Best of Season 1: Hasan Minhaj Doesn't Know

Summary

Podcast Summary: Best of Season 1 – Hasan Minhaj Doesn't Know

Hasan Minhaj’s “Hasan Minhaj Doesn’t Know” is a thought-provoking and humorous podcast where the acclaimed comedian engages with prominent figures in politics, culture, and technology. In this best-of episode from Season 1, Hasan navigates through intense discussions, insightful debates, and light-hearted banter with guests like Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, John Chu, Pete Buttigieg, Fareed Zakaria, J.B. Pritzker, and Stacey Abrams. Below is a detailed summary capturing the essence of each conversation, enriched with notable quotes and timestamps.

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1. Bernie Sanders: The Impact of Money in Politics and Universal Healthcare

Key Topics:

• Influence of money in political campaigns
• The necessity of campaign finance reform
• Universal healthcare as a human right

Highlights: Hasan opens the conversation by highlighting Sanders' long-standing advocacy for progressive causes such as increasing the minimum wage, free tuition, LGBTQ rights, and universal healthcare. The discussion delves deep into how money, especially from billionaires and super PACs, shapes political landscapes and undermines democratic principles.

Notable Quotes:

• Hasan Minhaj [00:30]: “Care is a right of all people.”
• Bernie Sanders [02:35]: “The answer is... the role of money in politics.”
• Bernie Sanders [03:29]: “There’s a super PAC out there... that is the power of money in politics.”

Insights: Sanders emphasizes the corrosive effect of the Citizens United decision, advocating for public funding of elections to ensure that democracy isn’t beholden to the wealthy elite. He criticizes the disproportionate influence billionaires wield, making it nearly impossible for grassroots candidates to compete without substantial financial backing.

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2. Elizabeth Warren: Navigating Progressive Policies and Taxation

Key Topics:

• Progressive taxation for senior legislators
• Balancing personal wealth and political integrity
• The moral dilemmas in governance

Highlights: Hasan engages Elizabeth Warren in a spirited debate about the ethical implications of wealth in politics. They explore the idea of taxing senior politicians at higher rates and the broader struggles of maintaining moral integrity while wielding political power.

Notable Quotes:

• Hasan Minhaj [06:13]: “If you stay in the Senate or the House after, let's say age 70, your age should be the percent that you pay in income tax.”
• Elizabeth Warren [06:33]: “A lot of the policies that were done not for my family, but to them.”

Insights: Warren reflects on the challenges of passing comprehensive legislation that often contains both beneficial and problematic elements. She underscores the complexity of decision-making in politics, where pure ideals often clash with practical necessities.

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3. John Chu: The Integrity of Filmmaking and Hollywood Dynamics

Key Topics:

• Streaming vs. theatrical releases
• Maintaining artistic integrity in filmmaking
• The business decisions behind movie productions

Highlights: John Chu discusses the dilemmas faced by filmmakers in choosing between streaming platforms and traditional studios. Hasan and John debate the impact of these choices on the storytelling process and audience engagement.

Notable Quotes:

• John Chu [17:56]: “I make movies because it is fulfilling. It's a process that I need to do. It's how I breathe.”
• Hasan Minhaj [18:29]: “There is literally a commitment by putting your shoes on... to submit to what is about to happen.”

Insights: Chu articulates the importance of creating films that demand audience commitment, contrasting the passive consumption of streaming with the active engagement of theater-going. He expresses a preference for traditional cinematic experiences that foster a communal and immersive environment.

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4. Pete Buttigieg: High-Speed Rail and Societal Connectivity

Key Topics:

• Development of high-speed rail in the U.S.
• Societal benefits of interconnected infrastructure
• Overcoming challenges in transportation projects

Highlights: Pete Buttigieg shares updates on high-speed rail projects, emphasizing their long-term benefits for society. The conversation explores how such infrastructure can enhance communal experiences and bridge diverse communities.

Notable Quotes:

• Pete Buttigieg [27:19]: “Our experiences are not just things that happen in isolation.”
• Hasan Minhaj [25:01]: “It would get done overnight if we fought wars with trains.”

Insights: Buttigieg highlights the symbolic and practical roles of public transportation in fostering a sense of community and shared purpose. He underscores the necessity of sustained investment and public support to realize ambitious infrastructure projects.

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5. Fareed Zakaria: An Optimistic Immigrant Perspective on America

Key Topics:

• The immigrant experience and American opportunity
• Balancing optimism with realism in societal progress
• The transformative power of social movements

Highlights: Fareed Zakaria offers a reflective perspective on his journey as an immigrant and his admiration for America’s opportunities. The dialogue touches upon the role of social movements in advancing societal change and Zakaria’s personal stance on activism.

Notable Quotes:

• Fareed Zakaria [49:18]: “We are living in the richest country in the history of the world.”
• Hasan Minhaj [47:39]: “Your journey is incredible.”

Insights: Zakaria acknowledges the profound opportunities America offers while also recognizing the responsibilities that come with such privilege. He expresses a nuanced view on activism, preferring advocacy and persuasion over direct action.

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6. J.B. Pritzker: Campaign Finance and Progressive Governance

Key Topics:

• The impact of personal wealth on political campaigns
• Balancing a billionaire’s background with progressive values
• Campaign finance reform and its necessity

Highlights: Hasan converses with Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker about the challenges of running a campaign with significant personal wealth amidst a corrupt campaign finance system. They discuss the ethical tensions between being a billionaire and advocating for progressive policies.

Notable Quotes:

• Hasan Minhaj [40:12]: “There's no tension. They love it.”
• J.B. Pritzker [42:25]: “The idea that I'm, you know, buying my way into office. Not fair... because he spent 120 plus million dollars.”

Insights: Pritzker defends his campaign expenditures as necessary to counteract the overwhelming influence of Republican super PACs. He emphasizes the need for systemic change in campaign finance to level the playing field for candidates committed to progressive values.

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7. Stacey Abrams: The Ethics of Protest and Civil Disobedience

Key Topics:

• The role of protest in a democracy
• Balancing order with the pursuit of justice
• The personal costs of activism

Highlights: Stacey Abrams engages in a deep discussion about the importance of protest in democratic societies. She delineates the fine line between civil disobedience and criminal activities, advocating for mindful activism that considers the consequences.

Notable Quotes:

• Stacey Abrams [36:23]: “We live in a democracy. We live in a society... there's going to be a cost to what you do.”
• Hasan Minhaj [34:48]: “Protest is inherent in a democracy.”

Insights: Abrams highlights the necessity of protest as a democratic tool to demand better governance. She underscores the importance of understanding the repercussions of activism, advocating for strategic and conscientious efforts to effect change without descending into chaos.

