Benkharakh.com

By Ben Kharakh

Everyone's talking about Aziz Ansari and once you read this interview you too can join in on the fun.

When did you develop an interest in comedy?

I've always liked being funny and watching comedy movies and standup. I didn't start performing until the summer of my freshman year in college, in 2001.

What were you like in school?

A pretty good student. I went to school in South Carolina in a small, rural town. Being that my family was from India, I stood out in that regard. People were nice. I was a class clown, as cheesy as that term is.

Is school something that you enjoyed?

You develop a lot of comedic abilities in school by telling stories. I remember trying to entertain a lot of people. I enjoyed it in that regard. I miss the interaction with people everyday. I don't always get to see my friends now.

In the Gothamist interview, you were described as, "The nerdy guy you went to high school with." How do you respond to that?

I don't think I come off as that nerdy. They're the only ones that have ever said that. I listen to a lot of music and play guitar. Guitar was a big part of my high school life, and I don't see that as too nerdy.

When you read that, were you like, "What are they trying to pull here?"

I was like, "What the shit? What a way to start out an article." They said, "No, we meant nerdy in that cool Wes Anderson type nerdy." I was taken aback by it, but I didn't care.

What sort of aspirations did you have as a child?

I've always been a take-things-as-they-come kind of guy. I never had huge aspirations. In South Carolina, being a comedian was not something I perceived to be possible. I wanted to get out of South Carolina and live in a big city for a while. I did that by going to NYU. In college, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do, which is why I majored in business because I thought that it was general and I could figure something out.

Is television something that impacted you greatly growing up?

I watched a lot of TV. There wasn't much to do in South Carolina.

You mentioned that you play guitar as well.

I used to play the guitar all the time in high school.

Are there any other instruments that you can play?

I can play the piano and I used to do stuff on turntables. A lot of comedians are very into music.

Were you incorporating humor into your daily routine in school and college?

I would tell funny stories. In college, I would always try to do funny Power Point presentations. Now, in the show that I do on Mondays, Crash Test, a lot of the bits use Power Point.

Since you studied business in college, can you tell me what synergy is?

I was a marketing major. It's one of those phony business words.

Were you in some sort of comedy troupe in college?

I did standup by myself and took classes at the Upright Citizens Brigade. I was never involved in any of the NYU comedy groups. Even while I did Improv, I was doing standup primarily.

What inspired you to perform standup the first time?

I was going to college and people were telling me, "You're funny; you should do standup." So I went to talent nights, open mics, and worked my way up from there.

How did that first performance go?

A lot of my friends came to see it and were supportive.

How has your material changed over time?

I go through phases. Last year I was doing all political stuff and was reading the news all the time. This year I started doing personal stuff. Earlier this year I did a show about how I was upset about a girl and punched a wall. It was weird, because I thought I would never do relationship type material. Recently, I've been doing a lot of story telling and running the Shutterbugs movie.

I saw a picture of your hand in a crazy gray thing.

I just mailed that to LA because I'm doing that part of the show there. It was too big for my suitcase.

What did you break in your hand?

It was this beam in a bar. I punched it and fractured a bone in my pinky. I had two metal pins put in and had to wear that thing for a few days.

How long was it before you moved up to middling or emceeing?

I don't do much in terms of traditional clubs. I host Crash Test. Occasionally I open for people.

What sort of venues do you prefer to perform in?

I really like the Upright Citizen's Brigade Theater, Rififi, and Pianos. I find those places more fun than traditional clubs.

What were the next several years like for you after your first performance?

I kept doing it while at college. Made advances here and there. Mainly this year a lot of big stuff happened. I've been getting the opportunity to perform in front of a lot of people, including a lot of comedians I look up to.

In your experience, what are some of the best places to do open mics?

I wouldn't have good insight into that because most of the places I went to are probably gone now. Those things are always changing. I did open mics for a few months, then I did those shows where you pass out flyers, then I got a pass to the Comic Strip, about a year after I started. It's pretty difficult to go to open mics and I have respect for anyone who does it.

What were you doing to support yourself financially at the time?

I was in school, so my parents were still supporting me. I had a few jobs here and there. Now I just do comedy.

What's the Internet company that you were involved in?

I did that for a while after I got out of college. It was a little thing a friend and I started in my senior year in college. I quit a couple of months ago because I was making enough money doing comedy. You know those ads that pop up on the side on Google? We managed those ads for different websites.

What are some misconceptions about standup that you'd like to clear up?

I don't like the conception that standups are wacky guys all the time.

What are the differences between you onstage and off?

I try to keep the same personality onstage that I have off stage. I think the standups that are really good are the same onstage and off stage.

Magazine-wise, why do you think that comedy doesn't get the same sort of attention as music, gardening, or cigars?

I don't know. Maybe there aren't enough comedians to interest people. You ask somebody what music they listen to and they'll rattle off a bunch of names, but if you ask them about comedians, if they have an answer, rarely will it be someone that's not super famous.

In one interview, you said, " I wish more people would ask me about music."

