Hasan Minhaj, a Muslim of Indian-origin, roasts Trump at White House. Can India pull off such an act?
"In 4 hours, Donald Trump would be tweeting about how bad Nicki Minaj bombed at this dinner and he'd be doing it completely sober," Daily Show correspondent, Indian-origin comedian Hasan Minhaj quipped at the end of his set at the White House Correspondents' Dinner on April 29 to a 100 odd journalists in the room.
"In four hours, Donald Trump will be tweeting about how bad Nicki Minaj bombed at this dinner." - @hasanminhaj #whcd pic.twitter.com/Dhyq5td8Kp
— The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) April 30, 2017
Minhaj was, of course, referring to America's 45th President's propensity to Twitter meltdowns, especially at odd hours. It was a strange set to do, as Minhaj acknowledged, considering the butt of his jokes, President Trump, wasn't there - "We have to address the elephant that's not in the room."
Watch the full video here:
Earlier this year, Trump had said he wouldn't be attending the White House Correspondents' Dinner, following which, his administration decided to not show up too. It is ironic that the last US president to miss the dinner was Ronald Reagan. At least he had a slightly bigger excuse: He was recovering from injuries sustained in an assassination attempt.
Trump's absence can only be explained by his tumultuous relationship with the press, and also because he was the subject of a brutal roast in 2011's White House dinner at the hands of Seth Meyers and then US President Barack Obama.
That he has declared an open war on the media is no secret.
About Trump's absence at the WHCD, Minhaj had a fair explanation: “Historically, the president usually performs at the Correspondents’ Dinner. But I think I speak for all of us when I say he’s done far too much bombing this month.”
The comedian started his set by bringing up his religion in an age of Muslim ban and rampant Islamphobia. He said, "Who would have thought, with everything going on in the country right now, that a Muslim would be standing on this stage?”
The 31-year-old was unsparing in his barbs. “I would say it’s an honour to be here, but that would be an alternative fact,” he said. “No one wanted to do this, so of course it lands in the hands of an immigrant."
If you haven't seen @hasanminhaj hilarious, killer, moving roast of @realDonaldTrump at the @whca dinner, watch NOW https://t.co/KWeG8z8pgN
— Riz Ahmed (@rizmc) April 30, 2017
“The leader of our country is not here. That’s because he lives in Moscow, it’s a very long flight. It’d be hard for Vlad to make it. Vlad can’t just make it on a Saturday! As for the other guy, I think he’s in Pennsylvania because he can’t take a joke.”
Even Vlad couldn't help laughing:
However, his harshest criticisms were reserved for the US media. "Remember election night?" he said. "That was your Steve Harvey-Miss Universe moment. The look on your faces at 11pm on election night, it was like walking into a Panera Bread and finding out your sixth-grade teacher has a part-time job there."
Pretty great. He just slayed the night. Smart as hell, and perfect timing. Know the name. Hasan Minhaj! #WHCD2017 pic.twitter.com/CikMPYU5wH
— Ava DuVernay (@ava) April 30, 2017
He likened the media to a "bunch of stripper-cops trying to solve a real-life murder."
“Fox News is here,” he said. “I’m amazed you guys even showed up. How are you here in public? It’s hard to trust you guys when you backed a man like Bill O’Reilly for years. But it finally happened. Bill O’Reilly has been fired. But then, you gave him a 25 million dollar severance package. Making it the only package he won’t force a woman to touch.”
"In O’Reilly’s defence," he added, "he was told by a close friend, 'When you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything'.”
Towards the end, Minhaj took a slightly even tone and delivered a passionate defence of free speech. He informed the audience how he was told not to roast Trump and his administration in absentia. But he nevertheless went ahead because "...like so many minority kids in the country, should I just fit in and not ruffle any feathers; or should I say how I really feel?"
Trump's reading of The Snake was meant to trash an old, inspiring idea of America. @hasanminhaj reminds us that @POTUS is not the country. pic.twitter.com/PIwo8i6RJA
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) April 30, 2017
Minhaj then reminded everyone that the event was about celebrating the First Amendment and free speech. Free speech is the foundation of an open and liberal democracy — from college campuses to the White House. He reminded everyone what liberal America actually stands for, and said: "Only in America can a first-generation Indian-American Muslim kid come on stage and make fun of the president".
"Only in America can a first-generation Indian-American Muslim kid get on this stage and make fun of the PRESIDENT." @HasanMinhaj https://t.co/9iXLC9KadP
— Preet Bharara (@PreetBharara) April 30, 2017
Minhaj added that Trump didn’t attend the WHCD because he “doesn’t care about free speech,” and “the man who tweets everything that enters his head refuses to acknowledge the amendment that allows him to do it.”
Now that was one powerful performance.
Many Indians, on social media and elsewhere, are wondering if such a thing is possible (to take a dig at powerful people, forget the most-important politicians) in the country in the near future.
Hasan Minhaj at the Correspondents' Dinner is just magical. Wonder if a roast like this in India would ever be possible.
— Asawari Ghatage (@11ty1) April 30, 2017
Imagine if this was done in India. Sedition! Anti-national! Paki lover! Watch Hasan Minhaj roast Donald Trump https://t.co/EFYfpeTm9I
— Sagarika Ghose (@sagarikaghose) May 1, 2017
Considering that comedy group All India Backchod had to face so much outrage with FIRs filed against everyone who was a part of their now-infamous roast, including the likes of Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh, among others, it looks impossible to hold such an event in India.
This is only one instance in what's increasingly being considered as the most intolerant times in India.
A quick look back shows what happened to people in India who took a joke "too far" - Kiku Sharda, Tanmay Bhatt, and many others. What's important to note here is that all these people, unlike Hasan Minhaj, were making jokes of a completely non-political nature. Imagine if a comedian makes fun of Narendra Modi, or someone really important in the current scheme of things, like the Holy Cow?
Blasphemous! Seditious! Ant-national - wouldn't it?