Dumbasses For The Culture with the cast of Deli Boys

Summary

Podcast Summary: Hasan Minhaj Doesn't Know – "Dumbasses For The Culture with the Cast of Deli Boys"

Release Date: April 9, 2025
Host: Hasan Minhaj
Guests: Cast of Deli Boys – Purnajaganathan, Asif Ali, Sagar Shaikh, Brian George
Duration: 37:39

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Introduction to Deli Boys

In this episode of "Hasan Minhaj Doesn't Know," Hasan Minhaj engages in a lively conversation with the cast of the critically acclaimed Hulu series Deli Boys. The show, lauded for its authentic portrayal of South Asian characters beyond stereotypical roles, has garnered significant attention from both audiences and critics. Hasan introduces the guests by highlighting their contributions to the show and sets the stage for an in-depth discussion on representation in media.

Breaking Stereotypes: The Essence of Deli Boys

The conversation delves into the heart of what makes Deli Boys a groundbreaking series. Unlike many shows that confine South Asian actors to specific archetypes, Deli Boys presents its characters as multifaceted individuals with unique stories and personalities.

Notable Quote:

Hasan Minhaj [04:08]: "You've done 18 doctor roles on IMDb. At this point, you are more qualified to be a doctor than a dad."

This remark underscores the frequent typecasting South Asian actors face, particularly in professions like medicine, and sets the tone for the discussion on diversifying roles.

Personal Journeys: From Typecasting to Authentic Roles

Sagar Shaikh shares his transition from playing stereotypical roles to embracing more authentic characters in Deli Boys. He emphasizes the importance of storytelling that moves beyond clichés:

Sagar Shaikh [04:14]: "I often say the writing in my career or whatever Deli Boys really has moved us from being punchlines to being plot lines."

The guests discuss their career trajectories, highlighting moments where they either accepted or rejected roles that confined them to certain stereotypes. Asif Ali recounts his bold decision to leave a stable career in advertising to pursue acting full-time, illustrating the sacrifices involved in seeking meaningful roles.

Representation Matters: Impact on South Asian Identity

The hosts and guests explore the broader implications of representation in media. Purnajaganathan reflects on how Deli Boys contributes to shaping South Asian American identity by showcasing characters with depth and complexity:

Purnajaganathan [09:07]: "This is where we are at this point is where the Deli Boys universe exists in this point of all of us."

They discuss the historical context of South Asian portrayals in Hollywood, referencing iconic but problematic representations in films like Back to the Future and True Lies. The conversation highlights the slow but steady progress in diversifying roles and narratives.

Overcoming Typecasting: The Shift After Slumdog Millionaire

The guests acknowledge how landmark projects like Slumdog Millionaire have influenced their careers by opening doors to more nuanced roles. Asif Ali notes a seismic shift in writing and character development for South Asian actors post such milestones:

Asif Ali [04:57]: "I think Frida Pinto was so iconic in it and kind of did something to shift something."

The Importance of Three-Dimensional Characters

A significant portion of the discussion centers on the importance of portraying South Asian characters as real people with flaws and strengths. Brian George, a veteran actor with over 300 credits, shares his relief and excitement at participating in a show that allows him to explore characters beyond the limited roles he was often offered:

Brian George [23:27]: "It's so cool that I'm finally getting the chance to play a three-dimensional character that has depth."

Personal Anecdotes and Humor

To add levity to the conversation, the guests share personal stories and humorous exchanges. Asif Ali narrates a heartwarming tale about his son's speech inspired by Hasan Minhaj, highlighting the impact of representation on the next generation:

Asif Ali [16:13]: "He watched Hassan Minhaj's White House correspondence dinner like 100 times. So he had your timing."

The group also engages in a playful segment where they humorously "condemn or condone" various scenarios, showcasing their camaraderie and wit.

Humorous Exchange:

Asif Ali [35:31]: "I don't understand it, but I can't be mad at it."
Sagar Shaikh [35:37]: "Do I have to pick one? Can I just be in the middle?"

Celebrating Exceptional Talent: Poorna Jagannathan and Brian George

The guests take a moment to laud their co-stars, particularly Poorna Jagannathan, whose versatile performances elevate Deli Boys:

Asif Ali [24:28]: "She's the engine of the entire show."

Brian George is also celebrated for finally getting roles that fully utilize his acting prowess after decades of typecasting.

The Future of Representation in Media

As the conversation nears its conclusion, Hasan and the guests discuss the future landscape of South Asian representation in Hollywood. They express hope for more inclusive and authentic storytelling, emphasizing the role of shows like Deli Boys in paving the way for future generations.

Asif Ali [32:46]: "I've turned all of those kinds of auditions down since I moved to LA. I just don't want to do stereotypes like terrorists or accent roles."

Conclusion: The Importance of Deli Boys

Closing the episode, Hasan Minhaj and the cast of Deli Boys reiterate the show's mission to provide authentic, humorous, and relatable stories that reflect the true diversity within the South Asian community. They emphasize that while progress has been made, there is still much work to be done in dismantling stereotypes and fostering genuine representation in media.

