actor and comedian
Actor and writer, special correspondent on The Daily Show, and creator and star of Halal in the Family
PROFILE
Aasif Mandvi
Guest
FROM Aasif Mandvi
The Business
'Halal in the Family' In a landmark year for diversity on television, there's still not a sitcom that portrays a Muslim-American family. Aasif Mandvi would like to change that, and believes his new Funny or Die web series, Halal in the Family , is a step in the right direction. The Daily Show correspondent tells us how a theater kid who grew up in Northern England ended up going on the air with Jon Stewart the very same day he auditioned for the job. Mandvi also shares why someone losing their job after a Daily Show interview isn't always great news for those on the show staff. Today, Mandvi still makes appearances on The Daily Show, but he's also got a project all his own. Halal in the Family is a new web series on Funny or Die that takes the tropes of a classic American sitcom -- the bumbling father, wise mother, a loud laugh track -- and applies them to a Muslim-American family in a way that's entertaining, but also carries a larger message about battling anti-Muslim bias. And we couldn't let Mandvi go without asking him about Trevor Noah. Mandvi says if he were America's therapist, he'd tell everyone to relax. He agrees with Jon Stewart and thinks audiences should give Noah a chance. Mandvi's next project will be the upcoming HBO dark comedy, The Brink, premiering this summer.
Recommended
Design and Architecture
Securing Public Spaces, Super Wealthy Asians Vehicles are increasingly being used as weapons, as seen in the London Bridge attack over the weekend and in New York’s Times Square last month. The Compton-based company Calpipe is designing security bollards to help make public spaces safer. And novelist Kevin Kwan satirizes the “crazy rich” Asian jet set and their luxurious tastes in his latest book, “Rich People Problems.”
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
How do Trump supporters feel about the Paris Accord? Globally and around the U.S., there are strong opinions whether or not the Paris Climate Accord is a good idea. The American exit is either a horrifying abdication of American leadership or a forceful and long overdue statement about U.S. sovereignty.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Why did Jared Kushner want a back channel with Russians? News broke Friday that President Trump’s son-in-law and senior advisor, Jared Kushner, tried setting up a back channel between the Trump transition team and the Russian government. What are the consequences for Kushner, President Trump, and the investigation into Russian meddling?
Design and Architecture
Farewell LA freeways, Peter Shire is back Angelenos don't want more freeways but we seem not to want mass transit either. Metro has killed the 710 freeway extension, and bus and train ridership is down across the region. What's the future of getting around in LA? And, Peter Shire is having a comeback. What attracts a new generation to his playful ceramics and furniture?