British comedian and podcast maven Nish Kumar, well-versed in the star power that Netflix specials bestow upon A-listers like Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle, has witnessed a different trajectory for up-and-coming comics like himself. Kumar's career, marked by a steady ascent rather than meteoric rise, has found its global breakthrough predominantly on YouTube, after years of honing his craft in clubs across his homeland. Speaking at the Just for Laughs comedy festival in Montreal to The Hollywood Reporter, Kumar quipped, "My fame in North America is largely due to a British show called 'Taskmaster,' which has garnered a cult following on YouTube among international audiences."
Rebroadcasts of 'Taskmaster,' a British panel comedy show featuring Kumar, have become YouTube sensations, highlighting how creator-led digital platforms are reshaping the traditional media landscape. Similarly, Kumar's co-hosting gig on Crooked Media's 'Pod Save the UK,' alongside cultural journalist Coco Khan, has revolutionized the audio sphere. The podcast opportunity arose after Kumar's standout performance at a Crooked Media-produced live comedy show in London, which was swiftly followed by an unexpected Hollywood call. As Kumar recounted, "I had barely stepped off stage when I received a call from Los Angeles, inquiring if I could attend a meeting in London within 20 minutes. I replied, 'I'm already here, in the audience!' It was like being plucked from the crowd, à la Courteney Cox in the 'Dancing in the Dark' music video."
Kumar's 'Pod Save the UK' provides weekly insights into British politics, affording him and Khan the opportunity to dissect the fall of Boris Johnson, the British prime minister who resigned amidst scandals involving rule-breaking parties at Downing Street during the COVID-19 pandemic. Kumar remarked, "Johnson's conduct during the pandemic stands as a historic failure of leadership, destined to be studied for years to come." However, while the UK's Conservative Party ousted Johnson, Kumar offers a nuanced perspective on Donald Trump's return to the White House for a second term, despite being widely regarded as a political clown whose erratic demeanor endears him to his supporters. "Trump has dismantled the broad spectrum of the Republican Party, transforming it into a singular delivery system for one man – a colossal issue," Kumar insists.
As Nigel Farage, a Trump protégé, poses a challenge to Britain's current Labour government in the polls, Kumar expresses reluctance at the prospect of Farage's Reform UK party coming into power, fearing it could stifle his political comedy. Kumar noted, "Farage and Trump share a brazen shamelessness that actually complicates efforts to mock them. Politicians, theoretically, uphold a dignity that offers grounds for principled criticism. Yet, Farage and Trump are inherently shameless."
The Just for Laughs comedy festival continues its lively proceedings until Sunday.