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Key Takeaways:

• Deli Boys represents a significant shift in South Asian portrayal on mainstream media, breaking away from traditional stereotypes.
• The cast's personal journeys highlight the challenges and triumphs of seeking authentic roles in a predominantly typecast industry.
• Representation matters deeply, influencing not only current audiences but also inspiring future generations.
• The show honors and uplifts veteran actors like Brian George, showcasing the importance of diverse and three-dimensional characters.
• Humor and personal anecdotes enrich the conversation, making the discussion both insightful and entertaining.

Notable Quotes:

• Asif Ali [35:31]: "I don't understand it, but I can't be mad at it."
• Poorna Jagannathan [24:28]: "She's the engine of the entire show."
• Brian George [23:27]: "It's so cool that I'm finally getting the chance to play a three-dimensional character that has depth."

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This detailed summary encapsulates the essence of the podcast episode, providing listeners with a comprehensive overview of the discussions, insights, and humorous exchanges that define the conversation between Hasan Minhaj and the cast of Deli Boys. Whether you're a fan of the show or interested in representation in media, this episode offers valuable perspectives and engaging content.

Transcript

[A]

We would do this thing on set where whenever we were shooting exteriors, I would go around and tell people. People would be like, what are you shooting? And the bear had just. And I would be like, shooting the bear, man. And people would be like, oh, my God, what's the season about? And I go, carmi's running an Indian restaurant now, just straight up. And they're like, what? And be like, yeah, biryanis, Niharis, stuff like that. He's doing the whole Pakistani Indian thing, and it's really tearing him apart, you know, Elijah, There's a whole episode about that. It's really tearing him up. And, you know, IO's really good. Like, she's really, you know, nailing it. And we're just happy to be a part of it, you know. And so there's at least 100, 120 people in Chicago who sincerely believe this new season of the Bear is about just spice levels and, you know, and.

[B]

Carmi trying to get his mission.

[A]

Yeah. Trying to make rotis properly. Yeah, yeah. Someone's yelling at him. Yeah, yeah.

[B]

Damn.

[A]

People would be like, see, that's why the show's so good. Unlike other shows, they take chances. And I'd be like, yeah, dude, you gotta tune in. It's crazy.

[B]

There is nothing I love more than seeing my friends have a moment. And right now, Purnajaganathan, Asif Ali and Sagar Shaikh, they are having a moment. They are getting so much love from critics and audiences for their brand new show, Deli Boys, which is streaming right now on Hulu. Now, this show is not a poignant meditation on the complexity and power of South Asian American identity, but it is a show about two complete fucking dumbasses and their mobster auntie who blows motherfuckers away and makes them clean it up. It is a show with a completely South Asian cast that is violent, hilarious, and something like we've never seen before. So I sat down with my three friends to talk about deli boys stereotypes and what it was like to face off against one of TV's most intimidating villains, Tan Franz. Look, most people watching this interview probably know you from your. Let's call it. It was one of your breakout roles and never have I.

[C]

Absolutely.

[B]

Yeah. You were phenomenal.

[C]

Thank you.

[B]

Okay. Now, rarely do I advise my friends that are performers to do this, but I read what somebody wrote about you on the Internet. I want to read to you what Sonia Soraya from Vanity Fair said about your performance. This is really beautiful. She writes, I've seen a lot of Actors attempt to flesh out the stereotypical demanding Indian mom. But I have never seen anyone do it as well as Jagannathan does. It's the little things. The nearly untraceable Indian accent, the mumbled exclamations in a different language, the slight gestures and paranoiac side eyes of the Indian aunty. The seemingly effortless bridging of the paradox between ancient tradition and modern necessity.

[C]

I've been lucky enough for creators and writers a lot, and mostly of color like a Rami or a Mindy or an Abdullah, to be able to write three dimensional, fleshed out characters. You know, like in Deli Boys, my character has a backstory and it just made me think how special this is because I'm usually. Or people like us or women like me are usually at the back of a story where like we never come forward, we're never centered, we're never whatever, you know, I often say the writing in my career or whatever Daily Boyce really has moved us from being punchlines to being plot lines. And I think that transition, that arc.

[B]

Is really the best part is just seeing you unload the clip on people.

[C]

On the what?

[A]

Just.

[B]

You're just unloading your clip of people. You're just.

[C]

And I have had my morning coffee.

[B]

That's like the whole show that really is. Is Sagar and Asa fuck something up and then you have to come in and blow. Blow some kids head off.

[C]

That's right.

[B]

So what I loved about what you've done in your career thus far is you've taken roles that at times can be stereotypes and elevate them. This is on your IMDb. Okay. One of the stereotypes that Indian actors are often portrayed to be is doctors.

[C]

Right.

[B]

You have 57 credits in IMDb doctors. At least 18 are doctors.

[C]

Correct?

[B]

Not 57. You've done it 18 times. At this point, you are more qualified to be a doctor than a da.

[C]

Yeah, totally. There was one Law and Order where they just. My name was Dr. Seek.

[B]

The religion.

[C]

Yeah, just straight up Dr. Seek. And I told the writer, I was like, that's like calling you Dr. Joo. Like that doesn't work out, you know.

[B]

Oh no.

