Hasan Minhaj Addressed His Stand-Up Controversy With a 'Daily Show'-Style Video (2024)

The comedian opened up about the, as he calls it, "needlessly misleading" New Yorker profile that alleged he fabricated events from his life.

By Josh Rosenberg

This September, the comedy world was shocked when The New Yorker alleged that former Daily Show comedian Hasan Minhaj fabricated many elements of stories in his stand-up act. One event in particular—about a mother who wouldn't let Minhaj take her daughter to prom, due to racist beliefs—was reportedly untrue. In the weeks since, the story has raised questions about honesty in stand-up comedy entirely.

In his first lengthy response to the profile, Minhaj shared an exclusive 20-minute video to The Hollywood Reporter, which breaks down the story and its claims. “There were omissions and factual errors in The New Yorker article that misrepresented my life story, so I wanted to give people the context and materials I provided The New Yorker with full transparency,” Minhaj told The Hollywood Reporter. Done in classic The Daily Show fashion with graphics next to his head, the comedian provided more context to his answers in The New Yorker story. You can watch the entire video above.

“With everything that’s happening in the world, I’m aware even talking about this now feels so trivial,” Minhaj said in the video. "But being accused of ‘faking racism’ is not trivial. It’s very serious, and it demands an explanation. To everyone who read that article... I want to answer the biggest question that’s probably on your mind: Is Hasan Minhaj secretly a psycho? Underneath all that pomp, is Hasan Minhaj just a con artist who uses fake racism and Islamophobia to advance his career? Because after reading that article, I would also think that."

Apologizing to his fans, Minhaj restated that he "made artistic choices to express myself and drive home larger issues affecting me and my community." He also felt "horrible" that people were "betrayed or hurt by his actions."

"The reason I feel horrible is because I’m not a psycho," he continued. "But this New Yorker article definitely made me look like one. It was so needlessly misleading, not just about my stand-up, but also about me as a person. The truth is, racism, FBI surveillance and the threats to my family happened. And I said this on the record."

Minhaj also claimed that the prom incident between himself and "Bethany Reed"—as he called her in the stand-up special to protect her identity—was largely based on facts. According to the comedian, Bethany's mother said that they could not go to prom together, because they didn't want their daughter in photos with "a brown boy." The incident's only embellishment? Minhaj says it did not occur on the same day as prom. "Bethany’s mom really did say that—it was just a few days before prom," Minhaj said in the video. "I created the doorstep scene to drop the audience into the feeling of that moment, which I told the reporter." The comedian also plays a recording of the interview between himself and The New Yorker reporter Clare Malone discussing the exact scene. He also provided emails with Bethany, where the woman thanks him for protecting her identity.

“My team and I repeatedly tried to give them the emails you just saw," Minhaj alleged. "We confirmed the emails were sent to the reporter and their fact-checker before the article came out. They knew my rejection was due to race. I confirmed it on the record and provided corroborating evidence. And yet they misled readers by excluding all of that and splicing two different quotes together to leave you thinking that I made up a racist incident."

In a response to Minhaj's video, The New Yorker sent Hollywood Reporter their own statement backing up their story. "Hasan Minhaj confirms in this video that he selectively presents information and embellishes to make a point: exactly what we reported," the statement read. "Our piece, which includes Minhaj’s perspective at length, was carefully reported and fact-checked. It is based on interviews with more than twenty people, including former Patriot Act and Daily Show staffers; members of Minhaj’s security team; and people who have been the subject of his standup work, including the former F.B.I. informant 'Brother Eric' and the woman at the center of his prom-rejection story. We stand by our story."

Watch Next

Hasan Minhaj Addressed His Stand-Up Controversy With a 'Daily Show'-Style Video (3)

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Entertainment

‘House of the Dragon’ S2, E3: Who Do We Root for?This Has Been a Wild Year For Sexy MoviesThe 25 Best Movies to Watch on the Fourth of July‘The Bear’ Season 3 Finale Is an Exorcism

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

A Guide to Every Cameo in ‘The Bear’ Season 3The 50 Best Classic Horror Films of All Time‘The Bear’ Season 3 Has a Stellar Soundtrack ‘The Bear’ S3, E9: Just Apologize, Berzatto!
You Know Who Returns on the ‘The Bear’ S3, E8‘The Bear’ S3, E7 Has Me Worried About SydneyCan Ayo Edebiri Direct Everything from Now On?‘The Bear’ Season 3, Episode 5 Recap

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Hasan Minhaj Addressed His Stand-Up Controversy With a 'Daily Show'-Style Video (2024)

FAQs

Why did Hasan Minhaj lose his show? ›

He was referring to a controversy sparked by a September story in the New Yorker that aimed to fact-check Minhaj's stand-up comedy. The month before, Variety had exclusively reported that he was the frontrunner to replace Trevor Noah as host of “The Daily Show,” but he lost the job after the scandal arose.

