UPDATED: Oct. 29 at 8:12 p.m.

On Friday night, Hasan Minhaj performed at a packed Goldstein Auditorium as part of the University Lectures series by University Union.

The talk was exactly how Minhaj put it: a slam dunk.

Minhaj rose to fame in the past few years. He’s done incredible work as a correspondent on “The Daily Show” during both the Jon Stewart and Trevor Noah eras, earning him a spot on hosting the 2017 White House Correspondents’ Association dinner.

Using basketball as a metaphor, Minhaj began his act with a story about a recent trip to Alabama for his job as a correspondent on “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah,” calling it “an away game.”

Minhaj spent the first half-hour with new material – complete with a multimedia presentation interweaved with jokes. He spent most of that time talking about refugees and immigration to the United States, pointing out that you’re much more likely to be killed by lightning than be killed by a terrorist.

“(President Donald Trump has) forced us to raise our game, because reality is up for grabs…The truth is still the truth, and that still needs to have value,” Minhaj said.

Minhaj’s success is in part because of his ability to relate to people of color. His technique is getting smarter and has evolved by listening to the other side.

I know of so many comedians that projectile vomit their opinions onto the audience. Are they funny? Sure, but they don’t leave room for much counterpoint. Minhaj builds his opinions off counterpoints, identifying them before he even begins with anything he has to say. That’s what makes him — and many other comedians and late-night hosts in this current political climate — successful.

Minhaj also fielded questions from the audience. They ranged from food preferences to his take on being a first-generation American to “Why did you be a comedian?” — a question asked by a kid who had to be under 8 years old.

Minhaj addressed the child as “Simba” and said all the good careers are everything the light touches, and that comedy is the bad, dark spot where “Uncle Scar hangs out.”

Back in the 1990s and early 2000s, comedy had a lot to do with relatability. It was a feeling of, “Oh, I’ve thought that before.” Some people think we’re in a paradigm shift that combats traditional media and is more about opinions. I tend to disagree. I believe comedy is still in the relatability phase, but it’s just shifted, and Minhaj is ahead of the trend.

Take Stephen Colbert, for example. He bashes Trump almost every night, but his audience is narrowed in on the people who also bash Trump nearly every day in their personal lives.

Minhaj is an exception to that rule. He talks about things that not everybody can relate to. I cannot relate to being a refugee, but Minhaj was able to give me perspective and laugh about topics that don’t directly affect my life.

That’s important, and that’s what we need more of in comedy.

I’m looking forward to Minhaj’s next special, which, from talking with Minhaj, I understand will focus a lot on immigration, refugees and the arguments and guilt that can come with these topics.

On a different note, Hasan was really nice. He was genuinely interested in the journalists asking questions and giving good answers. Also, he shook my hand, twice.

Josh Feinblatt is a junior television, radio and film major. He has bragged to all his friends that he met Hasan Minhaj. He can be reached on Twitter @joshfeinblatt or by email at jfeinbla@syr.edu.

Published on October 28, 2017 at 9:03 pm