[C]

Yeah. And he's like, what do you mean? It was at a different time. Like that conversation. Like I brought it up and nothing was done about it, you know. And I honestly started feeling a shift in writing after Slumdog Millionaire. I think Frida Pinto was so iconic in it and kind of did something to shift something. And I can't, but I.

[B]

But you could feel like a seismic.

[C]

Oh, I could feel it. I could feel the shift from doctor lawyer into a little. Just some other territories. I can't describe it. And then, you know, what is happening is all around during that time. There are very prominent Indian people emerging in politics and art, in music and stuff like that. And they're part of pop culture. So everything is helping to shift the fact that we don't only have to be, you know, a stereotype. Come in as a doctor. I mean, I. I'm happy to be a doctor on like A Gray's Anatomy, but there was never a role for me on that. You know what I mean? So, yes, it's completely, completely expositional.

[B]

So people don't know this about you, but I had to look this up. You had a career in advertising.

[C]

Yes.

[B]

Until 2016, meaning just so people are aware.

[C]

Yes.

[B]

You were booking roles on HBO and you still had a day job.

[C]

Absolutely.

[B]

And then you. And what I mean by that is like post 2016, you then acting became your full time career.

[C]

I mean, I still remember my last day. Like, I still remember what happened. I was moderating something and I got a text from my manager saying, call me. And I called during the break and she said I'd booked a role, a series regular on something, and I just left. I just checked out. I left. I caught a flight and I just went back to la. Like, I was like, I was done. I just stopped that day.

[B]

Oh, you did it in the most badass way possible.

[C]

I left the meeting.

[B]

You didn't tell your boss?

[C]

You know, I was like, no, no.

[B]

No, I'm not gonna fact check. You just say whatever.

[C]

No, I didn't. No. In fact, the people who had hired me to do the job were like, you booked it. Just leave. What are you doing here? Just go. So I left.

[B]

Oh, that's awesome.

[C]

Yeah. My friend Mick McCabe was like, please get the fuck out of this room. Just go. So I, I left.

[B]

So people were just like on their MacBooks and they're like, what are you. Why are you here?

[C]

Totally. What are you doing here? Yeah, I was in. I was working in advertising until 2016.

[B]

Were you good at maintaining?

[C]

I was great.

[B]

Oh, damn. I was really bad at that.

[C]

I was great. Yes, it was great. I love my job, but I never wanted to get promoted ever. I just, I didn't want the responsibility. I didn't want to get deeper into advertising.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

But I long to be fired. Long.

[B]

Do you feel great where you're at in this juncture in your career? Like, do you feel super Happy and content.

[C]

Yeah. But it's not so much my career. It's like I turned 50, then something shifted.

[B]

You have such a great time. I remember one time I was on a red carpet, I was telling Scott, our producer this. I'm like, pornhub is fucking living life. I was on the red carpet, I was like, you have to do these things where you pose for Getty Images and you walked by and you did this to me. And I'm like, oh, Poorna gets the joke. You really are in your living life.

[C]

I have a good time.

[B]

Yeah, you have a great time.

[C]

I have a good time.

[B]

So I was going to ask you is that. One of the things I think is so beautiful is you don't have what a lot of performers have, which is like resentment or anger or.

[C]

Hey, at what?

[B]

At why has it taken it so long, taken so long for a show like Deli Boys to exist or for me to get roles that are akin to what you. You're doing in Deli Boys? You don't feel that at all? Why do you? Why?

[C]

I could never. Could you imagine something like Deli Boys existing?

[B]

No, not at all.

[C]

So then what? Am I going to be resentful for something that I didn't even think could exist? Like, how could I be?

[B]

The resentment would be. The resentment would be, why didn't this exist when I was 25? Or like, why wasn't this here when I was.

[C]

Oh, I totally understand why it wasn't here. I get it. My career is not my career. My career is just mapping a trajectory of us. That's all it is. Right. And so this is where we are at this point is where the deli, the Deli Boys universe exists in this point of all of us.

[B]

Most people know you as a TV mom, but I want to open the aperture and show people how big and amazing your life and career has been outside of television. I want to start with a play that you co conceived.

[C]

Yes. Nirvaya.

[B]

Nirvaiya.

[C]

Yes.

[B]

Okay. Now people, when they hear the word play, they go, good for you.

[C]

Yeah, nice. Good job.

[B]

Nice. And they don't want to come, but this thing was huge.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

It was toured around the world.

[C]

Yes. For three years we toured that play.

[B]

And it was in mostly sold out shows.

[C]

Oh, yeah.

[B]

Okay.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

It won heaps of awards.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Vogue India named it one of the most impactful moments in the history of women's empowerment.

[C]

It was.

[B]

The Sunday Herald called it one of the most powerful and urgent pieces of human rights theater ever made. What did that Time of your career mean to you?

[C]

You know, the play is kind of. I did the play and I did Night of right after.

[B]

Yes.

