Hasan Minhaj The King’s Jester is the latest standup special by the comedian which was released on Netflix on 4th October. He returns with his second stand-up comedy special. The Emmy and Peabody Award winner for “Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj” performs at the historic Brooklyn Academy of Music, which has a runtime of about 1 hour.
The show is directed by Prashanth Venkataramanujam and co-produced by Minhaj himself. Known for his intelligent social commentary on Patriot Act, Minhaj returns to his storytelling roots with a vulnerable and hilarious portrait of a comedian struggling with fertility, fatherhood, fame, and freedom of speech — all against the backdrop of a jaw-dropping visual experience.
-Hasan Minhaj The King’s Jester Review Does Not Contain Any Spoiler-
While Minhaj’s first special Homecoming King looked back at his childhood and rise to fame, The King’s Jester evolved into a meditation on his rise to fame, fatherhood and the consequences of ego, politics and social media.
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The standup started off in his Netflix satire show Patriot Act way but soon took a hilarious turn with his story about how he and his wife Beena couldn’t get pregnant for four years. Now, this story could take two very different routes. One, it could become a sobbing emotional and touching story of how they conceived after many struggles.
Second, to blast off oneself to the point of ridiculousness that makes it sound like a fabricated story. Here’s what Hasan Minhaj’s expertise comes in, as he combines the two and ping pongs between being absolutely ridiculous and very serious in a way that isn’t jarring. But makes it entertaining till the last word.
Many of the stories that you will be hearing on the show might sound like he is exaggerating or has maybe fabricated some bit of it until he displays the receipts on-screen. His use of technology with his set goes well together, as he visually also gives context about everything that he is talking about. So if you weren’t believing his story, the proof on the screen will make you applaud in disbelief.
In his first special he drew on his experience as a Muslim American, as Minhaj riffs on racism, immigrant parents, prom night horrors and more. Returning after almost 5 years since then, his life has obviously changed and he has also upgraded his skills as a comedian. His whole coordinated set of an hour is funny and reflective at the same time.
Apart from his private life, he also gives us some behind the scene tidbits about the episodes, that could have put him in much bigger trouble but also made him a global name. At some points, it feels like a video of Deep Cuts, where we got the inside scoop and Minhaj’s interaction with the audience on the Patriot Act.
Summing Up: Hasan Minhaj The King’s Jester
The standup felt like we are in Minhaj’s court where he is getting some serious things off his chest, yet moulding them in a way that doesn’t feel heavy. He masterfully weaved humour throughout the serious moments, keeping the audience laughing. Keeping up with his image of a wide-eyed raccoon on Adderall, he brings all the high energy with his flailing gestures, on the stage.
His true strength lies in storytelling and he does it brilliantly. If you are familiar with his previous work etc, then you will ceaselessly enjoy it. But if you are catching up with him for the first time, then some things might not get to you directly but by the end, you will still be smiling and even be a bit more aware of various things.
Hasan Minhaj The King’s Jester is currently streaming on Netflix.
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