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8. Praise for John Chu’s “Wicked”

Key Topics:

• Artistic achievements in filmmaking
• Integrating practical effects with storytelling
• Representation and cultural impact through film

Highlights: Hasan dedicates a segment to lauding John Chu’s work on the film "Wicked," celebrating its technical prowess, storytelling, and cultural significance. They discuss the film’s political undertones and its homage to original works.

Notable Quotes:

• Hasan Minhaj [19:13]: “Thank you for making a movie.”
• Hasan Minhaj [20:49]: “I have some more to actually give you.”

Insights: Chu expresses gratitude for the recognition, emphasizing the collaborative effort and the importance of practical effects in creating an immersive cinematic experience. Hasan commends the film for its depth and representation, enhancing its relevance in contemporary discourse.

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9. Humorous Interludes and Light-Hearted Moments

Key Topics:

• Comedy sketches and improv games
• Playful interactions with guests
• Breaking down formal barriers with humor

Highlights: Interspersed throughout the episode are moments of levity where Hasan engages guests in playful games and humorous banter. These segments showcase the podcast’s unique blend of serious discourse and comedic relief.

Notable Quotes:

• Hasan Minhaj [32:00]: “Do you know how hard you have to hit me for that much hair gel to move?”
• Hasan Minhaj [33:10]: “This is a game that I love. Yeah, go. It's called let's keep our job.”

Insights: These interactions reveal the personal sides of the guests, fostering a relaxed atmosphere that balances the intensity of the main discussions. Hasan’s wit and charm facilitate candid conversations, making complex topics more accessible and engaging for listeners.

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10. Conclusion: Embracing Uncertainty and Continuous Learning

Throughout the episode, Hasan Minhaj exemplifies his podcast’s ethos of approaching each conversation with genuine curiosity and an open mind. By juxtaposing rigorous political debates with heartfelt praise for creative works and humor, Hasan creates a multifaceted narrative that resonates with a diverse audience.

Final Reflections: The episode underscores the pervasive influence of money in politics, the ethical complexities of progressive leadership, the integrity of artistic endeavors, and the enduring importance of protest in shaping society. Hasan’s ability to navigate these themes with both seriousness and levity makes “Hasan Minhaj Doesn’t Know” a compelling listen for those seeking thoughtful discourse wrapped in engaging storytelling.

Takeaway: Listeners are left with a profound understanding of the intricate balance between personal values and systemic challenges, inspiring them to reflect on their roles within broader societal structures. Hasan Minhaj’s honest acknowledgment that he “doesn’t know” everything fosters an environment of continuous learning and open dialogue, encouraging audiences to seek their own answers amidst the complexities of the modern world.

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Whether you’re a seasoned political enthusiast or a casual listener, this best-of episode from Season 1 encapsulates the essence of Hasan Minhaj’s insightful and entertaining approach to exploring the pressing issues of our time.

Transcript

[Hasan Minhaj]

You have been ahead of the curve on so many of these issues for so long. Increasing the minimum wage, free tuition, LGBTQ rights. You have been talking about universal healthcare since Star A New Hope was in theaters in 1978. Essentially, what you've been doing for the past 40 years is just doing what I do with my kids. Put on your shoes. Put your shoes on. Stop. Put your shoes on. Put your shoes on. Please, for the love of God, put your shoes on.

[Bernie Sanders]

Whether health care is a right or of all of its people, that health.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Care is a right of all people.

[Bernie Sanders]

Health care is a right of all people. Health care is a right of all people. Health care is a right of all people.

[Hasan Minhaj]

You've been saying, put your shoes on for the past 40 years. Senator Sanders, do you ever feel like blowing your brains out? Occasionally, because my daughter is in the first grade. She hasn't even gotten to the first grade, and I.

[Bernie Sanders]

Sounds like you feel like blowing your brains out daily.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Senator Sanders, don't do it.

[Bernie Sanders]

It's not the solution to the problem.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Look, hurry, right away. No delay. Stop, save. Make your daddy glad you have had such a lad. Tell your sweetheart not to fight. Be proud our boys in life over there. You're obviously in the Senate. Let's talk about the House. Back in April, there was a bill to approve billions in military aid for Israel that went through Congress. Out of the roughly 200 House Democrats, only 37 voted against military aid. So just so folks understand, kind of the way the voting works, over 80% of House Democrats and virtually all Republicans.

[Bernie Sanders]

I would imagine, correct?

[J.B. Pritzker]

Yeah.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Were good on sending aid. Okay. Yesterday, I was at the United Center. You say the word ceasefire, incredible. Applause break. So what I'm hearing at the convention is from the Democratic Party is, yay, ceasefire. And simultaneously from 80% of those members of Congress, I'm also hearing, yay, weapons.

[Bernie Sanders]

The convention is, you know, thousands of people. It's a small number of people. If you do polling today, I think if you ask a simple question and you say, do you think your taxpayer. American, taxpayer dollars should go to support the Netanyahu government and their continuation of the war, I suspect a pretty strong majority of Americans would say, no, I don't. And among Democrats, the numbers would be very high. So if your question is, is Congress, I think your question is reflecting where the American people are at.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Correct.

[Bernie Sanders]

The answer is, no, they're not.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Why is that?

[Bernie Sanders]

Well, it is the same answer that I would give you. If you ask me, gee, how come every other major country on Earth has health care? As a human right. And we don't. And polls show that the majority of the American people want health care as a human right. How come we don't tax billionaires at a higher rate when the American people think we should? And the answer to all of those questions is the same. And I tried to talk about that a little bit last night. It is the role of money in politics. So right now, both major political parties, Democrats and Republicans, are funded very heavily by the wealthiest people in this country. And if you were a billionaire and you wanted to slaughter super pac, you could put hundreds of millions of dollars into campaigns to defeat people who opposed you and to support your friends who will Support your agenda.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Two out of those 37 House members that voted against the weapons bill were Jamaal Bowman and Cori Bush.

[Bernie Sanders]

That's right.

[Hasan Minhaj]

They recently lost their primaries. Why did they lose their primaries?

[Bernie Sanders]

Well, that's good. They lost their primaries because a super pac, aipac, put an unprecedented amount of money. I was involved in both of their campaigns. Jamal's more than Cory's, but we helped Cory raise money. The reason is the billionaire class does not want strong opposition to the billionaire agenda. And in Jamal, you had somebody who was strongly opposed to it. And it's not just on Israel, where his views were not probably dissimilar to mine or Cory's, but on other issues as well. So what you got. And let me repeat this, because it's not talked about enough. Yeah. Do we have a democracy? Yes, you can go out and vote. That's great. And please, everybody, go out and vote. But what most of you cannot do is put hundreds of millions of dollars into a super PAC to elect candidates you want or defeat candidates you don't like. So there's a super PAC out there. They went after Jamal in an unprecedented way, Defeated him, went after Cory, defeated her. And that is the power of money in politics. And that is why it is absolutely imperative that we get rid of this disastrous Supreme Court decision on Citizens United and move to public funding of elections. This is just money. Look, it is not complicated. If you are this gentleman over here. Probably not. You're a billionaire, and you didn't like Bernie Sanders, or you don't like Cori Bush, you don't like Jamal Bowman. You can start a super pac, Friends of America, call it whatever you want. You could take out a check, put $500 million into that check, get a few of your friends to contribute, and you go after them. Put ads on tv. That's legal. That's what Citizens United Allows us to do nothing conspiratorial about it. That is the reality of American politics. That's going on in both political parties. Check out the amount of money that billionaires are now contributing, both to the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. And that will answer your question, I think, not only about the war in Gaza, it's why we don't have health care as a human right, why we have massive income and wealth inequality, why we have a corrupt tax system, why we don't are not able to send our kids to college, make it affordable, et cetera, et cetera. It's money, money talk.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Let's talk about the mental acute 74 year olds. There's you. Okay? There's Martin Scorsese.

