Latest news with #Nanjiani
Los Angeles Times
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Belly Laughs spotlights Asian comedians and cuisine, offering a tasty excuse to ‘laugh at ourselves'
'Never more than two.' That's Kumail Nanjiani's general assessment of the modest serving of Asian performers on a typical comedy show lineup (if any at all) when he was starting out in comedy. Even as an actor who's gone on to find success on hit TV shows like 'Silicon Valley' and has flown high in the Marvel Cinematic Universe with 'Eternals,' the stereotype of ethnic comedy quotas from his roots in stand-up — which he's recently returned to a couple years ago — still sticks with him. Nanjiani recently spoke with The Times about this weekend's Belly Laughs Festival, a two-day event at L.A. Live that spotlights Asian comedians, cuisine and culture. He was joined by fellow festival performer Jonnie Park (a.k.a. rapper Dumbfoundead) and comedian/actor Sherry Cola (who is no longer performing at the festival due to a scheduling conflict) to talk about the importance of Asian representation in comedy. During the chat, Nanjiani described not only his love for food (specifically Biriyani Kabob House in Koreatown, which will be at the festival) but also for stand-up. After returning to performing live shows again in 2023, Nanjiani is slated to release 'Night Thoughts,' his first comedy special in 12 years, on Hulu later this year. Inspired by the Hollywood slowdown and the writers' strike that prevented him from pursuing TV and film work, Nanjiani says he returned to doing comedy in order to keep working on stage while the rest of Hollywood was mostly shut down. 'I missed being good at something that I wasn't good at anymore,' he said. 'I didn't like the feeling like I used to have so much confidence in this now it feels like [I'm] a different person, and so in the strikes, I was like, I want to try again and see if I still love it.' Since then, the Pakistani-born comedian says he's still hungry for both the craft of comedy and the community that gathers to devour it. For all three comedians, though moving into acting has elevated their profile on the small and big screen, stand-up is the art form that makes them feel the most sharp. 'I do find being a stand up comedian as a superpower, stepping onto a set, for sure,' says Cola, who most people know from her role as a series regular in the TV show 'Good Trouble' or in the 2023 raunchy road-trip comedy 'Joy Ride.' 'I think because we're good at crowd work, we have a quickness that not every actor has.' Belly Laughs, happening Saturday to Sunday, offers a buffet of top-tier Asian comedians performing all weekend inside the Peacock Theater at L.A. Live. Nanjiani takes center stage along with Hasan Minhaj, Margaret Cho, Bobby Lee and over 30 of the funniest Asian comedians to perform headlining shows in L.A. at theaters and clubs around the country. Outside the venue on L.A. Live's outdoor plaza, an array of food and activities like mah-jong, karaoke and cooking demonstrations with star chef Tue Nguyen will be available for fest-goers to enjoy throughout the tasty sprawl of Mama's Nightmarket. The idea for Belly Laughs took shape about three years ago when Michelle K. Sugihara, executive director and chief executive of the Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment (better known as CAPE), joined forces with volunteer festival producer Viv Wang who helped bring on AEG as a venue partner, followed by L.A. outdoor food staple Mama's Nightmarket and event promotions company Nederlander Concerts. For CAPE, the world's longest-running nonprofit creating opportunities for Asian and Pacific Islander artists, actors and storytellers in Hollywood, Belly Laughs is a natural extension of its mission over the last 35 years. 'Food and comedy is really a chance to celebrate our culture with the broader L.A. and Southern California communities, but also it's a celebration of how food comedy culture just brings people together, which is needed now more than ever,' Sugihara said. For Park, who is also performing at Belly Laughs, his transition from music to stand-up comedy and podcasting more than 10 years ago was an effort to find a new way to express himself as he matured and became mildly more responsible. 'I started [rapping at] 14 years old and it had a lot of youthful energy to it. And as I got older, there's a lot of things I wanted to talk about that I didn't want to [express] over beats,' he said. 'I didn't want to share those adult things about my finances and doing taxes. I didn't want to make 'doing taxes rap,' he jokes. Park said his ability to use humor to give back to his community as a longtime resident of L.A.'s Koreatown helps foster more opportunities for Koreans from his neighborhood to see stand-up shows and festivals like Belly Laughs. 'When I was growing up, a lot of Koreans in my neighborhood had never seen a stand-up show,' he said. 'I've thrown a couple of all-Asian stand-up comedy shows in my neighborhood, and a lot of people who come, it was their first stand up show. They don't even go to the Comedy Store, the Laugh Factory — none of that. So [a festival like Belly Laughs] might be their first one.' If that's the case, any newcomers to L.A.'s comedy scene are likely to leave full and happy by the end, as the fest serves up not only amazing food but an inclusive environment to see comedy from an Asian perspective without feeling othered as part of a quota on a comedy lineup or the butt of any scathing racial humor — at least not by non-Asian comedians. 'If anyone's gonna roast my people, it's gonna be me,' Park said with a grin. 'I think there's a little bit of that with us as [Asian] comedians and talking about our own culture. We have to take ownership of that.' Cola concurs, adding that after being the subject of racial jokes for decades, the best way to counteract the sting of the stereotypes is for Asian comedians to write jokes about their cultures that help their communities laugh the hardest—just hopefully not while chewing their food. 'I don't know if it's just society trying to define us and put us in a box, but it's almost like we just recently got permission to laugh at ourselves,' Cola said. 'Because we've been the punch line for years in the media, but now it's like [a chance to] exhale, because this is a safe space. That's kind of what Belly Laughs is giving.'
