Amanpour and Company

TIME FOR LIGHT RELIEF FROM MY NEXT GUEST. HASSAN IS A TWO-TIME PEA BODY AWARD WINNING COMEDIAN KNOWN FOR HIS POLITICAL SATIRE SHOW PATRIOT ACT AND BREAKUP, STANDUP SPECIAL HOMECOMING KING. NOW, HE'S BACK WITH THE SECOND SPECIAL "THE KING'S JESTER." HE SPEAKS ABOUT COMEDY, PRIVACY AND WHAT HE CALLS HIS VISION FOR A NEW BROWN AMERICA. >> YOU HAVEN'T REALLY BEEN ON TOUR OR DOING STANDUP MATERIAL FOR QUITE A TIME IN BETWEEN. WHAT DID YOU? >> I WAS THE HOST OF "PATRIOT ACT." I WAS POSTING THAT AND DURING THE PANDEMIC, HAD OUR SECOND AND YOU KNOW, LIFE WAS REALITY HAPPENING AND TO ME, GREAT COMEDY COMES FROM YOUR REAL LIFE AND IT IS THE PUBLIC ACT OF CONFESSION SO FATHERHOOD FERTILITY, FREEDOM OF SPEECH, ALL THAT STUFF I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE THEMES AND THINGS HAPPENING IN MY LIFE OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS. >> YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU MENTIONED CONFESSION, SOMETHING SO CO COMP COMPELLING, HOW IS IT YOU ARE ABLE TO SHARE SOMETHING THAT IS SO PERSONAL AND INTIMATE THAT MOST OF US HAVE A TOUGH TIMESHARING IT WITH OUR BEST FRIEND BUT THERE YOU ARE DOING IT IN FRONT OF LITERALLY THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THAT WILL BE BROADCAST FOREVER? >> YEAH, I MEAN, TO ME, THE ART FORM ITSELF OF COMEDY HAS A LONG TRADITION OF THE PUBLIC ACT OF CONFESSION, WHETHER IT'S RICHARD PRIOR GETTING ON STAGE AND TALKING ABOUT LITERALLY CATCHING HIS OWN FHAIR ON FIRE DURING A DRUG INDUCED BENDER OR THE GREAT SPALDING GRAY, EVEN GREAT WRITERS LIKE DAVID BLEED ON THE PAGE SO WHEN I WAS WORKING WITH OUR DIRECTOR, HE REALLY TOLD ME HEY, MAN, IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING, IF YOU TAKE THE TIME TO GO ON TOUR AND ASK PEOPLE TO BUY TICKETS, I'LL NEED YOU TO BLEEDE ON THE PAGE AND CONFESS THINGS YOU'RE NOT WILLING TO SHARE ON I MESSAGE OR WHAT'S APP. ONE OF THE CHALLENGES I WANTED TO DO IS INTERROGATE MYSELF AND TO ME, THAT REALLY IS THE BEGINNINGS OF WHAT I THINK OR WHAT I HOPE TO BE A SPECIAL THAT WILL RESONATE WITH PEOPLE. >> YEAH, BECAUSE IT SEEMED LIKE HOMECOMING WE GOT AN IDEA WHO MADE YOU WHO YOU ARE AND TRYING TO SPOT LIGHT ON YOUR WORLD AND NOW, WE'RE ALMOST -- IT'S LIKE BEING JOHN, WE'RE IN HIS HEAD FOR AWHILE AND WE'RE JUST TRYING -- WE'RE ALMOST GOING THROUGH NEAR REALTIME HOW YOU'RE PROCESSING WHAT YOU BELIEVE ABOUT THINGS. >> YEAH, FOR SURE. I MEAN, SO I THINK YOU HIT IT RIGHT ON ITS HEAD. H K "HOMECOMING KING" IS MY INTRODUCTION TO THE NEW BROWN AMERICA. >> MY DAD FEELS LIKE IF YOU COME TO THIS