- Hasan Minhaj defends the use of embellished details in his stand-up specials
- Minhaj claims that the use of such details helps to create better storytelling
- He addresses the criticism regarding a specific story involving an anthrax attack on his family
Hasan Minhaj, a well-known comedian, discussed and defended the use of fabricated details in his stand-up comedy specials in a recent interview. The comedian argues that the inclusion of these details ultimately enables him to tell a better story, making it more engaging for the audience.
The comedy star drew attention to a specific example that had been criticized for its lack of accuracy – a story from his 2019 special, “Hasan Minhaj: Homecoming King.” In this story, Minhaj recalls a family incident where his father received a package, believing it to contain anthrax.
According to Minhaj, the original real-life story had involved a hoax call to his father that simply didn’t make the cut for an impactful anecdote. Instead, embellishing the story by adding the element of the package filled with powder made it more entertaining and resonated more effectively with the audience: “So, I add the flourish of the package. That never happened — but, I’m using it as a device to tell the story.”
Adding such flourishes is, to him, part of his job as a comedian and storyteller. Minhaj defends his use of artistic license, stating, “That’s the beautiful part about stand-up. It’s sometimes the more human, vulnerable, goofy, flawed version of storytelling. Sometimes it takes those little embellishments for it to land.”
As a result, Minhaj seems unapologetic about his choice to occasionally alter the facts in his stories for comedic effect. He maintains that this approach is a crucial part of delivering entertaining and engaging performances for his audience.