Glasgow Times
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
Legendary BBC Scotland presenter steps away from show
Broadcaster Shereen Nanjiani presented her final Saturday morning radio show on BBC Radio Scotland on Saturday, June 14, BBC News reported. The 'Shereen' show originally launched in 2008 and featured Nanjiani and a range of guests debating big talking points each week and reviewing the latest TV and streaming releases. Before joining the BBC, the 63-year-old was a well-known STV newsreader for 20 years. Legendary BBC Scotland presenter steps away from show (Image: Newsquest) Born in Elderslie, Renfrewshire, in 1961, Nanjiani graduated from the University of Glasgow before she began her broadcasting career at the age of 22 as a trainee journalist at STV. Following that, the much-loved presenter went on to become Scotland's first Asian-heritage newsreader, presenting Scotland Today for two decades until she left STV in 2006. In 2020, the star was awarded an MBE for her services to Scottish broadcasting. READ MORE: BBC Scotland reveal big change after departure of presenter Following her departure, Nanjiani revealed she had loved being part of the BBC Radio Scotland weekend family for so long. She said: "I've made so many good friends on the show over the years. "They made me laugh and they made me think, and it's always been a joy to come to work in the morning. "Finally, I'd like to thank our lovely listeners who've stayed with us throughout the years and joined in the conversation. "I'll miss them all, but this feels like a good time in my life to get my weekends back again, have a lie in, and explore new adventures." BBC Radio Scotland commissioning editor Heather Kane Darling added: "Shereen is one of Scotland's most experienced and respected broadcasters, and it's been a pleasure to work with her over the last 19 years. "I know our teams will miss working with her, and we thank her for her professionalism and dedication during her time with us." The BBC reported that over the summer, the 10am to 11.30am slot will be filled by Saturday Morning with Zara Janjua. Details of the new show for autumn will be announced in due course.
The Herald Scotland
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
BBC Scotland's Shereen show comes to close after 17 years
'Shereen' launched in 2008 and featured the Scots broadcaster discussing the week's news and TV with a range of contributors. Nanjiani, who was awarded an MBE in 2020 for services to broadcasting, said: 'I have loved being part of the BBC Radio Scotland weekend family for the past 17 years. I feel very lucky to have worked with brilliant producers committed to making the show the best it can be and to have such an entertaining and insightful group of people joining me every week for a blether over breakfast. 'I've made so many good friends on the show over the years- they made me laugh and they made me think and it's always been a joy to come to work in the morning. 'Finally, I'd like to thank our lovely listeners who've stayed with us throughout the years and joined in the conversation. I'll miss them all, but this feels like a good time in my life to get my weekends back again, have a lie in, and explore new adventures.' Nanjiani is the latest high-profile departure at the broadcaster. Janice Forsyth, who worked for the BBC for more than 30 years, stepped down in February this year after being diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's. Bryan Burnett is on leave from his nightly show, Get It On, while he has treatment for appendiceal cancer. Grant Stott is filling in until Burnett's return. There have been major changes, too, in the BBC Scotland management team. The broadcaster's new director, Hayley Valentine, started in the job last November, replacing Steve Carson. A new head of audio and events, Victoria Easton Riley, has joined the corporation from Bauer Media UK, where she was praised for 'driving unprecedented growth' across flagship stations including Clyde 1 and Forth 1. Recent decisions by BBC management, chief among them pulling the plug on the soap River City, have been criticised by viewers, the actors' union Equity, and MSPs. A petition to save the show has 12,000 signatures. As revealed in The Herald last week, the broadcaster is also cutting its coverage of the Edinburgh festivals. Instead of broadcasting a fortnight of shows from its own pop-up venue, the BBC will stage five days of events with ticketed audiences in a space shared with the Pleasance Courtyard and the EICC. Previous guests at the pop-up venue, which has operated for 14 years, have included authors Denise Mina, Ian Rankin, Val McDermid and Andrew O'Hagan and the actor Brian Cox. Born in Elderslie in 1961, Nanjiani began her broadcasting career in 1983 as a trainee journalist at STV, presenting her first live TV bulletin in 1987. She was a chief news anchor at STV, presenting the Scotland Today news programme from 1987 until leaving to go freelance in May 2006. While at STV she reported from Lockerbie, Dunblane, and on the setting up of the Scottish Parliament. Internationally, she reported from South Africa on the election of Nelson Mandela, and from Romania after the fall of Ceausescu. She began presenting Scotland Live for BBC Radio Scotland in August 2006, before moving on to her own weekend show in 2008. Over the summer, the 10.00-11.30 am slot will be filled by Saturday Morning with Zara Janjua, which will feature a blend of entertainment and debate. A new Saturday morning format will launch in the autumn. Heather Kane Darling, commissioning editor, BBC Radio Scotland, said: 'Shereen is one of Scotland's most experienced and respected broadcasters and it's been a pleasure to work with her over the last 19 years. I know our teams will miss working with her and we thank her for her professionalism and dedication during her time with us. Our studio door will always remain open to Shereen for future opportunities.'