COUNTRY, YOU'RE GOING TO ENDURE SOME RACISM BUT FOR ME, I WAS BORN HERE. SO I ACTUALLY HAVE THE AUDACITY OF EQUALITY. YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY KNOWS YOU AS HARRY. I KNOW YOU'RE HARRY. IT WAS MY JOB TO DISTILL THAT TO PEOPLE. THIS SPECIAL REALLY WAS OKAY, COOL, PEOPLE KNOW WHO YOU ARE. WHY DO YOU BELIEVE WHAT YOU BELIEVE? YOU GET TO SAY WHATEVER YOU WANT ON STAGE BUT WHY ARE YOU SAYING IT? AND THAT INTERROGATION OF MYSELF AND HOW FAR I'M WILLING TO TAKE A JOKE IS REALLY EM POOR TR IMP ME. IF I SUMMARIZE THE SPECIAL AND WHY I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT IT AND RELEASE IT NOW, SO MUCH OF WHAT IS HAPPENING NOW WITH DISCOURSE AROUND COMEDY AND FREEDOM OF SPEECHES, COMEDIANS SHOULD PUSH THE ENLVELOPE BUT IM HERE TO SAY SOMETIMES THE ENVELOPE PUSHES BACK AND YOU HAVE TO DETERMINE, AT LEAST ME, I WAS WRITING THIS TO MYSELF, I HAVE TO DETERMINE WHAT MY LINES ARE VIS-A-VIS, MY FAMILY, VINA AND MY KIDS AND THAT'S WHERE WE OPEN THE SHOW WITH FAMILY AND END WITH FAMILY. >> YOU HAVE THIS ARK IN THERE ABOUT HOW BASICALLY COMEDY HELPED IN O ONE WAY SAVE YOUR LIFE. >> YEAH. >> AND ACTUALLY COMEDY PUT YOUR FAMILY IN DANGER. >> YES. >> HOW DID YOU AND YOUR WIFE SORT THROUGH WHEN THE ENVELOPE PUSHES BACK? >> THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DOING THE RIGHT THING FOR THE RIGHT REASONS AND DOING THE RIGHT THING FOR THE WRONG REASONS. WHETHER IT'S NEEDLING JARED KUSHNER OR RANDALL SMITH, YOU CAN DO THAT FOR THE RIGHT REASONS. YOU CAN ALSO DO THAT FOR CLOUT. AND I'M SURE YOU KNOW THIS AS A JOURNALIST, ONE OF THE THINGS YOU HAVE TO CHECK YOURSELF ON TWITTER IS AM I DOING THIS BECAUSE I REALLY BELIEVE IT, THIS IS A VALUE TO SOCIETY AND VALUE TO DISCOURSE OR AM I QUOTE TWEETING SOMEBODY RIGHT NOW FOR THE ALGORITHM FOR THE CRUDE OIL AND TECH COMPANIES SO I GET THE DOPAMINE HIT AND I'M MASQUERADING THAT AS A VIR FEW -- VIR TUE. AS A MUSLIM, CHECKING YOUR INTENTION AND HEART IS IMPORTANT TO ME AND IF I'M GOING TO MAINTAIN THE RELATIONSHIP I HAVE WITH MY FAMILY AND MY WIFE AND THE AUDIENCE, I WANT TO BE HONEST AND CHECK MYSELF AND INTERROGATE MYSELF IN FRONT OF EVERYBODY AND SO IT WAS A REALLY TOUGH ON OUR RELATIONSHIP AND FAMILY. WE MADE IT THROUGH. SHOUTOUT TO MY WIFE, SHE'S THE CO-WRITER OF THE SPECIAL THERE ARE CERTAIN LINES IN THE SPECIAL THAT SHE'S LIKE NAH, YOU BETTER PUT THAT IN. THERE IS A LINE THAT SAYS IF YOU EVER PUT OUR KIDS IN DANGER AGAIN, I'LL LEAVE YOU IN A SECOND. I REMEMBER SHOWING HER THE PIECE OF PAPER. I SAID SHOULD I DO THIS ON STAGE? SHE SAID YOU BETTER PUT THIS

