The Funny Indian Newsletter, Vol. CLXV
June 2020: We're Halfway There
Welcome
Greetings from Los Angeles. Where else?
Three Requests:
I’m doing more virtual events… some Live and some Prerecorded (P&G Home Care just had me for its fiscal-year-end celebration… my 14th P&G show.) Please keep me in mind for your celebrations.
Tune in as I’ve been Going Live on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube every Thursday at 10 PM ET / 7 PM PT.
Kindly like or comment on my Substack posts. It helps our stuff get seen more.
Now the news.
See
Past
What a thrill to share a stage with Preet Bharara & Vanita Gupta!
(Or share a screen.)
Future
Watch
Raj Against The Machine returns with 7 Points on Black Lives Matter! Watch on Facebook.
Watch
They’re now being carried on DASH Radio the next day…
Watch
"Black Tea Matters"
Mel & Raj Instagram Live - 11 June 2020
Weekly (or so), NY-based actress Melanie Chandra & LA-based comedian Rajiv Satyal discuss how they're doing during these crazy corona times.
Read
Is 2020 Michael Jordan’s Year?
Can’t Wait to See 2323
HOW LUCKY IS MICHAEL JORDAN?!
Read
7 POINTS ON #BLM
1. THANK YOU to groups like South Asians for Black Lives Matter. It is inspiring to see this next generation stand up for our African American brothers and sisters, because…
2. For too long, there has been anti-black racism in all communities, including ours. That's why I was proud to see so many of us participate in Black Out Tuesday. And for a lot of you Instagram models, that was the best pic you've ever put up.
Follow
My Top Posts on Facebook and on Twitter:
Target closed some stores. Yeah, with all these people carrying guns, if my logo were a bullseye, I’d shut down, too. 🎯
It was an honor last night to go live on Facebook, Instagram, & YouTube on my iPhone, MacBook Air, & iMac from my house in California to talk about privilege.
Joe Biden shouldn't kneel only because he may not be able to get back up.
My favorite summer sound is the lawn being mowed by somebody else.
Just ordered Bolton's new book. "Said I Loved You But I Lied." Oh, wait, this is MICHAEL Bolton. Title still works, though.
Almost finished with my piece: “How to Avoid Clickbait.” You’ll never believe #17!
Actually, "I don't see color" is the definition of white privilege.
Hey, Google - I think you can finally stop showing us how many fractions of a second a Search takes. You won. It's not like I'm switching to Bing at this point. I mean, if I decided to look up how long Bing really does take, my first thought isn't to try it. I'd probably Google it.
I didn't know Sushant Singh Rajput. What I do know is that mental health is a very serious issue in every artistic community around the globe. May his soul find the peace he did not find on Earth. 🙏🏾🎭
Like
SOUTH ASIANS AND RACE
Thanks to Utkarsh Ambudkar for doing something super nice. He found this 2015 MSNBC clip on YouTube, cut it, and posted it to his Instagram Stories.
Freida Pinto, the lead actress in Slumdog Millionaire, commented on it. 😯
Like
My Zoom wardrobe.
Like
JOE BIDEN / KAMALA HARRIS 2020
I made this prediction towards the end of 2018. And now, I endorse Kamala Harris as Joe Biden's VP pick.
Love
What a memory. August 1994.
You drove our family van up I-71 from Cincinnati to Cleveland (while I'm wearing a Chicago Bulls shirt).
Thank you for always being there for me, Dad... Happy Father's Day!
Ask
What's the most insightful thing you've heard about racism in the last 2 weeks? #BLM
[Click here for some great responses.]
Ask
Is the South Asian community doing enough for #BLM?
[Click here for some great responses.]
Ask
Bucket List Update: We finished The Sopranos this past weekend. Anyone feel like discussing a show that went off the air 13 years & 13 days ago? 1st question: Where do you rank it on your all-time TV series list? 📺
[Click here for some great responses.]
Ask
When will the US have an effective & distributable COVID vaccine? My guess: Nov 2021.
[Click here for some decent responses.]
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.
5. Nextdoor is a nonstop source of entertainment for me. This string about fireworks didn’t disappoint. We are surrounded by idiots.
4. This TikTok video about a man’s attempt at Limoncello sums up how I felt after tasting Vegemite at my cousins’ in Australia.
3. This Reddit headline made me LOL. (pic)
2. Gotta love Taylor & Sam’s TikTok video about relationships during covid.
1. A straight, white man taking the piss. Hilarious.
Close
THANK YOU to all of you for your support. You are my true core of fans — I couldn't do this without you. If you think this may spark joy for your friends during this difficult time, please feel free to forward it along...
Big Ups, Mad Props, & Much Love,
- Rajiv