[C]

And those two things really solidified what I love about what I do, which is Nirbhaya was very personal and told the story of my own sexual assault. And those of, you know, it was. Hold on, Priyanka Rukh, Sneha, me. There was Florida five women who told their own stories because it came from the rape, the gang rape and death of a woman called Jyoti Singh Pandey who was gang raped on a bus. You know, it was just, it was in New Delhi. It was in 2012. Except I had been on that route my entire teenage years. You know, that is the bus that I used to take. I used to travel in public transportation. She had just gone to a movie to see Life of PI and she just got on a bus. That's all she did, you know, and so there's. There was something about the story where everyone saw themselves in that because it was such an innocuous evening. Nothing happened. It wasn't that late. It wasn't, you know, there was no people always trying to find excuses for why it happened or what was she wearing, was it late? Why was she out? You know, all that stuff. It was just, it could have been any of us. And there was a feeling in that country and I think in the world that it could have been any of us. And so the play in that time in India for me really is where the MeToo movement started. It was in 2012. The MeToo movement was in 2018, many years later. But I saw the groundswell of what it meant for people to say enough is enough. And we really and literally poured out on the street and said, I want justice. This is not, this is not the way we want to live anymore. And in India, women get sexually assaulted, but the statistics are higher for boys than girls. And that's like we are in that stage where we just don't talk about anything, any of it. And so Nirbhaya was a turning point. Jyoti Singh's Pandey was a turning point. The laws changed, the vocabulary in people's homes changed. So it was, you know, the play wasn't the only thing that came out of it. Everyone put their energy towards it and we all thought things would change and they didn't. Which was what is so unbelievable about the time we live in. It's not that things have gotten worse, but things certainly haven't gotten better.

[B]

Was there something about creating that piece of work, though, that brought you. You a sense of deep purpose.

[C]

Yes, absolutely.

[B]

Through creating art. I think what's also really interesting when we were researching for the interview, which I think is so cool, is that you've been able to traverse both worlds as a performer. Being a performer and artist in India and in America, you obviously had a breakout role as well in the hit film Deli Belly.

[C]

Yes.

[B]

So are there. I've always wondered this. Are there cultural differences between being a performer and actor here in America versus being a performer and actor in Bollywood?

[C]

I'm gonna say something a little unpopular.

[A]

Sure.

[C]

There's no difference in terms of set or caliber or anything. There really isn't.

[B]

And then equal narcissism in both, equal Harvey's in both. Okay, gotcha.

[C]

There is something about being honest set in America, where, you know, the PA or, you know that someone running crafty or someone just helping you out of your trailer wants to be a director or an actor or a producer. And is there because they have a dream. That is a beautiful thing about a set. Right. It is like everyone there is there because they have a dream. And everyone, for the most part, I know people sometimes are really treated like shit, but everyone is treated very respectfully. But in India, there are times, not only on sets, but also in people's homes or whatever, that the people who are the PAs or the chaiwalas or the, you know, the assistants who are treated or the grips assistant or whatever, who are just shat on in a way that was inexplicably cruel and that was very bizarre to witness. Very bizarre.

[B]

Yeah. That's heavy because. And you feel that when you travel, you go to India. Yeah. That hierarchy in Peking.

[C]

Hierarchy, yeah. Yeah. I think it has. You know, we grew up in a caste system in a classist society, and. But that's the biggest difference. Like, you can't. You can be so disrespectful here.

[B]

I have to hard pivot to, like, now, like, a lighter question. This is, like, so crazy. I'm like, I'm not even. I. I've been performing for 20 years, and I can't hard pivot into this. I'm like, this is wildly depressing.

[C]

I love hard pivot. I hope it's a really dumb question. Next.

[B]

Well, this is a piece of advice.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Because I've given your son a piece of advice.

[C]

Oh, yes.

[B]

Like, through my work, he's been given advice.

[C]

Yes, indeed. Indeed.

[B]

So you have.

[C]

You want to tell that story? So should I tell that?

[B]

Tell the story. Yeah. You have a 17 year old son.

[C]

Yes. So he was, he just turned 18, he had just graduated high school and he was his school salutatorian, which I never knew the word, but it's the second.

[B]

Second place.

[C]

Second place.

[B]

First loser.

[C]

Second place, exactly. Also known as first loser. And he gave, you know, we practice his speech a little bit, you know, whatever. And he's, he's a little nervous about public speaking, like it's not his thing at all. And so he gave this speech and it was. And he threw in a joke right at the beginning and his speech was so funny and so good that a girl asked him out on a date the next day. Like that's how good it was outside.

[B]

That side of a TV show.

[C]

That's out of a TV show. It is it. And then I was so blown away because it was so funny. I'm like, how did you prepare? What did you do? And he's like, I watched Hassan Minaj's White House correspondence dinner like 100 times. So he had your timing.

[B]

Wow.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

That's so crazy.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Was he doing the hands a lot too?

[C]

He was doing the hands a little bit. He was doing the hands.

[B]

He was pretty dialed in. You sent me the video. He was very dialed in. He was very funny and charming.

[C]

Yeah, it was very.

[B]

That must have been a very proud mom.

[C]

It was so stupid.

[B]

Proud.

[C]

I was like this.

[B]

Were you crying?

[C]

Of course. Sobbing. Just sobbing.

[B]

So I have a 7 year old and 5 year old.

[C]

Yes.

[B]

Can you prep me for teenage years? I have a lot of feelings the way I feel about this.