[John Chu]

He's good.

[Hasan Minhaj]

That's it.

[Elizabeth Warren]

Now, come on, Senator Warren.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Chuck Grassley's 90 years old. I think if you stay in the Senate or the House after, let's say age 70, your age should be the percent that you pay in income tax. So Chuck Grassley's 90%. He should pay a 90% federal income tax.

[Elizabeth Warren]

Did you know, actually, there was a time in America back in the 1950s and 60s where the marginal tax rate was 90% on millionaires? Did you know that?

[Hasan Minhaj]

There was also something you said about like the 70s, the 80s?

[Elizabeth Warren]

Yeah.

[Hasan Minhaj]

It was also during Reagan, it was.

[Elizabeth Warren]

At something similar, much, much higher. That's right. That's right. Yeah. There's been a race to. How much can we give away to the people who are already rich?

[Hasan Minhaj]

I'll give you this, okay? One of the benefits of President Biden being the president is that we don't have to argue about whether or not he can drive. We don't have to fight with him over the driver's license. No one has to go. Let me drive home. This is. If I saw him driving, I'd call the cops.

[Elizabeth Warren]

Now, look, I know you want to have fun here, but I just got to tell you this. I talked to the man, okay? And the man is sharp. The man knows what he's talking about. He does the job.

[Hasan Minhaj]

But one of the things I thought deeply about is, and I want to say it to you, I'm actually kind of glad that you did not become President, because I don't know how President Elizabeth Warren could have been able to stay Elizabeth Warren. And what I mean by that is I don't know if the President can be a good person. Wanting to be president means you have to be willing to deport people, assassinate people, fund military juntas, overthrow governments. You have to be Cool with dropping a nuclear weapon on a civilian population if it comes to that. How can a progressive president keep their heart pure when they have to wield the threat of force? Because I believe the paradox of the presidency is how do you scale empathy?

[Elizabeth Warren]

It's a hard question, and I take it seriously.

[Hasan Minhaj]

And by the way, there's no right or wrong. It really is a philosophical question, and.

[Elizabeth Warren]

I take it seriously, even in the more limited role as a senator, because it's a position of responsibility. I have to vote more than once on bills that have mashed things together that have things in it I hate and things in it I love. And how do you vote? Do you vote against the things you hate or do you vote in favor of the things you love? Because they're gonna move together. You're either gonna get both or you're gonna get none. So this same conflict is there all the time.

[Hasan Minhaj]

And it's the scale of it, though, Senator. I'll give you an example. Just with my own Indian wedding and, you know, this. Oh, okay. With my wedding, I had to cut people out. I had to be pro Muslim ban. There was a lot of stuff I had to do to accomplish the Bina and Hasan wedding, and I felt like shit, and I had to do it. Now scale that for a country of 300 plus million people. It's gonna get ugly.

[Elizabeth Warren]

Yeah, but listen to your last line. You talked about what you did and notice how you ended it. You said, and it felt like shit. At least that means there's a moral center in there somewhere where you knew the difference. And I feel better when I know that someone is making decisions that even if they're hard and I don't agree with every part of them, and there's some really awful pieces to it. I want somebody who, at their heart, won't go there. Really feels. Yeah, won't go there.

[Hasan Minhaj]

It's interesting because as you climb that mountain, I feel like show business and politics is the same thing. You keep climbing, but you get to that part of the mountain, and you're like, puffy's here, and I'm not gonna go to the room with him. You get to that point, the presidency opens a lot of those. Let's call them, those Puff Daddy doors, where you're just like, shit's about to go wild here. Every president in my lifetime goes into office a sociopath and then leaves a war criminal. And then on the back end of it, they just end up painting or podcasting. What's the benefit to your soul?

[Pete Buttigieg]

To your soul?

[Hasan Minhaj]

Because we get one ride, we get one merry go round.

[Elizabeth Warren]

Yeah. But the merry go round has got to be, think you did your best.

[Hasan Minhaj]

I'm sorry, there's no right answer. There's no right answer.

[Elizabeth Warren]

When the question became, would I run for the Senate? I didn't have any ambition to be in politics. But I asked myself the question, the one that actually put it to me right at the end. Remember, I'd been in Washington. I'd set up the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau for President Obama. I come back, I'm going back to teaching, and people are saying, oh, you should run for Senate against this Republican who had the seat who was very popular. And the question I ask myself is, how would I feel if I didn't try? And not trying is not okay. If you think the fight is important, you don't get to back up and say, you know what? It could cost me a lot to do this. I could make a lot of mistakes. I could get things wrong. I could have a lot of painful moments in this. But damn, there are some things you have to say, I'm just gonna try anyway. And I think that's what happens in elected office.

[Hasan Minhaj]

So you're built for the smoke. Yeah, I'm not. You walk up to Steve Jobs looking like Rufio in the movie Hook.

[John Chu]

It's true. It's true.

[Hasan Minhaj]

And you recite the Think different ad to Steve Jobs.

[John Chu]

Yep.

[Hasan Minhaj]

And what does he do?

[John Chu]

So I start saying it, and he leans in his ear like he wants me to keep going. So I'm like, okay. So I keep going. And as I'm going, he then joins in.

[Hasan Minhaj]

He harmonizes with you.

[John Chu]

Yeah. It's crazy.

[Hasan Minhaj]

This is why you are one of the most optimistic, joyous people in the world. This is why you make such sweet films.

[John Chu]

Thank you.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Because your dreams actually come true.

[John Chu]

I don't know how. I don't know how that. Cause he should have told me, like, okay, great. Thanks, kid. I'm talking with Bob Iger. Why are you disrupting this conversation?

[Hasan Minhaj]

Steve Jobs, obviously. Walter Isaacson's book, he's somewhat of a psycho. Had he heard this from you and, you know, decided to walk away. You don't become John Chu. You become Wes Craven.

[John Chu]

Yeah. Could have been.

[Hasan Minhaj]

That's the equivalent of me walking up to Michael Jordan and singing I Believe I Can Fly. And then he starts singing it back to me.

