocele repair surgery,...
In the New Yorker piece, writer Clare Malone notes that while comedians will offer exaggerate an event for comedic impact, she runs through several stories Minhaj used that simply never happened.
“Yes, a letter with powder was sent to my apartment that almost harmed my daughter.”
Following the story’s publication, Minhaj issued a response to The Hollywood Reporter saying “All my standup stories are based on events that happened to me.”
“Yes, I was rejected from going to prom because of my race,” he added. “Yes, a letter with powder was sent to my apartment that almost harmed my daughter. Yes, I had an interaction with law enforcement during the war on terror. Yes, I had varicocele repair surgery,...
- 9/15/2023
- by Etcanadadigital
- ET Canada
Hasan Minhaj admitted to — and defended — making up stories in his stand-up sets in a new interview with The New Yorker.
The story outlines several fabrications peppered throughout Minhaj’s work, often in service of describing experiences of discrimination and threats of violence for speaking truth to power. It is not unheard of for comedians (or even memoirists) to tweak, exaggerate, or make-up certain details to ensure a joke lands, and Minhaj defended his choices, saying the stories he told were based on “emotional truth.”
He added: “The punch line is worth the fictionalized premise.
The story outlines several fabrications peppered throughout Minhaj’s work, often in service of describing experiences of discrimination and threats of violence for speaking truth to power. It is not unheard of for comedians (or even memoirists) to tweak, exaggerate, or make-up certain details to ensure a joke lands, and Minhaj defended his choices, saying the stories he told were based on “emotional truth.”
He added: “The punch line is worth the fictionalized premise.
- 9/15/2023
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
Hasan Minhaj says “all my standup stories are based on events that happened to me” after a new profile in The New Yorker found that some of the details in his onstage anecdotes, like those featured in his Netflix stand-up specials, may have been made up.
Stories that The New Yorker found didn’t necessarily play out as he presented them include jokes involving one of his children and their possible exposure to anthrax and an alleged interaction with police and an FBI informant at his family’s mosque when he was a teen.
In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter responding to The New Yorker story, Minhaj said, “All my standup stories are based on events that happened to me. Yes, I was rejected from going to prom because of my race. Yes, a letter with powder was sent to my apartment that almost harmed my daughter. Yes, I...
Stories that The New Yorker found didn’t necessarily play out as he presented them include jokes involving one of his children and their possible exposure to anthrax and an alleged interaction with police and an FBI informant at his family’s mosque when he was a teen.
In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter responding to The New Yorker story, Minhaj said, “All my standup stories are based on events that happened to me. Yes, I was rejected from going to prom because of my race. Yes, a letter with powder was sent to my apartment that almost harmed my daughter. Yes, I...
- 9/15/2023
- by Abbey White
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
It’s mainly embellishment. Former Patriot Act host and The Daily Show alum Hasan Minhaj is acknowledging that many of the stories he has told in his comedy specials are fabricated.
“Every story in my style is built around a seed of truth,” Minhaj said in a profile in The New Yorker. “My comedy Arnold Palmer is 70% emotional truth — this happened — and then 30% hyperbole, exaggeration, fiction.”
Minhaj is a two-time Peabody Award-Winning comedian best known for his breakout Netflix special Homecoming King and his critically acclaimed, political satire show Patriot Act With Hasan Minhaj for Netflix which won a Peabody, an Emmy, and a Television Academy Honor.
“All my standup stories are based on events that happened to me. Yes, I was rejected from going to prom because of my race. Yes, a letter with powder was sent to my apartment that almost harmed my daughter. Yes, I had an...
“Every story in my style is built around a seed of truth,” Minhaj said in a profile in The New Yorker. “My comedy Arnold Palmer is 70% emotional truth — this happened — and then 30% hyperbole, exaggeration, fiction.”
Minhaj is a two-time Peabody Award-Winning comedian best known for his breakout Netflix special Homecoming King and his critically acclaimed, political satire show Patriot Act With Hasan Minhaj for Netflix which won a Peabody, an Emmy, and a Television Academy Honor.
“All my standup stories are based on events that happened to me. Yes, I was rejected from going to prom because of my race. Yes, a letter with powder was sent to my apartment that almost harmed my daughter. Yes, I had an...
- 9/15/2023
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
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