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ON STAGE. SORRY, I KNOW THIS IS PBS. I SHOULDN'T HAVE SAID THAT. SHE SAID YOU NEED TO SAY THAT. GIVING HER THAT RESPECT AND AGAENCY IN THE EDITORIAL IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEY MATTER TO ME MORE THAN THE CAREER. >> THE FOURTH F I GUESS I'D SAY BESIDES FERTILITY, FREEDOM, SPEECH, FATHERHOOD IS FAME. THERE IS A POINT ON STAGE WHERE YOU TURNED INTO "THE LORD OF THE RINGS". >> CLOUD MONSTER, YEAH. I CALL HIM CLOUT MONSTER, YEAH. >> WHEN DID YOU GET TO REALIZE THAT HEY, MAYBE I'M TURNING INTO SOMETHING THAT I DON'T LIKE BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE SORT OF GET SWEPT UP IN IT AND THEY'RE REWARDED FOR IT. SOCIETY SAYS YOU'RE MORE FAMOUS AND MORE SPECIAL BECAUSE OF THIS LITTLE SIGNAL. >> YEAH. >> WHEN DID YOU HAVE TO KIND OF PULL BACK AND SAY I GOT TO RETHINK THIS? >> I THINK FOR ME PERSONALLY, THAT MOMENT WHERE WE GOT A LETTER AND THAT WAS THRILLED WITH ANTHRAX, THAT WAS A SOBERING MOMENT OF PUSH BACK FOR US AND OUR FAMILY AND WHEN YOU'RE HOLDING THAT AND PUTTING YOUR FAMILY IN DANGER OR YOUR VISA IS DENIED AND YOU CAN'T MAKE YOUR PILGRIMAGE, YOU'RE UNDERSTANDING THERE IS REAL WORLD CONSEQUENCES THAT ARE HAPPENING TOWARDS YOURSELF AND YOUR LOVED ONE WHOSE BY THE WAY, DON'T HAVE A SAY WHAT HAPPENS TO THEM, THAT THE ALGORITHM WILL NEVER CARE ABOUT. PEOPLE WILL FORGET ABOUT YOUR PROBLEMS WITH THE FLICK OF A WRIST. MAN, TWITTER IS GOING TO MOVE ON. IT'S ALREADY MOVED ON TO NINE OTHER STORIES. BUT VENA NUDGED ME, SEMA, ISHA AND MY KIDS HAVE TO LIVE WITH THE CONSEQUENCES OF WHAT I SAY. SO THAT MOMENT TO ME WAS A SOBERING MOMENT WHERE I'M LIKE MAN, I GOT TO DO THIS FOR THE FAM, I CAN'T DO IT FOR THE GRAM. I HOPE AND PRAY SINCERELY EVERY DAY I MAINTAIN THAT AS MY TRUE NORTH STAR BECAUSE I'M STILL BR PRP PRETTY YOUNG IN THE GAME AND I HOPE THE GAME HASN'T CHANGED ME. I STAY TRUE TO WHAT I BELIEVE IN THE WAY MY PARENTS RAISED ME. >> GIVEN THE THINGS YOU'VE SAID ABOUT THE SAUDI MONARCHRY AND HERE YOU ARE FACING A REAL CONSEQUENCE WHICH IS THAT PART OF MUSLIM LIFE IS TO MAKE THAT PILGRIMAGE IF YOU CAN. >> SURE. >> YOU MIGHT NEVER BE ABLE TO DO THAT. >> YEAH, SO LOOK, I THINK YOU'RE CORNERING ME HERE. I WANT TO APOLOGIZE TO THE KINGDOM. I'M NOT BUILT FOR THIS. I'M 165 POUNDS WET. YOU WIN. I LOSE. I WILL NEVER RUN INTO AN EMBASSY AGAIN. I SIN RECERELY APOLOGIZE. IF I WAS A GOLFER, WOULD I TAKE THE MONEY? SURE. LOOK, AGAIN, I DON'T WANT TO BE THE TUPAC OF COMEDY. I WANT TO BE THE PUFF DADDY. I DON'T WANT THE SMOKE. YES, SO THAT IS MY ANSWER. THAT IS MY ANSWER. I WOULD LOVE, I WOULD LOVE TO MAKE MY PILGRIMAGE TO THE HOLY CITY MECA. THAT WOULD BE BEAUTIFUL. >> YOU KNOW, I WATCHED "HOMECOMING KING." ONE OF THE THINGS AS A BROWN GUY, I WONDER WHERE DID HE GET THIS SWAGGER? DID HE ALMOST EVER HAVE AN I'M POSTURE SYNDROME? >> ARE YOU SAYING I SHOULDN'T BE THIS CONFIDENT?

