Damn that was funny!

Meh, it just rehashed the same old jokes about brown people...I'd like to see some new types of humor

Well I haven't seen those old jokes before so they are new to me - and they are hilarious.

Does this sort of non PC race based joking happen often in the US? Its only just recently happening in NZ now, with the same sort of rules - only if you are a member of some community it it fine to joke about their particular types of behaviour.

Absolutely hilarious! My Indian-American 8-year old daughter has been ROFL watching this repeatedly since last night - especially that rant at the end. And overall, I thought the Daily Show (as usual) nailed the whole Sanjay Gupta story perfectly in a few short minutes where other news outlets, and the blogosphere (including these pages) might whip up a lather of commentary about his celebrity, his surgeonity, his ABCDity, etc.... for more than what its worth.

Indian + Doctor + Funny Accent = A formula that always works.

Cliched, but still always works.

Funny, but the show nailed it.

I personally loved that all of us are born with some graduate school medical training, haha. Thank you, Dr Mandvi.

PS, is there any news out of Manoj, another big-time Indian comic?

As always,Asif is great in this episode.Good publicity for Indian Americans and their ambitions.

2 · tootsie said

Meh, it just rehashed the same old jokes about brown people...I'd like to see some new types of humor

It's the same joke because it's the same stereotypes being poked fun at.

Tee hee. Asif is funny.

Good to see the Daily Show getting back into the swing of it!

Its only just recently happening in NZ now

Um, actually it's been happening in NZ for a while now, it's just that 1000 apologies brought it a bit more front and centre - Billy T James, Naked Samoans, Jacob Rajan, Raybon Kan, Tarun Mohanbhai etc. have been doing it for over 20 years now.

The only part that I liked was the rant at the end.

Don't get me wrong-- I appreciate race humor as much as the next guy, but it's very unwise for us "browns" to antagonize groups that already dislike us...

12 · Jef Costello said

Why do people--whether in India, the US, or elsewhere--find humor in someone's foreign accent? I suppose it's one way to lock them in: They can't escape their skin color, lips, nose, stature, or foreign accent!

He's not making fun of the accent. The accent is part of the character her was playing, which was the stereotypically strict and demanding Indian father.

I can imagine why the accent is annoying as honestly I have never heard any speak in that Apu like accent.

13 · trollicus said

The only part that I liked was the rant at the end.
Don't get me wrong-- I appreciate race humor as much as the next guy, but it's very unwise for us "browns" to antagonize groups that already dislike us...

I realize that is probably troll-bait, but I'm just curious as to who you think dislikes us?

I didnt find it that funny.

I saw it and thought it was pretty funny. But I liked it better when it was written, and they were Jewish, and it was called "Portnoy's Complaint".
BTW, the hand jestures at the end looked more Italian than Indian. Or does everyone outside of the US "talk with their hands"?

I don't know Patrick, I felt the hand gestures were pretty authentic. It at least holds for my Kerala-born Ma and Pa, and some uncles and aunties. Maybe it's a Malayalee thing.

Lighten up people. The accent was not Apu like. Not even close. It was actually diluted, if anything. And is it any different from jewish comediens using a thick jewish accent to make fun of their aunts or uncles? The emphasis is on the words used. Those words were cliched but funny. THat's because Asif is a funny guy. He can deliver the jokes well.

Some of those lines were classic.

just a word regarding the comments about the Sanjay Gupta piece that i did on The Daily Show. The point of the accent at the end was to send up the stereotypical and forever disappointed Indian father. Their is a difference between exploiting a stereotype versus taking ownership of it. My Dad thought it was really funny and the hand gestures are his not mine... hmmm... maybe you are right, he does look Italian.
cheers
AM

The hand gestures very authentic in North and South India (but not east). It instantly reminded me of some North Indian grandmas. It was greatly done, not offensive to a desi from India at all ! I was ROFL. Thanks Aasif !

My Dad thought it was really funny and the hand gestures are his not mine... hmmm... maybe you are right, he does look Italian.

Tune in to today's episode of the Daily Show where Aasif realizes his family isn't really desi after all, they're deeply tanned Italians in the witness protection program.

"Well beta," says father using hand gestures, "what better way to hide in plain sight from the mafia after your mother and I testified against the G-dfather? Simple - move to Bradford tell everybody we're Muslims from Bombay!