[C]

Let me tell you this, what happened? One day, boy is 15. 15?

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

He breaks his phone. I have an old phone. I'm like, okay, well I need to upgrade. So you take my old phone. He's gonna kill me. You take my old phone and I'll get a new one. So we go to the Apple store. It is a four Friday at 4:30.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

He doesn't know his icloud password. Right. So you understand now I have a new phone with my icloud and my old phone is with him. With my icloud.

[B]

It's a great story. I know where this is going.

[C]

At 4:30 the next day I get a download of all his texts and his photos.

[B]

No subpoena needed on your phone.

[C]

On my phone.

[B]

Icloud. Dump.

[C]

Dump.

[B]

You saw imessage of your son.

[C]

It was awful. It was awful.

[B]

What are we talking about? I mean, we're talking about.

[C]

We're talking about sex, drugs, rock and roll.

[B]

All of it.

[C]

Like, it was just 24 hours, 15 I just did that day. I think I may have just accomplished, like a load of laundry. He just like ran the gamut of stuff that a kid could do. And it was so much altogether that I still haven't addressed it properly. Like, I didn't have the words to address it. I was like, let your father come home and talk about it. I don't think we. None of us talked about it and.

[B]

You guys never talked about it.

[C]

I still. I just. It was. It was just too much.

[B]

Just send him the link of this.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And then what he can do is instead of talking about it, he can leave a comment.

[C]

That's right. That's right. That's right.

[B]

This was great.

[C]

This is great. It was so easy.

[B]

I just don't like that we were this far apart. But what can you do?

[C]

This is at the end of your interview. You're bringing that up.

[B]

Yeah. Deli Boys is, I think, a groundbreaking show because you would think, based on the premise, two brown dudes working at a convenience store, quite stereotypical, but it's actually the opposite. What's really cool about it is you guys get to finally play three dimensional characters inside of generally roles that we would audition for, where it would be, you'd be exposition. What was that like?

[A]

It's awesome to actually have the weight. I played gas station guy or something like that. And while you're doing it, you're like, oh, you're just like three seconds in the thing and you're like, damn, dude. I know people who are gas station people of my family. And I'm like, they have interesting lives. Like, they have like, you know, families and ups and downs, insecurities, problems, all that. But it just gets reduced to like, hey, you can't do that in the store. And like, you as a person become the joke rather than something you're doing or saying or something like that. And so to have the opportunity to be like, man, we get 10 episodes.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

To like, really like, you know, get in there and like, show all facets of this person was like, it was awesome.

[B]

How was it for you, man?

[D]

Dude, it's just. It was the best job. It was like, I could die tomorrow and I did.

[A]

No, not in New York, dude. Somebody will make your dream come true. Not in this city.

[B]

So why do you think it's so important that you guys get to finally play South Asian dumbasses?

[D]

Because, you know, we're not a monolith. There are real South. There are more South Asian dumbasses than there are South Asian doctors.

[B]

Dope name names.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

How many of your cousins? Let's run down the line. First and last name, first and last name. Say it into one of these cameras.

[D]

No, no, no. I'm not gonna do that.

[B]

Just do it. Just put it on the Internet and let's let it live forever. Forever.

[A]

Only, like a million people will see it.

[B]

Not a big deal.

[D]

It won't get it. I'll say one cousin's name and he's just gonna get excited. He gets it. Jamal Siddiqui.

[A]

Jamal Siddiqui. You dumbass.

[B]

Dude.

[A]

You couldn't even make it to the Caribbean, you. Holy shit, man.

[B]

You dumb fuck. You're so dying.

[D]

He's my favorite person. One of my favorite people in the world. But he knows it.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[D]

He knows it.

[A]

He knows it.

[B]

What's specifically about him makes him so dumb?

[D]

It's not that he's dumb. It's just that, like. Like me, he could also not become a doctor. He's just like a degenerate guy.

[B]

Sure.

[D]

You know that like, you know, we don't care to save people's lives in that way. We're not gonna do it. We'll mess it up before we succeed.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

The malpractice alone.

[B]

Good to know he's not deserving of love.

[D]

No, I mean, sorry, dude.

[A]

No, he's gonna love this.

[C]

Dude.

[A]

He's gonna clip this, but this. He's gonna pin this on his Instagram.

[B]

If you watch Deli Boys, a lot of the. The people who play the parents who play the. Your. Your guys, surrounding characters, they basically walked so we could run.

[A]

Truly.

[B]

A lot of the dope parts that we get to audition for, they're in their 50s and 60s, and they wish they had these types of roles in their 30s and 40s. Let's talk about Iqbal Thiba. Iqbal Thiba is a legend. Okay? You may know him from Glee. But if he played a lot of cabbies to get to where he was in 1994 in Living Single, he played the pizza man. Mad about you. He was cabbie. 95 Seinfeld cabbie. 1996, he played a cabbie twice. 97er. He was a doctor. Promotion.

[A]

Ooh.

[B]

98 friends. He was Joey's doctor. 2011, transformers, dark of the moon, he played the UN Secretary General. Another co star of yours, Brian George, also major character. Okay. He has 324 credits.

[A]

It's insane.

