Azhar Usman on finding truth in comedy in the age of fake news

Fake news, alternative facts, algorithms that dictate what we see — it's hard to know what's even true anymore. If we can't totally understand it, at least we can make fun of it.

Comedians like Azhar Usman help us see the humour in this strange era we're in. He's a stand-up comic who's passionate about politics and world issues, but a few years back, he was standing at a crossroads in his career and almost quit comedy altogether. 

Usman realized what he wanted to say and now he's found his way back to the stage. Ahead of his shows at the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto this weekend, he joined q's Tom Power to talk about the comedy that inspires him, what drives him and what it's like travelling as a Muslim comedian. 

You can check out Usman this Saturday at the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto, where he'll be performing two shows as a part of his series The Other Side of Fear.  

— Produced by ​Ben Edwards