Stemming from a progressive household, Hari Kondabolu’s humor is a reflection of how he was raised. Kondabolu is a comedian who uses his voice to discuss social issues regarding race, sexuality, identity, and civil rights. Under the guise of comedy, Kondabolu is able to raise awareness and share his stance on the subjects, while maintaining real humor that people can laugh along and relate to. Kondabolu cites his identity as the catalyst for the beginning of his career, as the lack of Asian representation in the comedy business was, and still is, quite scarce. His identity as an Indian-American was prominent in most of his sketches, as he would mimic Indian accents and perpetrate Indian stereotypes. However, as time passed, Kondabolu realized
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Kondabolu’s reasoning is that the social issues he discusses affect our daily lives and aren’t something that should be treated as politics. Instead, he draws inspiration from observing the daily mishaps of American society. Waiting for 2042, Kondabolu’s debut comedy album, discusses themes of race relations, feminism, and civil rights. It was met with critical-acclaim and even considered by some as the best comedy album of 2014 (harikondabolu.com). Kondabolu is also known for his activism within his community and uses his platform as a comedian to further emphasize his progressive views as an activist. By analyzing a few sketches from Waiting for 2042, Kondabolu’s stance on different social issues can be showcased through his use of observational …show more content…
The premise of “Toby” is about a scene Kondabolu witnessed while walking down the street. He recounts that he witnessed a black woman walking a white baby in a stroller. His immediate reaction, as is the general audience’s, is that the black woman is most likely the nanny and she is babysitting the child. He gives different possibilities of who the child could be the to nanny, such as a child from a previous relationship or the least-likely possibility but the one he wishes it is—a rich black woman who bought the child. Kondabolu expresses his disappointment in the fact that the woman is most likely a nanny, as it is what everybody expects to be her role. His expression of disappointment showcases his disdain for the stereotypes placed upon women, as he was secretly rooting for her. While his reaction could be seen as impolite, he delves further into his story to lead up to his punchline. Kondabolu overhears the woman telling the child repeatedly that his name is Toby. Kondabolu is amazed by this revelation and continues with his punchline that the woman has either not read the book Roots or has “just found a revenge for slavery” (Toby). Roots is a book turned miniseries about a slave who is taken to America and renamed Toby. The boy refuses to be called Toby and is thus continually beaten and whipped. The significance of the scene Kondabolu witnessed is how it parallels what happened in Roots.
Kondabolu’s reasoning is that the social issues he discusses affect our daily lives and aren’t something that should be treated as politics. Instead, he draws inspiration from observing the daily mishaps of American society. Waiting for 2042, Kondabolu’s debut comedy album, discusses themes of race relations, feminism, and civil rights. It was met with critical-acclaim and even considered by some as the best comedy album of 2014 (harikondabolu.com). Kondabolu is also known for his activism within his community and uses his platform as a comedian to further emphasize his progressive views as an activist. By analyzing a few sketches from Waiting for 2042, Kondabolu’s stance on different social issues can be showcased through his use of observational …show more content…
The premise of “Toby” is about a scene Kondabolu witnessed while walking down the street. He recounts that he witnessed a black woman walking a white baby in a stroller. His immediate reaction, as is the general audience’s, is that the black woman is most likely the nanny and she is babysitting the child. He gives different possibilities of who the child could be the to nanny, such as a child from a previous relationship or the least-likely possibility but the one he wishes it is—a rich black woman who bought the child. Kondabolu expresses his disappointment in the fact that the woman is most likely a nanny, as it is what everybody expects to be her role. His expression of disappointment showcases his disdain for the stereotypes placed upon women, as he was secretly rooting for her. While his reaction could be seen as impolite, he delves further into his story to lead up to his punchline. Kondabolu overhears the woman telling the child repeatedly that his name is Toby. Kondabolu is amazed by this revelation and continues with his punchline that the woman has either not read the book Roots or has “just found a revenge for slavery” (Toby). Roots is a book turned miniseries about a slave who is taken to America and renamed Toby. The boy refuses to be called Toby and is thus continually beaten and whipped. The significance of the scene Kondabolu witnessed is how it parallels what happened in Roots.