[John Chu]

Nuts. That shows how much he actually believed in that, in that campaign, in what they were doing. He's the greatest storyteller ever. Ever. Because you really think So I do think so.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Oh.

[John Chu]

Because he didn't just tell a story on a screen. He told a story and made it real life. And the way he. He doesn't sell something to you. He's like, hey, I have this thing in my pocket. You want me to show you? Because I had this problem with my photos, and I couldn't figure it out, but I think I figured it out. You want to see that? And you were just, like, drawn and like. Yeah, I had that same problem. And I need that. And to me, so clear, so authentic, Which I know that's an overused word, but, like, there's nothing more true than him. He's not polished.

[Hasan Minhaj]

All right, just say true. Let's just quiz you. Do you know the Think different ad?

[John Chu]

I do know it.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Say it.

[John Chu]

I do know it. Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things different. They're not fond of rules and they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can't do is ignore them, because they change things. They push the human race. You have to pause there. Forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world are. Are the ones who do.

[Hasan Minhaj]

He nailed it. Okay, let's do State Farm.

[John Chu]

I don't know the State Farm, unfortunately. Go ahead.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Like a good neighbor.

[John Chu]

State Farm is there.

[Hasan Minhaj]

There we go.

[John Chu]

There you go.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Let's do Auto Zone. Get in the zone. Auto Zone. There we go.

[John Chu]

Yep. Yep. I like farmers.

[Hasan Minhaj]

What's farmers?

[John Chu]

We are farmers, not farmers.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Yeah, there we go. Yeah.

[John Chu]

Me and my kids do that all the time.

[Hasan Minhaj]

In 20, when you were trying to sell crazy rich Asians to studios, Netflix offered to make the movie plus two sequels.

[John Chu]

Yes.

[Hasan Minhaj]

So three movies.

[John Chu]

Yes.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Then Warner Bros. When you called back, offered you less money and no sequels.

[John Chu]

Correct.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Yes. So the general consensus was probably to go with Netflix.

[John Chu]

Yes.

[Hasan Minhaj]

And you could see how by going with Netflix and having a three picture deal, you've essentially guaranteed yourself a franchise.

[John Chu]

Yes. And a lot of eyeballs all around.

[Hasan Minhaj]

The world, but you decided to go with Warner Brothers.

[John Chu]

Yes.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Why the fuck would you do this?

[John Chu]

That's exactly what my agent said.

[Hasan Minhaj]

But what gave you the guts and the courage we're talking about? How did you calculate this? Because you didn't have a lot of time. We didn't have A lot of time everybody turned deep.

[John Chu]

Yes. They're looking at me. And I think. And we actually talked out loud. We said, hey, why don't we get all this money we're about to get? And we could take a percentage and donate that to Asian American causes in media.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Great.

[John Chu]

Now everybody wins. And I go, what's the point of giving money to Asian Americans and media? Oh, so that someone can make a decision that we are at right now. And you're like, oh, because there is value in putting something on the screen. It's like getting. We can go to the. We get to go to the block party. But who gets to go into the museum and get framed and have a light on it and have promotion and all the subways and all the public transportation and say, come see the most beautiful thing you could ever see? The mechanism of a company to do that, to tell the world that storytelling was nothing, that we had never had that opportunity, the ritual. Yeah.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Well, it's a testament to what you talk about. And it's a philosophical idea of commitment. Page 230. I mean, you lay this idea of commitment out on page 230. You said, it bothered me. You go, it bothered me that Netflix asked for no commitment from the people who watched its movies. I mean, that's the whole point of a subscription service with auto renewal, to make you forget that you've committed to anything at all. You said commitment again, according to one of the few metrics that Netflix was willing to share, watching a movie for just two minutes counted as a view. Two minutes, you spend longer in a drive through. God damn, you emptied the fucking clip.

[John Chu]

Let me tell you, I love Netflix. I love them. I wanna work there someday at some point, but. But it's not really for what I do in terms of. I grew up loving movies. Turning off your phone, sitting in the dark with strangers.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Is there a world where you would ever, as a filmmaker, make a film for streaming, or do you think it's antithetical to what film is?

[John Chu]

I think there's a world where that could happen. I just think I need to be somehow motivated because the money's not motivating, no matter what it is. I make movies because it is a fulfilling. It's a process that I need to do is how I breathe. I've done it since I was 10 years old. And so the adrenaline of. Is the audience going to show up? What are they going to get from this? I'm asking them to come into the dark to hear me for two hours. To me, that is that is the game.

[Hasan Minhaj]

That is what I love. And that spoke to me as a live performer. There is literally a commitment by putting your shoes on, getting in the car, getting in a theater, getting. Having to put your phone on airplane mode and be like, okay, for better or for worse, I am here to submit to what is about to happen.

[John Chu]

For the next two hours. When you have a streaming movie, it alleviates a lot of stress. You're like, oh, reviewers don't matter. Oh, the numbers, they don't even give. So you get to make your thing. You get to move on with your life. That's not fulfilling to me. That's not me getting better. That's not me playing in the game of storytelling. That's me just making something and giving it to the algorithm to go figure out what to do with it.

[Hasan Minhaj]

We've gone through a lot, but I haven't taken a moment here to talk about Wicked. Can I take a minute to gush?

[John Chu]

Sure. Please. Are you gonna read comments from somebody in Wicked?

[Hasan Minhaj]

No, no, no. I wanna give you your flowers. Thank you. I just wanna say I love the singing.

[John Chu]

Thank you.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Thank you. Thank you. I loved Cynthia and Ariana.

[John Chu]

Come on.

[Hasan Minhaj]

They were a tour de force and truly a breath of oxygen. Michelle Yeoh, as always, amazing. The dance numbers, utterly spectacular.

[John Chu]

Christopher Scott.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Yes.

[John Chu]

Thank you.

[Hasan Minhaj]

You had this thing where it was like a turbine and it didn't chop anyone's head off. You did a whole Vanity Fair thing on that. The fact that people came out, not beheaded, it was truly spectacular.

[John Chu]

Thank you. Thank you.

[Hasan Minhaj]

I love your cinematographer and the fact that you guys continue to work together. Alice Brooks here somewhere.

[John Chu]

Thank you.

[Hasan Minhaj]

There were so many practical effects and it wasn't just cgi. Thank you for making a movie.

[John Chu]

Thank you. Thank you.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Real and practical. There's still a lot of cg, but, yeah, it's great. I thought that the goat that was a professor was super adorable. Yes. Peter Dinklage, CGI Goats can be very terrifying. If you watch the Little Mermaid, it's fucking awful. I love that. It was homage to the original work, but you added all these creative new elements.

[John Chu]

Thank you. Kristen Adena.

[Hasan Minhaj]

I think it's a deeply political movie. I think you really. Some of the messaging about people turning on the animals, I think it was a middle finger and subtext to the Trump administration and the comments they made about the Haitian community. You don't have to answer that, but thank you so much.

