“This weird hypocrisy that emerges among Muslim men and women — like when they’re just in their normal lives, and they go to work and to school, whatever, pretty normal, right? Okay, he’s at work all week, you know, he says, “Hey, what’s going on Jennifer — high five. Come over here and give me a hug, gimme here.” Then he walks into the mosque, he walks into the Muslim mosque, he says, “Get away from me sister, get away, get away, you stupid!!”

This acute observation was made by Muslim standup comedian Azhar Usman in front of a group of Muslims. Most in the audiences were Americans of Indian and Pakistani origin.

Azhar started his comic career in 2001. Soon he was booked for community events and eventually the press caught wind of it. Till 2003, comedy was his hobby and a second career. He then decided to make it a full time career. Many among the American Muslims will think that giving up a lawyer’s stable career for an unstable career in entertainment is irrational. The decision wasn’t easy for Azhar who needed to consider his financial obligations towards his family. Azhar says the entertainment career is challenging as he has to be on the road, however, his family is overwhelmingly supportive of his career choice.

He was into comedy from his school years. He used to draw sketches and perform in front of teenage audiences. His themes have not changed since then, however without innovation and creativity, there is no comedy.

Azhar is a member of the comic band called “Allah Made Me Funny”. The comic band has toured Europe where, in England, one University did not want them to perform there.

Generation Next’s Asma Amanat spoke with Azhar about standup comedy and its challenges:

GN: What is the first reaction when people see a bearded guy with a skull cap?

People nearly warm up.  I’m a fish out of water immediately. But funny is funny regardless of what a comic looks like. I appreciate how quickly people let go of prejudices. Humor is the great way that allows people to swallow bitter pills. It’s an opportunity for people to take a look at themselves.

GN: How challenging is it to perform in front of the audience?

There is a constant demand to write something new and to develop what’s out there. We have to craft new jokes. You’ve to see what works on stage and to develop and polish what works.

GN: How tolerant is the Muslim society of humor? We know that MSA didn’t want Allah Made Me Funny to perform.

It was a small issue turned into a bigger one. It was one Muslim student who complained and then the rest was media-created-frenzy. We do comedy on all racial groups, religions, Shiites, Sunnis, Muslims, Arabs, African Americans and all in the society. WE are very blessed and fortunate that we have had the support of people as well as religious scholars.

GN: When you tell jokes, what’s your intention; what do you wish to achieve?

I want people to connect with what’s happening in our communities, in our cities, country, in the world, in politics and what not. I think we want to contribute a voice that will lead to social impact. We want to tell jokes that are thoughtful and thought provoking and you know what they say: the best joke is the one that gets you to the next joke.

GN: What’s wrong with North American Muslim community?

There are a lot of problems at spiritual and worldly level. At worldly level, American Muslims of South Asian background have to understand the power of involvement in finance and pop culture and entertainment. Currently they are unsavvy about the tremendous power of finance and media. But the next generation is learning how to play this game.

GN: What do you think is this youth’s identity?

We need to empower them to create their own identity. It’s a brand new phenomenon that has never occurred before.

GN: What do you think about sitcoms like Little Mosque on the Prairie and Aliens in America?

I think they are good projects and steps in the right direction. It’s not about one producer or one idea. The broad view of the issue is absent from pop culture. American Muslims are changing from passive consumers to active producers. I welcome all such programs whether I agree with them philosophically or not.

GN: Don’t you at times feel that there are people dying in Iraq and Afghanistan and here we are laughing at the decision to go into these countries.

Not at all. Much of the humor is lost in translation but standup comedy is an art of protest. African Americans have protests in that way; Jewish Americans have protests using this tool. Humor is a rage against discrimination. We don’t make light of the suffering of humanity. No one talks about the killing but humor is directed towards misguided policies.

GN: What do you think about your female colleagues?

Well funny is funny. There are very few female funny comedians and there are even fewer funny Muslim comedians.

GN: Who is your role model?

I like different comedians for different reasons. Cosby is phenomenal. He made his jokes funny, relevant and had tremendous impact on changing cultural attitudes. Seinfeld is disciplined in the art of comedy and there are others like Johnny Lever and Moin Akhtar that I like.

GN: Where do you see Muslim comedians going in next ten years?

I think there would be a gradual movement from stand up comedy to TV and films and just as there are African American and Latino comedy, there would be an audience for Muslim comedy also.