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>> NO. >> I CARRY THESE 165 POUNDS WELL, HARRY, HOW DARE YOU? YOU CARRY -- YOU CARRY THAT WELL -- WELL, THAT 40 REGULAR -- I SEE YOU. I SEE YOU, HARRY. >> IT'S GOOD TO BE SEEN. I MEAN, I WONDER, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WHEN ESPECIALLY KIND OF IN MINORITY HOUSEHOLDS. >> YEAH. >> WE'RE ALWAYS KIND OF TOLD TO NOT BOAST ABOUT OURSELVES OR DON'T BE TOO SORT OF -- STAY HUMBLE -- >> SURE. >> IT'S NOT -- IT'S A WEIRD KIND OF MIXED SIGNAL THAT YOU GET SO MANY MIXED SIGNALS YOU GET FROM ASIAN PARENTS. >> YEAH. >> WHEN DID YOU KIND OF STEP INTO YOUR OWN SHOES AND REALIZE THAT, LIKE, HEY, YOU KNOW WHAT? I GOT THIS SKILL. I HAVE TO BE CONFIDENT WITH IT AND I GOT TO TAKE WHAT'S MINE? >> YEAH, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT NOT TO CONFLICT CONFIDENCE WITH ARROGANCE AND OUR PARENTS DID AN AMAZING JOB TEACHING US RESPECT AND DECOR AND HOW TO BE POLITE IN GOOD REPRESENTATIVES OF OUR FAMILY BUT, BUT ACTUALLY HAVING, YOU KNOW, THE AUDACITY TO SAY NO, I DESERVE THIS. I DESERVE TO BE ON THIS STAGE AND I DESERVE TO HAVE MY OWN SHOW AND HAVE MY OWN SPECIALS, I THINK MY JOB IS TO BE MY GRANDMOTHER'S WILDEST DREAMS AND I WANT MY CHILDREN TO BE PROUD OF WHAT DADDY SAID AND YEAH, THAT WAS MY DAD AND HOPEFULLY, HE OPENED THE DOOR SO THEY COULD TAKE IT EVEN FURTHER. SO OUR GENERATION, WE'RE JUST INTRODUCING OURSELVES TO THE COUNTRY AND TO THE WORLD AND TO POPULAR CULTURE AT LARGE BUT I CAN'T WAIT FOR THEM TO TAKE THE TORCH AND NOT INTRODUCE THEMSELVES TO ANYBODY. THAT TO ME IS THE DREAM. I'M ALWAYS CHECKING MYSELF ON TWO FRONTS. IT'S 2004 18-YEAR-OLD HASSAN BE SO PROUD OF THE MATERIAL HE'S DOING AND WOULD 47-YEAR-OLD H HASSAN SAY YEAH, YOU DID THE RIGHT THING. YOU WEREN'T JUST A CHILD. YOU SAID SOMETHING HONEST. YOU DIDN'T BURN THE BUILDING DOWN. YOU WEREN'T PROVOCATIVE FOR BEING PROVOCATIVE. YOU STOOD TRUE IN YOUR TRUTH AND YOU WERE SUPER FUNNY. TO ME, I'M ALWAYS LOOKING AT FUTURE HASSAN AND PAST HASSAN. >> WE BOTH HAVE GRANDMOTHERS IN INDIA. WHAT ARE THOSE CONVERSATIONS LIKE? DOES SHE KNOW WHAT YOU DO AND WHO YOU ARE OR -- I MEAN, YOU WERE LOOKING OVER PHOTOS IN AN INSTAGRAM PICTURE. WHAT'S THAT LIKE? >> YEAH, SO MY GRANDMOTHER, MY NANNI, SHE IS 94.5 YEARS OLD AND, YOU KNOW, DOES SHE KNOW WHO I AM? I MEAN, HARRY, I'M HER GRANDSON. >> THAT'S RIGHT. >> SO SHE'S NOT ON INSTAGRAM OR YOUTUBE OR TWITTER. AND I'M REALLY THERE TO JUST GIVE HER A HUG, GIVE HER A KISS. SHE LOOKS GREAT FOR 94. SHE'S SHARP AS A TACK. SHE ROASTS ME. THE MOMENT I WALKED IN, SHE'S LIKE IT'S BEEN AWHILE. I KNOW, I KNOW. THERE WAS AN AIRBORNE VIRUS IN THE AIR BUT I'M HERE TO CATCH A BLESSING. FOR ME TO GET A POEM, SHE GIVES ME A POEM AND WROTE ON AN ENVELOPE TO BOTH MY KIDS. SHE GAVE THEM SOME MONEY. AND, YOU KNOW, I WAS SO PROUD TO BE LIKE YOUR GREAT GRANDMOTHER GAVE YOU THIS. >> SO DOES FUNNY RUN IN YOUR FAMILY? ARE YOUR KIDS FUNNY? >> MY KIDS ARE FUNNY FOR KIDS BUT YEAH, FUNNY IS IN MY FAMILY. MY DAD IS FUNNY AND MY COUSINS ARE HILARIOUS. SHOUTOUT TO MY COUSIN SAHIL. I'M THE LEAST FUNNY. I HAVE REAL FUNNY PEOPLE. I'M GOOD AT DISTILLING WHAT THEY SAY AND DO AND PUT IT ON STAGE BUT I HAVE REAL COMEDIANS IN THE FAMILY. >> THERE IS A BIT YOU HAVE IN THERE ABOUT THE QUEEN. >> YEAH. >> AND, YOU KNOW, AND THE U.K. AND INDIANS AND HOW -- >> OF COURSE. >> HOW YOU HAVE THIS STRANGE REVERENCE CONNECTION. >> THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT LOVE TO