[John Chu]

Thank you.

[Hasan Minhaj]

And I also loved that you paved the way for future people to make musicals and potentially a Bollywood Dance movie.

[John Chu]

Thank you. I'll accept these tulips.

[Hasan Minhaj]

I have some more to actually give you.

[John Chu]

Oh, wow.

[Hasan Minhaj]

And I just wanted to say thank you, man, for always being a great friend. Appreciate you, a mentor and a colleague.

[John Chu]

Thank you. Thank you. Wow, this is amazing.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Sorry, there's more flowers.

[John Chu]

Oh, wow.

[Hasan Minhaj]

There's more flowers. Okay, cool. Thanks. We keep listening to the soundtrack, and we just can't stop. And we've actually been listening to that soundtrack more than the original soundtrack, even though I love Adina and the original. But what you guys did was truly amazing.

[John Chu]

Thank you.

[Hasan Minhaj]

And I just wanted to give you flowers. Thank you so much for going on Twitter and just saying, hey, turn the volume to 7, not 6.4 on the theaters. It's true.

[John Chu]

Why are they turning to lower? The reference is seven.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Andrea. He's trying to make the theater experience as possible.

[John Chu]

We mix at a seven. Just put it at a seven, and we all do as intended.

[Hasan Minhaj]

John Chu, ladies and gentlemen.

[John Chu]

Thank you so much.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Be proud of our boys in line. Oh, boy. What is your goal with the Amazon lawsuit? And why do you hate convenience?

[John Chu]

Yeah.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Thanks. Here you go. Sorry about that. Thank you.

[John Chu]

You're welcome.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Appreciate that. I don't want. I don't know if this doesn't trigger you or anything like that, but I needed to order something. Okay. All right. Come to Daddy. Sorry about that. I was thirsty. Okay. I know you're not allowed to talk about the case. Right. Just at a high level. But it is in litigation, right? So just for the record, if you have access to Jeff Bezos text messages, blink once. We did a thorough investigation, got data and info from everywhere. Companies are actually required to preserve records. And as our team recently argued in court, unfortunately, executives haven't always abided by that. And so we've actually dealt with situations where executives deleted messages, even though they should have stored them and handed them over. You blinked 14 times. Interpret that how you will. Shere Khan. I knew it. You've seen the same stuff the Saudis saw. You are every tech oligarch's least favorite person next to their wife and children. As of this interview, there are over 98 Wall Street Journal articles about you. We're shooting this in New York, like, down on Wall Street. There's just a bunch of bankers on their Bloomberg terminals screaming at the sky like they're in that Star Trek movie. Just. Do you like that heat? Look, we protect the public. And it's inevitable that when you're taking on powerful corporations that are breaking the law, there's going to be pushback. And we think it's important to stay focused on who we represent and who we're fighting for. And that's the American public. I don't know if you've seen this. This is a meme that's been floating around the Internet. Okay. This is a high speed. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. This is pornography for transportation. It is a dream, it is a fantasy. People have said it's creating unrealistic expectations for the youth, but it's all over the Internet and we have to deal with this. Please tell us what we need to do to make this a reality.

[Pete Buttigieg]

Yeah, I mean, look, this is what we're working on, right? It's not going to be a network overnight. I mean, the way you do this is you start putting in the pieces. We're doing the Las Vegas to la. We're doing another north south one in California. It's going to take longer, but we've invested a lot in that. There are projects being discussed in Texas, Dallas to Houston, in the Pacific Northwest and in several other locations where there's a lot more work to be done.

[Hasan Minhaj]

You know my pitch, how this would get done overnight? Just like this.

[Pete Buttigieg]

What's that say?

[Hasan Minhaj]

We're using trains for war. It would get done overnight if we fought wars with trains. You want to stop the terrorists, we got to build this train. You tap in the military industrial complex. Hyperloop would have happened. Trains for war.

[Pete Buttigieg]

I could try it in Congress.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Just say, if we don't do this, the terrorists win.

[Pete Buttigieg]

Next time I'm testifying in the House, I'll say that.

[Hasan Minhaj]

What makes that meme so sad is there's actually a feeling that we feel like we don't deserve it. It seems like such a pipe dream that as a society we don't deserve it. And there was this quote, very famous Margaret Thatcher quote that I think about deeply. And obviously Thatcher and Reagan were two peas in a pod. She says, quote, there is no such thing as a society. There is only individuals and families. To me, it feels like we're living inside of that quote, all the things that you mentioned, EV charging, high speed railroad, affordable railroad. All of these things are part of a greater society. And what has happened with the American dream is that it's kind of ossified and corroded. So it's all about radical individualism. And is there a guiding principle that is a counter to that kind of nihilistic worldview?

[Pete Buttigieg]

Look, the problem with that, it's kind of self fulfilling. Right. If you come in with that worldview and you start undermining the ability of public institutions to deliver. Then people notice that their institutions aren't delivering, probably because they've been starved for resources. And then they become cynical about those institutions. Then they become unwilling to vote to have those institutions have enough resources to deliver. It's a spiral, right? But there's a. An equal and opposite virtuous cycle you can get going. Of course, we live in a society. The moment you step on the subway, you know you're in a society because you are having a common experience with people who you don't know and who have radically different backgrounds than you, going to similar geographic places to do different social or economic things. Whatever everybody is going about their day, whatever you're doing, going to work, going to church, going to meet a friend. And that's true if you're in a big city on a subway, but it's true if you're on a bike path. In rural Michigan, where I live, transportation, very literally, but also symbolic or connects, right?

[Hasan Minhaj]

Totally.

[Pete Buttigieg]

And it reminds us of the fact that our experiences are not just things that happen in isolation. Like, we travel together with total strangers all the time, whether it's on a subway or on a freeway or on a sidewalk. And our individuals and our individual families interact with each other in our culture, in our society, in our economy, and definitely in our transition.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Do you think there's an incentive for it? Say libraries didn't exist? Try pitching the idea of a library in 2024 to any company. They go, this is not profitable. How could we have this be in every. And they get to keep the books forever. And anyone can use it, and just people can use the Internet there. And who's paying for this? Why are we doing this? It wouldn't exist. It simply wouldn't exist. But to me, those are these little moments, the train, the library, where you're like, no, we are part of something greater, a greater collective that's beneficial to everybody.

[Pete Buttigieg]

So there is this kind of instrumental thing where if we take care of shared things and get them right, whether we're talking about national security or whether we're talking about drinking water or whether we're talking about transportation, that helps you. But also when you start talking about things like libraries, we're also talking about not just something that is useful to us as individuals and as families, but also something that helps speak to the purpose of everything else. Right. Like, I think it was John Adams who had this quote about, I must study politics and war so that my sons may be at liberty to study Things like literature and history. I'm not saying, oh, wow, John Rick.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Thought his kids were going to become impressed improvisers. And one generation, they're gonna be like screenwriters.