[B]

On his IMDb.

[A]

We looked at his IMDb when we were on set and we're like, Your first job was in 1976?

[D]

Truly?

[B]

Yes.

[D]

Insane.

[A]

Insane.

[B]

24 doctors, two cab drivers. He plays babu butt on Seinfeld. A lot of people know him from that.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Also played a UN Secretary General in Austin Powers.

[D]

Yes, I remember.

[C]

Whoa.

[B]

Just so you know. Yes. How does it feel for you guys working with someone like Brian who finally gets to be a full three dimensional human being?

[A]

They've walked through the fire and had to do all those. Those roles that we had the luxury of being like, you know what? I don't want to do a terrorist role. You know what I mean? And so their enthusiasm on set being like, dude, this is so cool that we're doing this. This is so cool that I get the. You know, Brian was like, it's so cool that I get the chance to, like, play again a three dimensional character that has, like, death, but it's still like this crazy, silly. And you kind of look at it and be like, he could have also done that. It's like such a misuse of talent that he was just as talented in 1976 as he is now.

[B]

Sure, yeah.

[A]

But for it to take this long, for him to have the opportunity to actually use the full range of his gifts was kind of sad. But they were all, they have such a good vibe. They were like, dude, enjoy this.

[D]

Have fun.

[B]

They didn't pull any. You have no idea.

[A]

No, no, no.

[D]

I mean, there were moments of it, but it was all in good faith. Especially on everybody's rap day. You know, they each gave their own speeches and they each cried. You know, they talked about, like, how they've been waiting their entire careers for a job like this 40 years ago, 50 years ago. And they're like, this is the job of my life. You know, it's the most work that I've gotten to do on any character I've ever worked on. And this job is so fulfilling for a lot of those people.

[B]

One of the people that's, like, amazing in the show is your co star, Poorna Jagannathan.

[A]

She's the best.

[D]

Who?

[B]

She's coming in later.

[A]

She's the best.

[B]

So go off on Purna right now. Not in a negative way. You can say whatever.

[D]

There's nothing negative to say.

[A]

You can't say other than she gets like, she's always cold.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

Like freezing cold.

[B]

Oh, her, like just her. The temperature.

[A]

Her body temp is at negative 30 degrees.

[B]

Damn, she's in Iguana.

[A]

Yeah. But other than that, truly the greatest.

[D]

Elevated the show in a way that I don't know if anybody else could.

[A]

She's so good and, like, you're saying, elevates everything and kind of brings better.

[D]

Stuff out of you, but also able to find, like, the comedy moments.

[A]

Yeah.

[D]

And, man, she's so, like, so zeroed in on the job.

[A]

When she's on it, it's like a boot camp. It was like a. Like an acting boot camp.

[B]

I'm not gonna. I'm not trying to throw you guys under the bus here, but I think it is her show.

[A]

It is her show.

[D]

It is her show.

[A]

She's the engine of the entire show. Yeah.

[B]

So basically, if you guys haven't seen the show by the time this comes out, you should have. You should have seen multiple times the whole season.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

But it's basically like, you guys fuck up. Yeah. She comes in, she's the fixer, and just like, you fucking.

[A]

Yeah, we mess up. And then she goes, I got it.

[D]

And then we're like, sorry.

[B]

Yeah.

[D]

She's like, it's okay, Berta. Don't do it again. And then we do it again. And then she fixes our mistakes. And then we're like, sorry.

[B]

I'll say this too. Which is also. Which is wild for me to see, which is seeing you basically Muslim characters on screen be messy.

[A]

Yeah, yeah.

[B]

You know what I mean? You got a girlfriend, you're doing drugs.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

Especially for you.

[B]

From where?

[A]

The show from Ms. Marvel.

[B]

There's a lot.

[D]

Oh, yeah. I mean, it's crazy.

[B]

You low key play any mom in Ms. Marvel, and then in this, you play kind of just like a messy stone arm.

[D]

My opening shot of Ms. Marvel is like me doing dua. And then my opening shot in this is like the morning after an orgy. It is nuts. People are gonna lose their shit when they see this.

[B]

But I think what is. What is cool about it is, again, is like subverting expectation. Because growing up, we watched particular portrayals of specifically Muslim characters that kind of set the. What I would think is the Overton window of what America's relationship is to brown people and brown immigrants specifically. What I want to do is go through some classic, iconic moments in brown America cinema. Okay with you guys?

[A]

Hell, yeah. Let's do it. Let's do it.

[B]

Let's take this in. Let's process this together. Let's start 1986. Back to the future. Let's do the Libyan scene. Let's take a look.

[A]

Oh, my God.

[B]

Holy shit. All right, let's stop it because he's got a lot of bullets. Holy shit.

[A]

You want to do the rocket launch, the launcher.

[B]

So here's a fun fact. The two people that you're seeing that played the Libyan terrorists, we're talking about Jeff Ohako and Richard L. Duran. Oh, wow. Now they're credited in Back to the Future as terrorist, van driver, and then, of course, terrorist. So that's Richard. Richard is lead terrorist here. But Jeff, you know, also played a terrorist many other times in his career. He was in Commando, Rambo III, Tango and Cash. His acting roles included Bandido no. 3, goon number one, Colombian spelled wrong. They spelled it with a U. Merchant Thug, bar fighter in an Indiana Jones. In the Last Crusade. He was known as Half Breed.

