Comedian Hasan Minhaj has admitted to fabricating elements of his stand-up specials, like "The King's Jester," shedding light on the blurred line between comedy and reality
In a recent profile featured in The New Yorker, Hasan Minhaj, the comedian and former host of "Patriot Act" and alum of "The Daily Show," confessed to fabricating certain aspects of his previous stand-up specials, including "The King's Jester" from 2022, which was available for streaming on Netflix.
Minhaj explained that in his comedic approach, every narrative is constructed upon a foundation of truth.He stated that his comedic style comprises 70% emotional truth, meaning these events occurred in some form, and the remaining 30% is a blend of hyperbole, exaggeration, and fiction.
In "The King's Jester," Minhaj shared a harrowing incident involving an envelope containing a mysterious white substance that arrived at his home. His initial fear was that it might be anthrax. As recounted by the comedian during his special, the powder accidentally spilled onto his daughter, prompting a frantic rush to the hospital. To Minhaj's relief, the doctor confirmed that it wasn't anthrax.
However, Minhaj confessed to The New Yorker that his daughter had never been exposed to any white powder or required hospitalization. He asserted that a letter containing white powder had been sent to his residence, prompting him to jest with his wife, "Wow, what if this turned out to be anthrax?"
In another anecdote recounted in "The King's Jester," Minhaj discusses an FBI informant who had infiltrated his family's mosque located in the Sacramento area. The informant, known as Brother Eric, was a Caucasian man claiming to have converted to Islam. Minhaj revealed that Brother Eric attempted to engage the male members of the congregation in discussions about jihad. In a mischievous turn of events, Minhaj claimed he played along by mentioning his intention to obtain a pilot's license. Allegedly, the police subsequently arrived and forcefully placed Minhaj on the hood of his car. It should be noted that this particular story was also fabricated.
In a statement, Minhaj mentioned that all the anecdotes in his stand-up routines are based on personal experiences. He mentioned that he faced rejection from attending prom due to his ethnicity. He also mentioned an incident where a suspicious letter containing a powdery substance was sent to his apartment, posing a threat to their daughter's safety. Additionally, he shared that he had a notable interaction with law enforcement during the period of the war on terror. Moreover, he revealed that he underwent varicocele repair surgery to facilitate his journey toward parenthood.
He added that he uses the tools of stand-up comedy, such as hyperbole, changing names and locations, and compressing timelines, to tell entertaining stories, and he mentioned that it's inherent to the art form. He also compared it to going to a Haunted House, saying that the point is the ride, not whether people are lying to you, and he drew a parallel to stand-up comedy, stating that it's similar.