Arts·Group Chat

When is it okay for comedians to stretch the truth?

Host Elamin Abdelmahmoud talks to former The Daily Show correspondent Roy Wood Jr. and comedian Ali Hassan about Hasan Minhaj’s efforts to justify his approach to comedy.

Comedians Roy Wood Jr. and Ali Hassan talk about the boundaries between truth and comedy as they see them

Hasan Minhaj at Brooklyn Academy of Music. Cr. Clifton Prescod/Netflix © 2022
Hasan Minhaj at Brooklyn Academy of Music. (CLIFTON PRESCOD/NETFLIX)

In the last couple months, comedian and former Patriot Act host Hasan Minhaj has been criticized for the way he has re-interpreted some personal anecdotes in his stand-up specials, as reported by The New Yorker.

Since then, Minhaj has issued a video statement contesting some of the claims made in the profile. But now, the question still remains: how much does the truth really matter when it comes to comedy?

Host Elamin Abdelmahmoud talks to former The Daily Show correspondent Roy Wood Jr. and comedian Ali Hassan about Hasan Minhaj's efforts to justify his approach to comedy.

LISTEN | Today's episode on YouTube:

You can listen to the full discussion from today's show on CBC Listen or on our podcast, Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud, available wherever you get your podcasts.


Panel produced by Jess Low.