[D]

Half Breed, Yes. Wow.

[A]

Oh, my God.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Not Full Breed, half.

[A]

And he's like, yeah, I'm reading for Half Breed. Here's my headshot. And they're like, could you guys sign in for Half Breed, please?

[B]

Yeah. And there was a whole. There was a waiting room for Half Breed.

[A]

Oh, God.

[B]

Yeah, yeah.

[D]

Insane now. They do it on zoom.

[B]

And then he's like, I'm sorry, I have to leave Half Breed. I have another audition for Vermin.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[B]

And I gotta. I gotta get in line for.

[A]

I have to put more. I have to put more change into my meter. All right.

[B]

Richard Al Doran played a stuntman for Commando, the Last of the Mohicans, Tombstone Bad Boys. Now, his acting roles were Terrorist and Back to the Future. But the same year, he was a freedom fighter and Airwolf kind of subversive.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Out here.

[A]

So he was taking both. He was showing that he had range.

[B]

In the limited out here. Reading some Howard Zinn on set. Wow.

[D]

You could be a good good guy and a bad good guy.

[B]

What did you get a chance to see this, like, growing up? What did this scene mean to you as a kid growing up? Or were you just like, this is. This is kind of.

[D]

I mean, you know, when I was. When I was younger, when, you know, these movies came out, I didn't even. Like, I grew up in such a diverse area that I didn't really. You know, there wasn't. I didn't feel like there was racism where I was growing up. And I just didn't feel like this. I didn't see. I didn't sense discriminatory, like, discrimination. But when I watched it as a teenager or, like, as an adult, I was like, holy shit, this is crazy. This is the only representation that we have. And I don't even know who these guys are. Like, I mean, obviously, they're Brown guys. But are they like lighter skin with brown makeup?

[A]

Here's the thing. I don't know if it's better or worse that actual Middle Eastern brown people weren't getting these parts.

[B]

Yeah, that's actually true.

[A]

I think it might be better.

[B]

It actually might be better.

[A]

Yeah, that's actually people who are playing these parts.

[B]

Oh, that's actually a great point.

[A]

Do you know what I mean? It would feel terrible if you were actually like self hating and they're like, you got to take the missile launcher out now. Also in the missile launcher, that guy has a wedding ring on, which really is devastating to me as a single person. That this guy was able to get married with those roles and his wife was like, yeah, big time actor dude. Missile launcher. And back to the.

[D]

But then there's also the thing of, like, you know, wait, wait, wait.

[B]

So you're a series regular and you can't. You can't wipe it up?

[A]

Well, we'll see when the show comes out.

[B]

All right.

[A]

You know, the reviews will be either devastating or amazing.

[B]

Let's jump to a few years later. Let's go to True Lies. Oh, classic from Sinji Hat, 1994.

[A]

Already sweating. That's how you know you were in a hot 90s action movie. People are sweaty.

[D]

You have killed our women and our.

[B]

Children, bombed our cities from afar like cowards.

[A]

And you dare to call us terrorists?

[D]

Yo, the propaganda machine has been at it for ever.

[A]

And it was so good that I didn't even realize. I've seen all of these movies as a kid. None of these scenes, that's how many of them there were. That I don't even remember these. And then you also think, like, okay, we're brown people. Like, if you're not of the community and you see this, that's like baked in people's heads for like, what, 30, 40 years. That's just the entirety of the culture.

[B]

Yeah, there's kind of like this Muslim McCarthyism.

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

Now I don't want to look, let's not play the victim card too much. Sure. Of course, you know, I've milked it a little bit too much in my career. One could argue Hollywood has also cast white terrorists.

[A]

Here we go. Her arms aren't swinging.

[C]

She's carrying something.

[B]

Wait, what's that? Oh, shit. Sorry, Scott. The producer wanted to fact check me real quick. I'm being told that wasn't terrorism. That was, quote, global leadership in service of the rules based international order.

[A]

I see you guys have advertisers. I understand.

[B]

Look, we've clearly come a long way. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But do you still have to do any crazy auditions where you're like, how is this even still.

[A]

Well, the cool thing now is I can call people or email them back and be like, hey, I don't like the way that this character is going. I feel like this is not. You guys don't want to portray this this way. This is, like, insensitive or, like, inaccurate or inauthentic. And it feels like now they'll at least humor you. They'll at least be like, yeah, okay, all right. This is. We can work around this and we can change it. Versus back in the day, it was like, this is what this is. You have a missile launcher and you pop out of the top of a Volkswagen. It's either you do that or you don't get the job kind of thing. So it just feels like there's a little bit more dialogue. But then that also comes to the point of, like, if you don't have anyone working in those higher ups that either is sensitive to those things or cares about those things, much less is someone of the community in those positions of power, then it becomes, like, extremely difficult because if they don't see it as a problem or as an issue, then they'll. I don't understand. We'll just find somebody who'll do it.

[D]

I've turned all of those kinds of auditions down.