You don't really remember Bombay at all, that's all false memories we created by telling you stories and showing you photographs. You were actually born in Brooklyn. Our family hails from Calabria. But we couldn't hide everything - that's the real reason why you watched Bugsy Malone so many times as a child."

I'm crying. That was hilarious.
Also, someone coopted my handle.

Yeah. Good show Asif. The accent was not the overdone Apu type thing. It sounded normal enough to a DBD like me.

It's good to laugh at ourselves ever so often.

And as far as the debate about his "non PC" humo(u)r goes, i don't see the problem. The concept of pitting Indians against other ethnic groups comes up in a lot of Indian comedians' routines, and though it may not be groundbreaking, Aasif's bit was funny. The accent wasn't Apu-like, the hand-gestures weren't Italian. It's okay to laugh at ourselves sometimes.
I haven't seen any of his other appearances, but he doesn't seem any more arrogant or ridiculous than any of the other correspondents.
Lighten up, people.
*braces for inevitable "fair and handsome" joke*

Is there a way for the admins to check if that is the real Aasif Mandvi who commented?

And yes, I agree entirely with the sentiment expressed by brother Aasif at the end of the segment …

Vott, Ennis, hau you can?

I think the job of surgeon general is comparable to one in the cabinet.

the rant at the end was really funny

NaraVara, is "the aestheticist in you" comfortable with this ugly rendition of an Indian's accent?

That character was obviously based on a composite of Indian parents he has known, probably including his own. Most of them have accents. Personally, I have no background in acting or comedy. I don't have any friend who are actors. But even I, when quoting a movie, will try to replicate the character's accent as faithfully as I can. I don't even do it consciously. If that character is British, I'll fake-British. If it's Daniel Day Lewis from "there will be blood", I'll do that. I don't think of this as being insulting. I think of it as being faithful to the characters I'm trying to portray.

Anyhow, the explanation you give itself negates the--silly, untrue stereotype--you claim: your dad is happy with your not-neurosurgeon work, right?

I'm Indian and I found this bit absolutely hilarious - the rant, accent, all parts of it.

Overall, i think ppl need to chill about being PC all the time.

Amazing how uptight some of you are. Do you ever questions jewish comedians who do the oy vey jokes (In fact Jon Stewart has affected that accent).

If he adopted a neutral accent, the rant by Asif Mandvi who was in "character" would have been less funny.

If anything, i actually thought he toned it down a little.

Actually all the Indians ABCD and DBDs I know laughed at that skit. No one was offended by the accent. Accents of Indians who comes here vary and Aasif's toned down accent was one of those. A lot of Indians also have the exagerrated accent you see in some shows. The only accent that is a stereotype that they get wrong is when some shows confuse a middle eastern accent with Indian.

The whole point of the acccent wasnt to ridicule it but to give the high expectation rants some context that it is coming from an immigrant parent. The delivery is not as funny if you have some parents with a very Americanized accent. It comes across as pandering.

Jeff, you call the Indian accent "bizarre", you call it "ugly". I think its a beautiful accent and many people have the accent and we should celebrate the accent. There is nothing intrinsically racist in doing an Indian accent. The comedy in this piece came from a recognition of the immigrant parent and the accent is part of that recognition, just like when Jon Stewart does an impression of the New York Italian guy. I for one think this piece is a celebration of our immigrant parents and their subcontinental accents. The piece is an homage to Indian parents and what we love about them. I think you have a problem with the Indian accent and you're contempt for it is embarrassing. You are a great disappointment to our entire community Jeff.

I just saw this discussion while searching for this very clip. I'm a full on Indian (yes.. from India.. currently in the US). And I just have to say, Jef, chill out dude (imagine this being said in the very same accent Aasif was using). If the accent was not familiar and relatable(?) as Indian, the comedy bit will fall flat. Aasif is obviously a talented comedian and actor. Do you really think he went out of his way to manufacture a fake and exceptionally "jarring" accent for cheap laughs ? Frankly, your insinuation that my accent (and yes, it is my accent) is jarring, ugly, hideous etc., is far more insulting than any stereotyping that was exploited for comedy in the clip.

Chetan