The Funny Indian Newsletter, Vol. 215
August 2024: 8/30 @ 8:30
Welcome
Welcome to The Funny Indian Newsletter!
Updates
I have only two major updates this month:
1.
A decade after its initial release, our I AM INDIAN video went viral all over again. It’s been a thrill seeing it resonate with a new generation (and the old ones, too). My Instagram following increased from 10K to 50K, as the video approached 14 million views. Not to be outdone, Facebook chipped in with 2.3 million. Well, I guess it was outdone since 14 is more than 2, but still. TikTok? Another nearly half-million.
2.
We finally finished editing my standup comedy special recorded last year in Hollywood and in Cincinnati. Though we got offers from multiple platforms, including one from Tubi, we’ve decided to do what many fellow comics advised me to do: release it on YouTube.
Please click this link and hit the Notifications button, so you’re… notified when it’s out on 26 September 2024.
It also helps the algorithm if you leave a comment on the YouTube link.
In the next couple of days, we will have a preorder link for the album, which we’ll share on social media.
See
Future:
09/25: Cinnamon Entertainment Meet-Up (Hollywood, CA)
10/09 - 10/11: Society of Asian Scientists & Engineers Conference (Boston, MA)
10/12: Akshaya Patra Gala (Newark, NJ)
10/20: Akshaya Patra Gala (Chicago, IL)
Past:
08/06: Corporate Gig (Bangalore, Karnataka)
08/09: Lips Bar @ Grand Hyatt (Wan Chai, Hong Kong)
08/09: TakeOut Comedy Club (Central, Hong Kong)
08/10: Lips Bar @ Grand Hyatt (Wan Chai, Hong Kong)
08/10: Brown Power @ Backstage Comedy (Basehall 2, Hong Kong)
Like
Perfect Day 2.0: What Happens in Vegas Ends Up in Bangalore.
As I was easily coasting through Dry January, I assigned myself a new challenge: see if I could hold myself to 12 nights of drinking and keep myself under 100 drinks for the year.
Figured if I achieved the former, the latter would follow suit. Else, them’s some big nights.
My first night was Michael Jordan’s birthday. I wasn’t celebrating that; I just always remember the GOAT was born on 17 February 1963.
That night, I was in Las Vegas to celebrate my friend Steve Schuler’s 50th birthday. At the dinner, I sat across from Eric Dzepina, a friend I hadn’t seen since I left Case Western in 1996.
We got to talkin’ shop. As far as I know, he’s my only friend who actually made partner at a large consulting company. He floated the idea of my performing for his team in Bangalore, India.
This past Tuesday, that became a reality. After my Dad passed in May, I made the point that a perfect day would now be very difficult to find.
Well, given this new reality of a lower ceiling, here’s what all transpired on 6th August 2024, covering all five senses… I:
Celebrated my son’s 3rd birthday: though it was from quite a distance, we had a couple of fun FaceTimes and it alone made MY day to see how great of a day HE had with his Mommy and her visiting parents.
Booked my 25th event for the Akshaya Patra charity: 20 October in Chicago.
Booked my 4th standup spot in the country I’m visiting on my way back from the motherland. TBA later.
Got an incredible massage at the Ritz: oh, & stayed at the Ritz. I had the entire facility to myself, including the pool, showers, spa, and sauna.
Ate two delicious meals: appam for lunch and goat + chicken for dinner at Leela Palace.
Delivered an extremely well-received hour of standup to 150 employees at Deloitte’s Bangalore office, thus averting any embarrassment for Eric*.
Enjoyed thoroughly Night 5 of drinking, imbibing some incredible cocktails at the Leela speakeasy, listening to a live band, and partying with the super fun Deloitte peeps. Oh, and singing karaoke in my room with four of these fools till 4 AM, crushing “Ice Ice Baby,” albeit on my second attempt. This followed listening to some other White rapper’s new album much of the day. #TheDeathOfSlimShady Speaking of the goat…
Crossed 9 million views on I AM INDIAN.
That was Tuesday.
It was all the more special since it was bookended by two tough travel days: I arrived at my hotel at 7:30 am Monday when I was supposed to be there late Saturday night. (I was delayed an entire day traveling from LA through Hong Kong.) Wednesday, I missed only the 10th flight of my life (sounds like a lot but I’ve caught hundreds), this time from Bangalore to New Delhi. More on that and the entire journey soon.
My friend Kristina Cullis (the wife of Ben Cullis, a pledge brother of Eric’s and mine), who drove down from Cleveland with Ben to see me open for Hasan Minhaj on that last night my Dad and I had, made the observation that it’s my Dad up above looking out for me. That brought tears to my eyes as this was the first overseas trip I’ve made without him here on Earth. (Canada last month was overlakes.)
So yeah, I needed that.
Thanks, as always, for your support. And “Thank You, India.”
Laugh
Since this is a FUNNY Indian Newsletter, I present here the 5 funny things that I saw, heard, wrote, or remembered for the last month... otherwise known as FIVE - Funny Indian's V Events. Enjoy.
5. A good reminder about the USA.
4. Rock is dead.
3. I was proud of this one.
2. This Jon Stewart take reminded my friend Jim about this Key & Peele sketch.
In case you haven’t been watching, Jon Stewart has been on fire every Monday night.
1. Rare for me to place a non-hilarious link at #1 but this cover was a banger. What’s his name? Portugal. The Man? lovelytheband? Community Chest the Rapper?
Close
THANK YOU to all of you for your support. You are my true core of fans — I couldn't do this without you.
Love,
- Rajiv