[Pete Buttigieg]

The quote actually goes, two generations deep. By the end, they're into stuff like porcelain, which I guess is like one of the fine arts you would study back then.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Gotcha.

[Pete Buttigieg]

Obviously, it didn't quite work out that way generationally. But the point is, the more we take care of that in our generation, the more a future generation gets to focus on things that are a higher calling, including culture and thinking. Literature, the kinds of things that libraries.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Totally. I want to give you something that is long overdue. Two minutes of downtime. No hurricanes, no bridge collapses. Nobody tweeting you about flight delays. Just 120 seconds. Wow. Of being. I'm gonna light the scented candle here. I'm gonna start with just two minutes of Just no talking. Cause I know you have to run to another Panzer. Just. Jason Tatum begins the fence.

[Pete Buttigieg]

I can't do it. I can't sit still.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Are you serious?

[Pete Buttigieg]

There's too many things going on.

[Hasan Minhaj]

You last a minute and 20 seconds.

[Pete Buttigieg]

If I'm awake.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Oh, my goodness. Grace, you couldn't.

[Pete Buttigieg]

There's too many things going on.

[Hasan Minhaj]

My question to you. Who's the ball handler here? He played college ball. Basketball.

[John Chu]

Yeah.

[Hasan Minhaj]

How'd that make you feel? Incredible. Now, in my Instagram comments, Michael B. Jordan wrote, I should have kicked it to Ray Allen for the four point play. I decided to take bird in hand. Why don't you play that so you can just see me hit that 3 inch vertical? Left handed layup? Yes. My knees are knocking like I'm a baby bird. Let's not talk about that. Let's talk about the focus it takes to make that layup and then me slapping the floor. Is that appropriate or inappropriate? Watching people get so obsessed with the floor slapping just because a few Duke players did it at some point? It was also a high school basketball thing. Did you do it in high school? Of course. Blue Devil basketball. Davis High School. Davis High, Yeah. Up to 10th grade. I didn't play up to 10th grade. Why is that funny? It's just hilarious. Not that I didn't try. I believe you. We don't even need the last play. Fine. Let's do the. Actually, let's do the last play. It's gonna give him a chuckle.

[John Chu]

Retired when it was time to go.

[Hasan Minhaj]

He's a competitive spirit. Hasan Minaj Inside.

[Pete Buttigieg]

AJ Wilson.

[Hasan Minhaj]

This is etched in amber in the blockchain on Getty Images forever. Two questions. Number one, is this a foul? No. You kidding me? This is not a foul. Do you know how hard you have to hit me for that much hair gel to move? Do you have no right hand? I do have a right hand. Like a right hand floater. I have a right hand layup. Like, you should have gone to the right hand floater on that one. Just be honest. That's where you messed up. Okay. Yeah. That's not a foul. That's not a foul. Dude, look at her hip. Look at. She's all up in my body. Are you kidding me? Should I call you Leader Harris or.

[Stacey Abrams]

Well, hers is not my name.

[Hasan Minhaj]

I'm sorry, not leader. His Leader Abrams.

[Stacey Abrams]

I mean, you can call me. Which one?

[Hasan Minhaj]

I got nervous. I got her. They were. They go. They go open the interview, and you have to ask, is it given the.

[Stacey Abrams]

Emphasis you put on names? That was just really funny.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Bars.

[John Chu]

Deeply.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Deeply Bars. That is so ironic.

[Stacey Abrams]

I'm just saying. I'm gonna. I'm gonna own that for a while.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Nicely done.

[Stacey Abrams]

Thank you very much, Leader Abrams.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Thank you so much, Leader Stacey Abrams. Thank you so much for joining us.

[Stacey Abrams]

Thanks for having me.

[Hasan Minhaj]

This is an honor. This is kind of like the perfect metaphor for your politics. In college, you helped organize the burning of the Georgia flag that had a Confederate flag inside of it. It was like state of Georgia, and then it's the Confederate flag on the steps of the Georgia Capitol. But before you went to the steps of the Georgia State Capitol to burn the flag, you got a permit?

[Stacey Abrams]

Yes, that's me in the background.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Yeah, that's you. That's you. That is Leader Stacey Abrams right here. And I believe this is an ashtray to pick up the ashes.

[Stacey Abrams]

It was required if you had a burn permit.

[Hasan Minhaj]

So this is both incredibly badass and incredibly dorky.

[Stacey Abrams]

It caused some concern among my fellow rabble rousers when they.

[Hasan Minhaj]

What. Where. Where did this instinct come from? Because most people become pragmatic once they have a mortgage. So how did you have this energy when you held no assets?

[Stacey Abrams]

I'm the second of six children. We describe my older sister as the. She's the captain. The sister who's after me is kind of cruise director. I'm finance and logistics.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Okay.

[Stacey Abrams]

You've got to move six kids around. You've got to get things done. Someone's got to be the pragmatist. And often, if you want to do something that is crazy, you want to diminish the likelihood that you get caught, and you want to diminish the likelihood that you get in trouble, you're still going to do it. You just want to limit the variables. I was going to burn that flag. I don't need to go to jail. I have the right to burn the flag. So get the permit.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Ladies and gentlemen, the Stacey Abrams Playbook of Protest. As we speak right now, there are thousands of people in the streets that are protesting what's happening right now in Gaza. Do you think those folks are following the Stacey Abrams Playbook of Protest?

[Stacey Abrams]

Protest is inherent in a democracy. We are required to speak out. We are required to lift up our voices and demand better of our leaders. That is part of our heritage. It is part of our obligation. How we do so is often determined by the response that we're getting. And there is a desperation that some people feel that they believe can only be met by not just civil disobedience, but criminal disobedience. I do not subscribe to that. I do not think that that is where we have to be. I believe civil disobedience exists for a reason. But I think that it is incumbent upon each of us to not only determine what we need, but determine the consequences we are willing to endure for what we choose. My father was arrested when he was 14 for registering black people to vote in Mississippi. He understood that he was going to be arrested. He understood that he was likely going to face physical violence from law enforcement, and he chose the consequences. The challenge is making certain that whatever choices we make, we make them with the full understanding that the consequences are not going to be alleviated just because of the righteousness of our belief systems. It is important that we validate the necessity of protest, but that we also recognize that we live in a democracy, we live in a society, and there's going to be a cost to what you do. There was a cost to what I did, and those costs will be paid.

[Hasan Minhaj]

There's this amazing quote, 1967, Martin Luther King Jr. Quote.

[Fareed Zakaria]

Every time you move to try to.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Solve the problem, they will respond by.