What is Hasan Minhaj accused of? ›

The New Yorker story alleges that Minhaj embellishes stories and is selective in the information he presents, creating routines based on "emotional truth" to make points about racism in America.

What was Hasan Minhaj known for? ›

Hasan Minhaj (/ˈhʌsən ˈmɪnhɑː(d)ʒ/ HUSS-ən MIN-hahzh, -⁠hahj; born September 23, 1985) is an American comedian, writer, producer, actor and television host. Much of his comedy involves Indian culture and the modern American political landscape through the use of satire, observational comedy and dark comedy.

Why were Minhaj's classmates mad at him on the Monday after the prom? ›

On the Monday after the prom, why were Minhaj's classmates mad at him? They were mad at him because he didn't say anything about Bethany's family. He told his class he decided not to go. He took the blame for her.

Who was supposed to replace Trevor Noah? ›

Hasan Minhaj was Trevor Noah's 'Daily Show' replacement — then was dumped: report.

Why was Hasan cancelled? ›

Hasan's departure comes after it was announced in November that MSNBC was canceling his show amid a broader reshuffling of the network's weekend programming lineup, drawing backlash from progressive lawmakers and activists. “Yes, I've decided to leave,” Hasan said at the end of his final show.

What is off with his head about Hasan Minhaj? ›

Hasan Minhaj is set to entertain audiences once again with his brand new show, "Hasan Minhaj: Off With His Head." As one of the most vital voices in comedy today, Minhaj continues to take on challenging themes like politics, parenting, and therapy with irreverent wit and insight.

Did Hasan Minhaj lose The Daily Show? ›

Hasan Minhaj was a frontrunner for the "Daily Show" hosting gig after Trevor Noah left. In the wake of a New Yorker story that fact-checked his stand-up, Minhaj didn't get the job. He joked that his not getting the gig paved the way for Jon Stewart to bring back the show's ratings.

Is Hasan Minhaj related to Nicki Minaj? ›

Is Hasan Minhaj related to Nicki Minaj? No. I did briefly meet her at the Met Gala and I was like, "Hey, we should take a picture together." And Trevor Noah was like, "Hey, yeah, you should.

How much does Hasan Minhaj make per show? ›

An example fee to book Hasan Minhaj is in the starting range of $150,000-$299,000. However, any recent popularity change would cause a price fluctuation well beyond this example. Also, their speaking fee might be different than the fee shown for the cost to perform or to just appear.

What is Hasan Minhaj doing now in 2024? ›

Daily Show contributor, Patriot Act host, and standup superstar Hasan Minhaj is back in 2024 with a brand-new one-man show, and tickets for all dates are on sale now!

What surgery did Hasan Minhaj have? ›

"If you don't get this surgery, you can't have kids," Minhaj said his doctor told him before he underwent varicocele repair surgery to fix an issue with his blood and sperm count. The surgery was successful; Minhaj and Patel conceived their son six weeks later.

Who is Hasan's wife? ›

Will Hasan Minhaj be the next Daily Show host? ›

Minhaj, at one time a front-runner for the job, has apparently fallen out of contention after a New Yorker exposé questioned the veracity of some of the comedian's anecdotes. The next Daily Show host will reportedly not be Hasan Minhaj.

What does Hasan Minhaj's sister do? ›

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Msgr. Benton Quitzon

Last Updated:

Views: 6551

Rating: 4.2 / 5 (63 voted)

Reviews: 86% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Msgr. Benton Quitzon

Birthday: 2001-08-13

Address: 96487 Kris Cliff, Teresiafurt, WI 95201

Phone: +9418513585781

Job: Senior Designer

Hobby: Calligraphy, Rowing, Vacation, Geocaching, Web surfing, Electronics, Electronics

Introduction: My name is Msgr. Benton Quitzon, I am a comfortable, charming, thankful, happy, adventurous, handsome, precious person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.