Humour has been a tool society has used for centuries as a weapon against injustice. Lots of comedy related media is surrounded around politics, and this rang true especially when Donald Trump was elected in 2016. With that being said, Hasan Minhaj uses his platform of comedy with a more unique approach. Not only does he target American politics, but he has gone after everyone.
One of Minhaj’s greatest hits in his working career of combining comedy with politics and social justice, was The Patriot Act. On Minhaj’s website, the show’s main objective is described as “exploring the modern cultural and political landscape with depth and sincerity.” However, after running from 2018 to 2020 on Netflix, the franchise cancelled him. Although the public was told the decision was because of the pandemic, many of his fans have put the dots together.
In 2019, Netflix removed an episode of the show in Saudi Arabia because Minhaj had targeted his content at the Saudi government for killing journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Certain fans contend that this decision as well as Minhaj’s refusal to back down from covering controversial topics, some that expand over the international borders of the United States, are what got him cancelled.
This, however, did not stop Minhaj from continuing to preach truth telling through the use of humour. Recently, he has returned to his original roots of stand-up comedy, taking the road with his one-man show The King’s Jester. I personally watched the show on Oct. 8, and Minhaj was everything and so much more than expected.
He hinted at why The Patriot Act was cancelled, explaining to the audience that the name in itself was a symbol of a fearlessness to discuss what might be deemed controversial. The Patriot Act was signed by President Bush in 2001 in response to the Sept. 11 terrorist attack in order to tighten U.S. national security. Minhaj explained in his show that in regards to this Act, being an Indian-Muslim American could have been a large determinant in whether or not he would be able to gain the success and lifestyle he has now.
Minhaj’s fearlessness in calling out those who contribute to a large part of our global society’s injustices and challenges is not easy to develop. In fact, when the audience entered the auditorium to watch his show, he had everyone lock away their phones in little pouches with magnetic locks; only his staff could remove them at the end of the show. Humour might be a powerful weapon, but it has to be used with caution. He talked about this choice in keeping the audience from their phones, explaining that with stand-up comedy, there is a level of trust he needs in order to say the things that are most honest.
Although Minhaj has come across as extremely brave with his actions in the past, he admitted to the audience that going against powerful political figures still makes him feel vulnerable and scared, which makes this process of fighting for justice more difficult. More than The Patriot Act getting cancelled, Minhaj confided to the audience a very personal story regarding a Twitter war he started recently that led to his baby daughter’s safety being put at risk. He did not get into extreme details, and there is not a lot of official information regarding the incident; however, he expressed he continues to live with guilt everyday. He also admitted he has a knack for making people laugh. He can turn the dark and scary things into smiles and laughter, all while fighting for justice and speaking the truth. Minhaj might no longer be featured on a huge platform like Netflix; however, The King’s Jester will continue touring all over the country until May 2022. Do not forget to snatch your own tickets, because while it was by far one of the best stand-up shows I have ever seen, there is also no way to get a recorded version of everything he has to say!