Interview · moment 20 of 26
Why Indian and Gay Comics Aren't the 'Stars' of Their Communities
from #261 - Please, Die Alone | The Tim Dillon Show · #261
3 min
Guest
Canal and Tim compare their outsider status as an Indian comic and a gay comic within their respective communities, and argue that real progress is an Indian or gay comedian headlining in places like central Pennsylvania or Long Island because they're funny, not because of quota-hiring.
- Tim's audience isn't Indian people, and he talks himself out of Indian gigs.
- Neither Tim nor his guest are the stars of their respective communities—Indian and gay people, respectively.
- They're meant to look at their communities differently, providing an angle that challenges stereotypes.
- Entertainment industry gatekeepers want to fill a protocol rather than genuinely value diverse perspectives.
- An Indian comic headlining clubs in central Pennsylvania matters more than token hiring at major channels.
- A small-town venue hiring a funny Indian comedian because he's genuinely entertaining shifts everything.
- Tim encounters people surprised that a Hindi comic can be this funny, and finds the reaction baffling.