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ON THE INDIANS MORE THAN THE SAUDIS ARE THE BRITS. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS WE LOVE WHEN THE BRITS

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ON US. THERE ARE INDIAN UNCLES HERE TONIGHT THAT ARE LIKE WOW, LOOK AT LONDON, MAN. MY COUSIN LIVES IN LONDON. LOOK AT THE QUEEN.

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THE QUEEN. WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? THIS IS INSANE. BRO, IN MY MOM'S BEDROOM, THIS IS TRUE, SHE HAS A WEDDING PHOTO OF ME AND MY WIFE ON THE WEDDING DAY AND DIRECTLY NEXT TO THE PHOTO IS A PHOTO OFD DIANNA. I GO MAMA, SHE'S BEEN DEAD SINCE 1997. I'M YOUR SON.

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HOW ARE WE THE SAME? SHE'S LIKE HASSAN, YOU DON'T KNOW PRINCESS DI. I'M LIKE DO YOU, MOM? SHE WAS SO BEAUTIFUL. AND HER MOTHER-IN-LAW WAS MEAN. AND HER HUSBAND WAS COLD. I'M LIKE MA, ARE YOU DESCRIBING YOUR MARRIAGE?

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>> WHAT WAS THE CONVERSATION LIKE AT YOUR HOUSEHOLD WHEN THE QUEEN PASSED AWAY? >> COOL.

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>> I MEAN, COME ON, MAN. COME ON, MAN. >> EXACTLY. >> I'M GOING TO SAY THIS, I'M GOING TO DO THIS ON PBS BUT SAY IT IN HIN DI. THIS IS A BAR.

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>> WHO IS SHE? IS SHE YOUR MOTHER? IS SHE YOUR GRANDMOTHER? IS HE YOUR FATHER? WHY DO YOU CARE? THAT'S SOMEONE'S GRANDMOTHER. YEAH, I GOT A GRANDMA, TOO. NOBODY, NOBODY IS LIKE WOW, HASSAN'S GRANDMA, YOU KNOW, LET'S -- YOU KNOW, LET'S POUR SOME OUT FOR HER. NO. SO LOOK, WE HAVE A VERY COMPLICATED RELATIONSHIP OBVIOUSLY WITH THE BRITS AND THE U.K. AND I'M NOT GOING TO LIE, LIKE WHEN I HAD A SHOW IN LONDON AND MAYBE WE CAN START CALLING IT EVEN WHEN WE CAN WALK INTO THE MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY AND START TAKING SOME THINKS FROM THE INDIAN PORTION OF THE EXHIBIT. LET PUT IT THAT WAY. >> YEAH. YOU KNOW, SPEAKING OF PARTITION, ALWAYS A TRANSITION I WANTED TO SAY. >> HARRY, THAT'S NOT A GOOD ONE. >> THAT'S NOT A GOOD TRANSITION. >> UNTIL 1947 RIGHT NOW. >> TOUGH, TOUGH. I WAS WATCHING "MS. MARVEL" THE OTHER DAY. ON ONE HAND I SAY HOW COOL IS THIS WE HAVE A BROWN GIRL SUPER HERO. >> YEAH. >> AND IT'S JUST A WHOLE NEW AUDIENCE THAT IS BRINGING, YOU KNOW, KIND OF AWARENESS TO HISTORY AND CULTURE AND EVERYTHING ELSE AND THEN ALSO SO GREAT TO SEE SO MANY BROWN NAMES IN THE CREDITS, WHICH I KNOW IS SOMETHING YOU WORKED ON ON YOUR SHOW, AS WELL. >> YEAH, I THINK, YOU KNOW, IN -- I COULDN'T AGREE MORE, MAN AND ONE OF THE THINGS I'M SURE YOU FEEL AS SOMEBODY WHO WORKS IN NEWS AND IN JOURNALISM IS THE POWER OF FRAMING IN MEDIA AND IF THE MEDIUM IS THE MESSAGE, MEDIA QUITE LITERALLY CONTROLS THE MESSAGE AND ART HAS A WAY TO FRAME THE NARRATIVE AND WHAT I LOVE MOST ABOUT "MS. MARVEL" AND SHOUTOUT IS THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO FRAME OUR STORY. A LOT OF TIMES THE FRAMING OF STORIES IS BEING WRITTEN, PRODUCED AND NARRATED BY PEOPLE WHO DON'T KNOW THE STORY INTIMATELY. SO THE FACT WE'RE LIVING DURING A PERIOD OF TIME WE'RE FRAMING OUR STORY, MAN, THAT'S POWERFUL BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE THE PROTAGONISTS AND NARRATORS OF OUR STORY. >> THANK YOU. THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. >> THANKS, HARRY.