They say laughter is the best medicine—and if that’s true, stand-up comic Hari Kondabolu is here to heal a sick society. Today, he joins Esty in the studio for a wide-ranging conversation about the political and cultural significance of comedy.
They talk about when it’s okay to joke about sensitive topics, what it means to make it in a white, male-dominated industry like comedy, being a disappointed fan (including of America), the relativity of humor, and using entertainment to provoke important conversations about class, race, sex, oppression, and power.
Hari Kondabolu is a Queens-raised, Brooklyn-based comedian and writer hailed as “one of the most exciting political comics in stand-up today.” On TV, Hari has appeared on Comedy Central, Conan, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Late Show with David Letterman, and more.
Hari has released several chart-topping comedy albums, including Waiting for 2042 and Mainstream American Comic. His comedy special Warn Your Relatives premiered on Netflix in 2018, following the success of his critically-acclaimed documentary The Problem With Apu about the stereotypical character on The Simpsons.
Hari Kondabolu will be performing at Comedy on State in Madison on Friday, November 22 and Saturday, November 23 at 8:00 PM and 10:30 PM both nights. More information available here.
