Description: The show follows Minhaj talking about issues which can cover any field. It can be about fashion, culture, or politics.
If you love informative comedy, chances are you’ve heard the name Hasan Minhaj.
Minhaj was a correspondent on The Daily Show. But he became globally renowned after his speech/roast at the 2017 White House Correspondents’ Dinner. And after that, he again made headlines with his debut stand-up comedy special Homecoming King. But it’s his Netflix comedy-news talk show that has made him a influential public figure.
The Patriot Act With Hasan Minhaj has become the online news-comedy show in recent times. It has become huge. So much so that Times Magazine included Minhaj in their list of 100 most influential people in the world in April 2019. And just one day after, he won the 2019 Peabody Award for his show, The Patriot Act.
So it is pretty okay to say that the show has become hugely influential. One such example that highlights this influence can be seen in an incident where, in the episode “Saudi Arabia,” Hasan revealed that the online manual for US troops deployed in Saudi contained the term, “Negro Blood,” to describe the native population of that country. After the release of the episode, U.S. Central Command issued an apology and removed the online manual.
About the show:
The show consists of the stand-up comedian delivering news to his audiences. Sounds like a pretty familiar setting, doesn’t it?
Though the format of the show might resemble a typical late-night comedy talk show, it is different enough to make it stand out from the others.
For one, the show does away with the tables and chairs, an integral element seen in other talk shows.
Secondly, The host roams about the stage floor and delivers his lines. And it makes sense as Minhaj is also a stand-up comic.
He is also accompanied by a sleekly designed screen (both at the back and on the floor) that makes up about 60 percent of the whole set. On the screen, information and graphics relating to the topic are projected. This makes his show more than just a news reading or sketch-based comedy. It’s a total visual experience.
Why the hype?
Through the show, Hasan brings a much needed different perspective to specific issues that the Jimmies and Johns of late-night shows simply can’t.
He is a first-generation Indian-American Muslim. Thus it is normal for him to perceive issues such as ‘affirmative action,’ ‘racism,’ and global politics from a different angle. This difference in perception has already become a significant aspect of his show.
Plus his charismatic delivery and important sense of humor keep the audience engaged. He just doesn’t read a script. His monologues are hard-hitting and filled with pop culture references. Hasan is this woke, and hip generations answer to John Oliver. But that’s not all. He does credible journalism. The amount of research that is done can easily give any news outlet a run for their money.
Through the show, Minhaj has addressed many important issues. The Sudan crisis, the Bolsonaro administration, the 2019 Indian Elections, Internet inequality, to name some.
But as with any show that gives opinions, Hasan’s presentation came under fire from different corners of the globe. But that didn’t stop him from going ahead.
His show is an eye-opener. You might have a difference of opinions, but you can’t disagree with the fact that The Patriot Act With Hasan Minhaj is one of the most relevant shows online.
You can catch the show on Netflix. A new episode is released every Sunday. You can also watch the show on Youtube.