[B]

Yeah.

[D]

Since when I moved to la, the first time I got an audition that was like a terrorist type of role, I turned it down every single time. I turned down every single accent role. I just. Those are the two things I don't want to do.

[A]

That's crazy, man.

[B]

Wow. Okay, so wait, I just pivot. What if you bring it back where you're like, I'll bring it back. Yeah. You're like, there's a huge market here.

[A]

If it's something that's actually legitimate and, like, has an actual reason, I mean. Okay. But like, oftentimes it was always used in service of, like, the joke.

[D]

Like, that was the joke.

[B]

Oh, like your existence is the punchline. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[D]

That poo of it. All right.

[B]

Yeah. There's a lot of special guest stars on the show.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

So many.

[B]

The legend.

[A]

So many.

[B]

The Internet's favorite Tan France is on the show. Okay. Now, Tan France, the Moment.

[A]

The man the Moment plays a mobster.

[B]

In the the show.

[A]

A full blown British badass mobster.

[B]

So what was it like for Tan France to say? And if you try anything, I'm chopping off Your. And shoving it up his ass.

[D]

Easily. He said it so easily.

[A]

He said it, so it's almost like he said it before.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

And that's what scared me the most. Yeah. It came out so easily. Like, first take, we're like, all right, well, at least pretend that it's uncomfortable for you to say, oh, man, he just got.

[B]

You did a full fight scene with Tan France.

[A]

He actually said that. You know, beating people up and, you know. Cause he did boxing, you know.

[D]

Wait, when in Manchester. So he learned how to box because he used to get picked on for being gay. And so he was like, if I'm gonna be gay, I gotta stand up for myself. I gotta. I gotta kick some people's ass.

[A]

Which would be an incredible Creed movie.

[B]

Tannis, right? There's a Pakistani kid in the uk In Birmingham. Yeah, I'm kidding.

[A]

And Michael B. Jordan's his coach.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And he's like, beat up these fucking homophobes and he's beating them left and right.

[B]

Beat the shit out of them.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

You haramzada and just fucking. Just smacking them, dude.

[B]

That's great. I didn't know that. That's crazy. One of the things you guys are gonna have to do while you do this press tour that's brought to you by the Walt Disney Group and the Onyx Collective is you're going to have to do the press rounds and let the American public know. Are you one of the good ones? I'm just gonna cut to the chase right now. We just need people to know. Do you condemn or do you condone? I'm gonna ask you a series of questions. You let me know and the audience know, do you condemn this or do you condone this?

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Polyamory. Condemn or condone.

[A]

I don't understand it, but I can't be mad at it.

[D]

Yeah, I just. Do I have to pick one? Can I just be in the middle?

[B]

Don't. There is no.

[A]

Don't do that.

[B]

Don't. Wait. Come on.

[D]

Yeah, we're in this together, dude.

[A]

Yeah, we're in this together.

[D]

Yeah, we're in this together.

[B]

Chet Hanks.

[A]

I gotta let him live.

[D]

I gotta.

[B]

What are you condemning?

[D]

I just. I just, you know. Dude, just be Tom Hanks, son.

[C]

Let the white boy cook.

[B]

Why are you condemning him?

[D]

I just. I don't like his patois, you know, like.

[C]

But the white boy cook.

[B]

What are you doing, man?

[D]

Just be your dad's son.

[B]

Let him cook. Let him cook. Let him go.

[A]

Let the white boy go.

[B]

Condone or condemn? Love Is Blind.

[A]

I don't think I've ever seen that show.

[B]

What is that?

[D]

I have. I have. And I hate that I watch it.

[A]

You love it.

[B]

So do you condone or do you condemn?

[A]

I mean, I'm gonna just go with him. I mean, if he likes it, I'll like it.

[B]

Okay. Love is blind, but just for platonic male friendship.

[A]

That's always cool.

[D]

Yeah, that's cool.

[B]

That's just playing with.

[A]

Yeah, yeah. That's Xbox Live.

[B]

That's just multiplayer gaming. That's Love is Blind for heterosexual men. Vivek Ramaswamy's Ohio governors.

[A]

Anybody that smiles and shows you the top and bottom of their teeth cannot be trusted. And that's throughout history. If someone smiles and goes, that's true. That's a criminal.

[B]

It is the. Is this. It's this part that's kind of terrible.

[A]

Yeah.

[D]

Don't like the bottom gum.

[B]

Yeah, that's kind of.

[A]

You're not six years old. Grow up. Stop it. Imagine trying so hard you show the bottom gums.

[B]

Hasan Minhaj being cast as the lead in the Vivek Ramaswamy by Ape.

[D]

A hundred percent.

[A]

You would do such a good job.

[B]

200%.

[A]

Show us a smile.

[D]

That's it. That's good.

[B]

That's good.

[D]

That's it.

[B]

Oh, my God. You know, the scariest part is how close we are. And, God, it's. He's me in an alternate.

[A]

Oh, he just took a little left turn.

[D]

It could have gotten bad.

[B]

It could have gotten bad.

[D]

That is crazy.

[C]

Oh, man.

[B]

This is great.

[D]

Thank you.

[A]

Come on.