Hasan Minhaj, transformed: Comedian visits New Brunswick this Thursday with fresh material

Stand-up comedian Hasan Minhaj is finally back in New Brunswick this Thursday.

The "Homecoming King" will be performing his new show "The King’s Jester” at State Theatre New Jersey, right off of George Street. 

If you haven’t attended one of his several shows at Radio City Music Hall in New York City (like I did back in February) and are looking for gut-wrenching laughs that will end with tears down your face, I strongly encourage you to hit the "tickets” button now on this website.

As a fan of Minhaj for several years now (I first came across him back in 2017 when the local Desi community was going wild over his notorious Netflix special "Homecoming King”) and avid viewer of his now-canceled Netflix show "Patriot Act,” I was excited to see how he would step up from his magnum opus.

Going into the theater, I expected to be entertained, which definitely held true: For 95 minutes straight, my eyes were on the wild, crass and dynamic force that is Minhaj. 

Minhaj has a commitment to the punchline that’s outrageous and totally hilarious. His use of movement is highly purposeful and demands one to pay attention to him: One minute, Minhaj is sitting calmly on the stool center stage making somber social commentary, and the next, he’s screaming into the mic, throwing himself down and banging his fists on the floor venting his embarrassment about his Indian doctor seeing his testicles.

Minhaj uniquely sets up his anecdotes in a way that demands you to pay attention to him. Nothing seems to add up — until it does. As just as he did in "Homecoming King,” each segment is cleverly completed with a witty line reflecting the main idea.

And of course, it wouldn’t be a Minhaj production without the signature graphics, good ol’ Desi community jokes, political spiels and curated news clips. 

Many of the key signatures of Minhaj’s previous performances were present and true to the material that he’s known for. But what I didn’t expect from "The King’s Jester” was the serious maturation and profound sentiment behind the larger story that unfolds throughout his set.

Whereas "Homecoming King” is most notable for its relatability to both the racial challenges of being a marginalized minority in America and the more mundane ones — like having a crush on someone that your parents would (probably) never approve of — "The King’s Jester” delves into far more personal content, such as his family life, marital issues and the real repercussions of chasing fame and notoriety. 

South Asian culture is forged upon the principles of respect and honor, oftentimes at the expense of oneself. The ideas of being agreeable, lowering one’s voice and avoiding controversy at all costs are what many South Asians are raised with and/or vilified for not upholding, and Minhaj’s vehement rejection of such constructs in his comedy is what makes him so loved by many. 

So to see Minhaj actually reflect on this and admit that behind the scenes were much more grim was particularly striking. To the world, Minhaj seemed unstoppable, and he even addresses this too: After his viral stints on Netflix, his success skyrocketed.

He lived for the clout and recognition and made it a point to keep testing the bounds with his show "Patriot Act,” which got banned in Saudi Arabia after criticizing the royal family. 

Back then, being problematic and remaining relevant was the thrill that our "Homecoming King” chased. But the ever-growing pressures of family life, in particular with the recent birth of his son back in March 2020, shows us a deeply introspective and more fearful side to the comedian. 

Prior, what made Minhaj a brilliant performer was his seemingly unbounded willingness to push the envelope. He’s revered for being the daring Brown man who challenged former President Donald J. Trump at his own White House dinner. He's praised for being the much-needed strong South Asian personality in the media that isn’t soft-spoken with the glasses on.

Minhaj, instead, is commanding and has the audacity to move the spotlight onto himself. 

But "The King’s Jester” makes room for vulnerability and authenticity, regardless of the light it may paint him in. At times, his statements are a bit insensitive: He admits to putting career over family, doing certain things just for the likes and being uncompromising. But his willingness to unabashedly own up to who he is, faults and all, makes this production so admirable. 

Minhaj’s central argument this time around is that there’s a jurisprudence of jokes, which is a play-off on what his lawyer wrote in one (of many) lawsuits refuting criticism directed toward his show.

In essence, there's actually a limit to what he does and doesn’t mean. Minhaj expresses to his audience that there’s a certain level of trust he puts into us to know when he’s being serious and when he’s being funny, a line that seems to be blurring in the new wave of censored social media. 

His admittance to the crowd that he needs us to understand where he’s coming from: that he does care deeply about how he is perceived, that he’s not the king — but rather the fool that leaves chaos everywhere he goes. It paints a different picture of the otherwise polarizing "IDGAF” attitude he is known for.

And it was really refreshing. While many comedians opt to appear unaffected, Minhaj’s understanding of how he's affected was moving and established an intimacy with an audience I had never seen before. Ultimately, it's what makes me an even bigger fan of him today. 

"The King’s Jester” shows a creative, hard-hitting, well-thought-out side to our local Desi comedian that’s unprecedented — and still super hilarious to witness. If you haven’t already, be sure to spend your upcoming Thursday night with our beloved jester.