[Fareed Zakaria]

Saying, you're moving too fast, you ought to cool off, you should put on brakes. And they end up more devoted to.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Order than to justice. As I've gotten older, I've come to really sit with that and really think about it. Anytime there are protests, Black Lives Matter, climate protests, protests over what is happening in Gaza, people end up focusing on the disorder and not the cause that people are fighting for. What are your thoughts on this longstanding discussion about order versus justice? In other words, just to put it in more simple terms, people when they see protesters, they're like, why are you blocking the street? I'm trying to get to target.

[Stacey Abrams]

We resist disorder because disorder forces us to pay attention to the context of. Of what's causing our discomfort. Justice should be uncomfortable because justice challenges what we believe we are entitled to and what we believe we've delivered. And it forces us to confront those who have never met justice head on. And so I will always stand on the side of justice. I think that there are steps you can take to make certain as many people as possible can pay attention to you. And sometimes that is by being orderly. It is by paying attention to the rules. But there are going to be moments where you take the risk of going beyond what order can or should allow. And we do so because what is on the other side is so much more important.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Be proud of our boys in line over there. Governor Pritzker, thank you so much for welcoming us to this amazing. This is the press room. Yes.

[J.B. Pritzker]

Yes.

[Hasan Minhaj]

You are now in your second term as Illinois governor. Are you planning to run for a third term, or are you planning to walk in the great footsteps of former Illinois governors and go directly to prison?

[J.B. Pritzker]

That's a great question.

[Hasan Minhaj]

We looked this up. Yeah, y'all really got the dog in you. Four of the last 10 governors went to prison.

[J.B. Pritzker]

Thank God that has not happened to me. It's something I'm trying to change the.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Trajectory, try to avoid. Yeah. For those of you who are watching that don't know, Governor Pritzker, you have spent years fighting for working class individuals and working class values, but you're also the heir to a huge hotel empire. These two things kind of feel in conflict. You've even positioned yourself as a anti Donald Trump. It's pretty much what you said in your DNC speech. Okay. You said, donald Trump claims to be very rich, but take it from an actual billionaire. Huge applause. Trump is rich in only one thing. Stupidity. Stupidity. Did you get that joke from a popsicle stick?

[J.B. Pritzker]

I definitely wanted to get under his skin. Apparently it worked because a couple days later, he went on Fox and Friends and railed against me, which I find hilarious since I'm not running against him and he has very little impact on whether I get reelected or not. You know, he lost Illinois by 17 points both times he ran.

[Hasan Minhaj]

But the reason why I brought up this point about your background is so many people on the left see billionaires, no matter how benevolent or progressive they may be or sound, they see them as an existential threat. Some of them don't even believe billionaires should exist at all. How do you personally deal with that tension between yourself, your personal background, and the party? You get what I'm saying, right?

[J.B. Pritzker]

You get what I do?

[Hasan Minhaj]

Of course.

[J.B. Pritzker]

But I honestly don't try to address what you're describing as attention, because the Republicans.

[Hasan Minhaj]

There's no tension. They love it.

[J.B. Pritzker]

I get it. But it's not my job to address other people's underlying biases. I think it is my job to go out and effectuate change in a positive way for everyday, ordinary Americans. Right. People who live in my state, because I'm the governor of Illinois. So my job is to make sure people earn more, are able to pay their bills, do better for their families, get a better education, save for retirement. You know, hopefully save them from a global pandemic wherever you can.

[Fareed Zakaria]

Yeah.

[Hasan Minhaj]

And Governor Pritzker, to be fair, you are nothing like the Republican billionaires. You passed a $15 minimum wage, you ended cash bail, you guaranteed access to abortions, you legalized marijuana, and you banned assault weapons. We literally had to double check that part. I'm like, there's no way he did this. You did it to get all of this done. Governor Pritzker, you spent over $171 million of your own personal money on your campaign. You're essentially like, if Michael Bloomberg was successful at politics, do you think it was worth it? And would you spend that type of money again?

[J.B. Pritzker]

Yeah. Let's start with our campaign finance system is abysmal. We need change. We don't have change now. Right. We have Citizens United, which is a decision that is affecting us. Has been affecting us for, I think, a couple decades now. And the result of that, just to remind you, you mentioned the amount of money I spent. I've had three billionaire Republicans spend more than $200 million to try to defeat me. So the idea that I'm, you know, buying my way into office. Not fair, because I was. The first time I ran, many, many Democrats decided not to run because the billionaire governor of the state, who had been ruining the state, the Republican governor, was going to spend $100 million at least to run.

[Hasan Minhaj]

But Governor Pritzker isn't. Isn't it kind of buying your way? And by the way, we can. Let's entertain that.

[J.B. Pritzker]

Let's say, here's what's most important. We had to defeat him.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Sure.

[J.B. Pritzker]

We had to defeat him.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Yes.

[J.B. Pritzker]

So you can say all you want about what it should look like. I'm telling you what the facts were, which were elected statewide leaders in the state of Illinois couldn't raise the money to run against somebody who could spend what he was going to spend.

[Hasan Minhaj]

So practically what you're kind of saying is to defeat a bad guy with a billion dollars, you need a good guy with a billion dollars.

[J.B. Pritzker]

I don't think that's always true. I'm just saying that in this circumstance, we needed to win and we needed someone who was going to fight for progressive values. And I said I would do that, and I did that. And so I know there are people who want to complain about the amount of money that was spent to defeat him, but you got to remember that he spent 120 plus million dollars. And so, yeah, I mean, I spent what was necessary to win. And if I had not this state, which had gone two years without a state budget, and all the social services were affected by that, literally many agencies just shut down. All of that would have continued on if he had stayed as governor.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Can you do an American accent? No, not at all. Not at all. When I imitate Brits, it's this very. Hello from the uk. It's like that. Hello, Governor. Is that Hungarian or it's very like Jason Statham. Like. Oh, right, here's a thing. Oh, those are the sorts of films you watch, is it? Yeah. Okay. Have you seen the accent challenge on TikTok? An American person will say a word or phrase, and then their British friend will say the same word or phrase. Yogurt. Yogurts. Great. Okay. Banana. It's a banana. Okay. Zebra. It's a zebra. Vitamin water. Vitamin water. No taxation without representation. No taxation without representation. My man. Down with the monarchy. No man. I'm gonna come back to Hebrew Airport. I just wanna hear what it sounds like. I'm not gonna take you out of context. God save the king. God save the king. Insane. What an insane thing to say. Listen, you're on the top of your game right now. I'm throwing you some tough questions, and I don't envy the position you're in. The subtext of being in your chair oftentimes. In my chair is that we get asked tough questions all the time. We have to get it right. We're going to play a game on Hasan Minhaj doesn't know. This is a game that I love. Yeah, go. It's called let's keep our job. I'm going to ask you a series of questions, and I want you to answer it in such a way that you keep your job. Got it? Got it, Got it. This is a fastball multiple choice. Do you condemn Islamic extremism? A Somewhat. B, Very much indeed. C unequivocally. Extremism is extremism. And it's not Islamic. You can be motivated by Islamist ideology, but extremism. Extremism. You're supposed to say C unequivocally. Number two, how do we transform Islam into a culture of peace? Ronny Cheng gave me this question. Is that the question? That was the question. Islam is a religion of peace. Lost your job. Is the Bear a comedy? I love the Bear. No. What's that all about? Best comedy at the Emmys. What's that all about? So it's great. So it's not a comedy. You just said it's great. What's that all about? This was the most. That was the most politician. I don't even know what it sounds like. When you first came to America, you were quite dazzled by it.