Scoop
15-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Kumail Nanjiani Joins Datadog's DASH Conference As Featured Speaker
Press Release – Datadog Practitioners and executives at JPMorgan Chase, Thomson Reuters, Rivian, Expedia and Coinbase will join previously announced speakers from organisations like Redfin, Thales IFE, Toyota and more. Datadog, Inc. (NASDAQ: DDOG), the monitoring and security platform for cloud applications, recently unveiled new speakers for its annual DASH conference, taking place June 10-11, 2025 at North Javits Center in New York City. Kumail Nanjiani, the Oscar- and Emmy-nominated actor, writer and comedian known for The Big Sick, Silicon Valley and The Eternals, will be joining the DASH main stage as the featured speaker. In his fireside chat at DASH, Nanjiani will share his perspective on being creative under pressure and his story of making the transition from a standup comedian to a big screen star, all while providing an honest view on collaboration and tech culture. Along with highlighting Nanjiani as the featured speaker, Datadog also announced new customer speakers for the conference. Practitioners and executives at JPMorgan Chase, Thomson Reuters, Rivian, Expedia and Coinbase will join previously announced speakers from organisations like Redfin, Thales IFE, Toyota and more. 'DASH is about bringing practitioners and teams together to discuss the future of applications, infrastructure, security and GenAI,' said Jeremy Garcia, VP of Technical Community at Datadog. 'We have over fifty sessions planned and are thrilled to welcome Kumail Nanjiani and customers from all over the world to our roster of speakers.' To learn more and to register for DASH, please visit: And follow the latest event announcements on X @dashconio. About Datadog Datadog is the observability and security platform for cloud applications. Our SaaS platform integrates and automates infrastructure monitoring, application performance monitoring, log management, user experience monitoring, cloud security and many other capabilities to provide unified, real-time observability and security for our customers' entire technology stack. Datadog is used by organizations of all sizes and across a wide range of industries to enable digital transformation and cloud migration, drive collaboration among development, operations, security and business teams, accelerate time to market for applications, reduce time to problem resolution, secure applications and infrastructure, understand user behavior and track key business metrics.
Techday NZ
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Techday NZ
Kumail Nanjiani to headline Datadog DASH conference in New York
Kumail Nanjiani will serve as the featured speaker at Datadog's DASH conference in New York. Datadog has announced that Nanjiani, known for his roles in The Big Sick, Silicon Valley and The Eternals, will address attendees at the technology conference scheduled to take place at the North Javits Center on 10-11 June 2025. The Oscar- and Emmy-nominated actor, writer and comedian is set to participate in a fireside chat during which he will share his insights on maintaining creativity under pressure. Nanjiani will also discuss his journey from stand-up comedy to mainstream cinema, offering his views on collaboration and the evolving culture within the technology sector. Alongside the announcement of Nanjiani as the event's featured speaker, Datadog has confirmed the participation of representatives from several major organisations. Speakers from JPMorgan Chase, Thomson Reuters, Rivian, Expedia and Coinbase have been named, with previously confirmed participation from companies including Redfin, Thales IFE and Toyota. Jeremy Garcia, Vice President of Technical Community at Datadog, commented on the programme: "DASH is about bringing practitioners and teams together to discuss the future of applications, infrastructure, security and GenAI. We have over fifty sessions planned and are thrilled to welcome Kumail Nanjiani and customers from all over the world to our roster of speakers." The conference will feature more than fifty sessions and intends to facilitate discussions on the trajectory of applications, infrastructure, security, and generative artificial intelligence within the technology landscape. Participants will include both practitioners and business executives, reflecting a broad cross-section of the industry. Nanjiani's participation aims to add a new perspective to the conference, particularly regarding the intersection of creative industries and technology. His session will focus on how professionals adapt under pressure, collaborative workflows in different sectors, and personal experiences related to the cultural shifts within technology environments. The inclusion of customer speakers from a variety of sectors, including finance, automotive, legal information, travel, and digital assets, provides a platform for sharing experiences regarding cloud applications, digital transformation, and associated security challenges. The listed organisations are expected to contribute to technical discussions and share practical approaches to emerging industry issues. The DASH conference has been organised as a forum centred on current and future issues in application development, infrastructure management, digital security and the emerging role of artificial intelligence. This year's event brings together delegates and experts from companies of varying capacities and specialisations. Datadog is presenting the conference as an opportunity to promote dialogue among different stakeholders in technology, from developers and security specialists to business leaders and creative professionals. The event's agenda is designed to provide insights across a range of topics pertinent to digital business operations. The full programme of speakers and detailed session information is being finalised. Additional details regarding session times and topics are expected to be made available to participants ahead of the event.
