Preet Bharara’s new podcast, “Stay Tuned with Preet” on CAFE, is now live. Listen here on Apple Podcasts.
“Popping out of your mom is like real estate. It’s all about location.”
That’s a line from comedian Hasan Minhaj’s Netflix special, Homecoming King. In it, Hasan talks about the experience of growing up in an immigrant family in the United States, and navigating a landscape that can seem simultaneously limiting and full of possibilities.
That’s something I know a little bit about – and it’s an idea that has informed my experience, both on a personal level and professionally. But the way Hasan talks about it is a little bit different; he has what he calls his “super power” – an ability to tell serious stories in a silly way. Jokes are easy, he says – the hard part is making sure they convey something meaningful. That’s why I was so excited to have him as my guest at the first-ever Stay Tuned with Preet live event. We talked about growing up in an Indian immigrant family, being a comedian at a time of political challenge, and how societal pressures affect how we interact with one another.
“One of the themes I explore in the show is this idea of, what will people think?” he said. “I think that is one of the biggest pressures that our generation…Sometimes we’re the victim of it, and sometimes we’re the ones that perpetuate it.”
Of course, there’s a flip side to that kind of pressure. As time has gone on, in ways both big and small, people have begun to set higher standards for behavior, both personally and for society as a whole. Young people, for example are more likely to push for equal rights, equal justice, and equal opportunity – and much less likely to tolerate racism and injustice.
“I hope that my kids…have that audacity of equality,” Hasan said. “That I can be whoever I want to be, and people are gonna judge me based on my merits, and I’m not gonna accept being treated differently for anything else.”
Given the time that we’re in, does every comedian need to have a message? Is there a responsibility to stake out clear positions? Or can we just have jokes for the sake of jokes?
“I just think right now we’re living in a time where cerebral is sexy,” Hasan said. “We’re living in a time when reality is stranger than fiction. We don’t need wig comedy, is what I’m saying.”
So, what’s next for Hasan?
“I like what I’m doing right now – I like my job,” he said. “I mean, if I get fired, I’ll start a podcast.”
For the full episode, take a listen here. Subscribe to the podcast. And stay tuned for more.
Preet Bharara’s new podcast, “Stay Tuned with Preet” on CAFE, is now live. Listen here on Apple Podcasts.
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About Hasan Minhaj
Hasan Minhaj is a comedian, actor, and writer based in New York City. He is a Senior Correspondent on the Emmy and Peabody award-winning program “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah”. A 2014 Just For Laughs ‘New Face’, he was selected by the Sundance Institute to develop Homecoming King and feature film at the prestigious New Frontier Storytelling Lab. Following a sold out run Off-Broadway at The Cherry Lane Theatre and a national tour, Hasan Minhaj: Homecoming King premiered on Netflix in May. He recently wrapped production on Lionsgate’s comedy feature “The Spy Who Dumped Me,” alongside Kate McKinnon and Mila Kunis. The film is slated to be released next summer.
About Preet Bharara
Preet Bharara is an American lawyer who served for seven and a half years as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York from 2009 to 2017. As U.S. Attorney, Bharara oversaw the investigation and litigation of all criminal and civil cases brought on behalf of the United States in the Southern District of New York. He supervised an office of more than 200 Assistant U.S. Attorneys, who handled a high volume of cases involving terrorism, narcotics and arms trafficking, financial and healthcare fraud, cybercrime, public corruption, gang violence, organized crime, and civil rights violations.
In 2012, Bharara was featured on the cover of TIME magazine and its list, “100 Most Influential People in the World.” From 2012 to 2016, Bharara was also included in Vanity Fair’s “New Establishment lists,” Worth magazine’s “The Power 100: The 100 Most Powerful People in Finance,” included in Bloomberg Markets “50 Most Influential” list in 2014. The New York Times dubbed Bharara as one of “the nation’s most aggressive and outspoken prosecutors. Bharara has used his voice to advocate for justice, against corruption and in support of public service. He has penned opinion pieces for the New York Times and Washington Post and is a sought-after speaker on a range of issues.
On April 1, 2017, Bharara joined the NYU School of Law faculty as a Distinguished Scholar in Residence. He is also the Executive Vice President of Some Spider Studios, for whom he hosts CAFE’s Stay Tuned, a podcast focused on issues of justice and fairness.