[Fareed Zakaria]

We walked in and I was totally dazzled by it. I remember being very dazzled by escalators at the time. The kind of thing to a kid that was absolutely dazzling. I am still somewhat dazzled by that journey. I was always more dazzled and attracted to America. I was, I was, I mean, look, you know, I grew up in India. I grew up very, you know, my parents were upper middle class, but, you know, India was one of the poorest countries in the world. America was the richest country in the world. So just that difference alone is dazzling at some point.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Dazzling.

[John Chu]

Razzle dazzle.

[Fareed Zakaria]

When I came to America, I knew one human being in America, my brother, who was also a scholarship student in college. I had no money because, you know, even if I had, my parents were okay by Indian standards. The currency was unconvertible. So, you know, you're kind of really on your own. And I don't think most Americans really understand, you know, native born Americans, what It's like, you're 7,000 miles away from your country. Your parents are by American standards, poor. You know, nobody here, of course you're gonna try and fit in.

[Hasan Minhaj]

No. I saw your graduation photo with your mom and it was really, man, it was really heartwarming.

[Fareed Zakaria]

She was wearing a sari.

[Hasan Minhaj]

I go, man, this kid had to really fit in. What would that Fareed do in the 2020s? Would that Fareed be a part of the, the BLM protests? The anti Trump protests? Would he be at the women's march? Would he be at the Gaza protests? Think about that, Fareed, obviously you have a mortgage now. It's a different Fareed and you have a different temperament, you know, but think about that, Fareed.

[Fareed Zakaria]

I think it's a very good question because, you know, one of the points I try to make in the book is that a lot of the people who did things that people thought were radical at the time have been vindicated because, you know, the world moved in their direction. I particularly am impressed by the women's movement, you know, Cause it's so. It's such a transformation, you know, for all of society. You know, Asian societies, Western societies, Muslim societies, Christian societies, women were second class citizens. And then over the last 40 or 50 years, that has fundamentally changed. And those people like Betty Friedan and Gloria Steinem who took out, you know, who marched in the barricades, they really fundamentally changed society in an incredibly important and positive way. But if I'm totally honest with myself, I would say I don't think I have the temperament. Even then. I would have been the person writing in favor. I would have been the person cheering them on. I would have been the person maybe moderating them a little, saying, don't make too many claims that really piss people off. Let's try and get this reformist, let's get this part and take the win and move on. So I feel like in general, you know, I've been tried. I think I've been on the side of causes that have been important, but I'm not the guy who breaks the windows. I'm not the guy who. And you know, and maybe it's a failing in me. I mean, I readily admit that, but I'd be the guy trying to, you know, explain it and rationalize it and persuade the people who are not being persuaded. Look, you know, this is actually a reasonable demand.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Your natural, you know, your natural sensibility is an optimistic kind of world view of America.

[Fareed Zakaria]

And part of it is, look, I'm an immigrant. I came here, this country has been great to me. But I also do think that people don't think enough about, you know, maybe it's because I grew up in a place like India. I mean, it's amazing that we live in this country that has so much wealth, that has so much, so many opportunities. I mean, it's extraordinary when you think about the vast scope of human history that most Americans don't realize we're living in the richest country in the history of the world. We're living in a country which has more rights for more people than in the history of the world. That's something to be dazzled by.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Dazzled. Your journey is incredible. Just look at your. If we looked at your LinkedIn resume, some of you here in the crew don't know what Governor Moore has done. This is his resume. You were a Rhodes Scholar, right? You have no idea how hard that is. Okay? There's very few Rhodes scholars. Your thesis was titled the Rise and Ramifications of Radical Islam in the Western Hemisphere. I'm just going to leave that for your Bill Maher interview with Sam Harris. That's the whole thing. Then you went to work under Condoleezza Rice at the State Department in the midst of the war on terror. Then you will go from there and you work on Wall street to be an investment banker for Citigroup in 2007.

[John Chu]

Yeah.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Shout out to the bailouts. And now you're that one, too. Democratic governor.

[John Chu]

Yeah.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Yeah. What? And honestly, when I first ran for.

[John Chu]

Governor, it wasn't like the party was applauding me like I was not the party's choice.

[Hasan Minhaj]

Okay, but just break this down for me. Cause I wanna understand, at what point were you in the break room with Dick Cheney and he's filling up coffee mug. That's a human skull. And you're like, I shouldn't be here. What? What? Because along the way you worked with a lot of psychos. Oh, yeah.

[John Chu]

Oh, yeah. But I tell you. But when I think about the things that I want to do, I think that's what led me to this job. I looked at so many of the policies that were done not for my family, but to them.

[Bernie Sanders]

And I knew early that I wanted.

[John Chu]

To try to find ways of being able to do things for the public because I wanted to fight for people like my mom, who I still to this day believe she deserved better.

[Hasan Minhaj]

And for people like my dad, who.

[John Chu]

Died in front of me when I was three years old because he didn't get the health care he needed.

[Hasan Minhaj]

And I was like, there's a marked.

[John Chu]

Unfairness in the way that society's continued to be built out.

[Hasan Minhaj]

In some ways, I am kind of a little conservative. Like, I'm down with authority when it comes to. To teachers, parents, elders, traditions, places of worship. That is where I fall a little bit more conservative, you know? But the police and military, they oftentimes get their authority from the threat of violence. And that's where it becomes chilling. I have a solution, though.

[John Chu]

Oh, I wanna hear the solution.

[Hasan Minhaj]

So every day at the India Pakistan border.

[John Chu]

Yep.

[Hasan Minhaj]

I don't know if you've seen these videos on YouTube, they have this ceremony called the lowering of the flag. There are soldiers on both sides and they are just straight up all dressed like M. Bison from street fighter. They got the guns, the guns are twirling, they're high kicking and they're just doing this kind of breakdance peacock ritual at each other. So I'm all for military might, but why do we have to lock and load when we can pop and lock? Wes, I've seen videos of you. You're a phenomenal dancer. They have floated around the Internet. Why can't we do step up to the streets diplomacy.

[John Chu]

There are a lot of soldiers who I serve with who should not be bothered.

[Hasan Minhaj]

But I'm saying hurry right away, no delay. Stop there. Take your daddy glass. You have hands up your hand. Tell your sweetheart not to find be proud. Our boys in line over there.