Hasan Minhaj has denied using “fake racism” to further his stand-up career.
In September, The New Yorker published a profile titled “Hasan Minhaj’s emotional truths”, which included quotes from the comedian, 38, revealing that certain details of his stand-up routines had been exaggerated and fabricated.
He was asked about several anecdotes used in his comedy. One, in particular, included a story told in his 2017 Netflix special Homecoming King about the time his prom date’s parents spurned him, saying that they didn’t want their daughter to take pictures with a “brown boy”.
Minhaj admitted that while the scenario hadn’t happened, the story’s “emotional truth” justified the fabricated elements.
After the article was released, numerous outlets picked up the story. Questions about Minhaj’s public persona were raised, as well as whether comedians should be more truthful with their material.
Now, in a 20-minute-long video, Minhaj has addressed the New Yorker article, apologising to fans and viewers who may have felt “let down” by the artistic choices in his stand-up.
“With everything that’s happening in the world, I’m aware even talking about this now feels so trivial,” the comedian said in the video. “But being accused of ‘faking racism’ is not trivial. It’s very serious, and it demands an explanation.
“To everyone who read that article,” he continued, “I want to answer the biggest question that’s probably on your mind: Is Hasan Minhaj secretly a psycho? Underneath all that pomp, is Hasan Minhaj just a con artist who uses fake racism and Islamophobia to advance his career? Because after reading that article, I would also think that.”
He explained that he took a “beat” to process the criticism generated from the article. “I just want to say to anyone who felt betrayed or hurt by my stand-up, I am sorry. I made artistic choices to express myself and drive home larger issues affecting me and my community, and I feel horrible that I let people down,” Minhaj added.
“The reason I feel horrible is because I’m not a psycho. But this New Yorker article definitely made me look like one. It was so needlessly misleading, not just about my stand-up, but also about me as a person. The truth is, racism, FBI surveillance and the threats to my family happened. And I said this on the record.”
A spokesperson for The New Yorker told The Hollywood Reporter that their piece was “carefully reported and fact-checked, and includes Hasan Minhaj’s perspective at length”.
“Hasan Minhaj confirmes in this video that he selectively presents information and embellishes to make a point: exactly what was reported,” a New Yorker spokesperson said in a statement to The Independent.
“Our piece,” they continue, “is based on interviews with more than twenty people, including former Patriot Act and Daily Show staffers; members of Minhaj’s security team; and people who have been the subject of his standup work, including the former FBI informant “Brother Eric” and the woman at the centre of his prom-rejection story. We stand by our story.”