I feel like I do so many interviews. It gets kind of boring when you're asked about the same stuff over and over again. It's nice for someone to be curious about that aspect of my personality

How much do you enjoy Nine Inch Nails?

I saw them at Hammerstein. It was amazing. We were in the mezzanine. We were seated. I don't think I could handle being in the pit. That would be too intense for me. The set was awesome. It was hit after hit. I really like With Teeth a lot. It's underrated. I feel as though it should have gotten more praise.

Did you get a chance to see Bloc Party live as well?

I did. I saw them at Bowery and Webster Hall. They were awesome.

When I read Wolf Parade, I thought Wolf Eyes. What's your opinion on the noise genre?

I haven't sampled the noise genre. It's too abrasive for me. I like Wolf Parade a lot. They were really good live.

How did you feel about the new Beck release?

I liked it. I think it also should have gotten more praise than it did.

Which Beck album do you enjoy most?

That's tough. I like all of his albums. It depends on the mood I'm in.

What's your opinion on Nigel Godrich?

I love Radiohead. They're one of my favorite bands. Seachange and Mutations are also fantastic. Talkie Walkie was good too.

Tell me about Channel 102.

People make five-minute television pilots, the audience votes on which pilot they like the best, and then the next month the winner comes back for a second episode. Rob Huebel and I did Shutterbugs, which is about us being a high power talent agency for child actors. I like Channel 102 because it's a great way to get people to make things.

In terms of short programs, are you a fan of Adult Swim?

I don't watch it as much as other people. What I have seen was funny.

What are some live performances that you've seen that you were very impressed by?

Wolf Parade, Block Party, LCD Soundsystem, and Jon Brion.

How often do you visit allmusic.com?

All the time. I like to see what ratings albums get, recommendations, and reading biographies. It's a really handy website.

Where do you get your music news from?

Mainly blogs.

K-Rock will no longer be New York's number one source for the latest from Trapt and Staind, how will you react?

I don't listen to the radio that much, K-Rock in particular.

What's the origin of your website's name, Aziz is Bored?

I would always write that in class over and over again.

Tell me about all of the different shows that you're currently involved in.

I do Crash Test every week at UCB. I host that show, do some standup that I'm working on in the beginning, and then I'll have a co-host and we'll write bits each week. It's a challenge to write stuff that's strong. Usually there's a power point bit or an audience Q and A. One time, Huebel and I were two guys from the Apple store and we acted obnoxious because we worked at the Apple store. Another time we were editors for Pitchfork.

Do you still do the Trapped in the Closet Commentary?

We did it a couple of weeks ago. It was one of the best shows we'd done. It was Friday, midnight, in front of a sold out crowd, and it was insane. The show didn't start until one in the morning. The laughs from the "Trapped in the Closet" videos themselves were bigger than any laughs I have seen at any comedy show. Doing the commentary was lots of fun. The host and I played the executive producers, Huebel played someone from the television parents resource council, and someone else was the prop guy. I'm doing it in LA with Paul Scheer. That's what I think is so great about the UCB Theater. You can go to the art director and say, "We want to watch Trapped in the Closet and have a panel discussion about it." And they'll say yes. You can't do stuff like that in a normal comedy club.

Did you see the South Park spoof of Trapped in the Closet?

I have it on my DVR but still haven't seen it.

It was high quality because they also made fun of Scientology.

One time, Scheer and I did a show as guys that were really into Scientology. We went to the church and they recognized Paul from Best Week Ever. They gave him special treatment. They showed us a film for forty-five minutes. Then they took us separately and talked to us about it. We were there for a couple of hours.

Did you take their personality test?

No, we told them that we were limited in time because we had to go to a dinner, but it was still intense and scary.

Did you have to give them any of your info?

No, they asked for my number and I blew them off.

What other projects are you currently involved in?

I'm going to LA this month to shoot a small part in a movie. Then Paul Scheer, Huebel, Jason Woliner, who directed Shutterbugs, and I are working on a new short film called Illusionators, which is about Scheer and I being over the top magicians. It's a take on David Blane. Those magic shows always say, "We've got this Navy SEAL that's going to come in and verify that these cuffs are on right." Huebel's going to be that guy, the mayor of Las Vegas, and whatever other expert we need. We're filming it in Las Vegas. People will like it a lot, I think.

Can you do any magic?

Not any real magic. But it's something I've always loved. Scheer and I actually saw David Copperfield. We met him too.

Where does the name Aziz Ansari Hates Driving come from?

I was at the UCB and wanted to do a show to get ready for my trip to LA. I didn't want to call it, Aziz Ansari: Warming Up. One thing I love about New York is that I can walk everywhere.

What projects are you contemplating?

Just doing more standup. Hopefully more Shutterbugs next year.

Do you enjoy being an adult?

I do.

Do you partake in any sort of shenanigans when out and about?

Yeah, when I'm out on the road. But nothing too crazy.

Do you have a special message to leave our readers with?

I'm not sure what this magazine is about, but I hope it's nothing racist.

Check out Azisisbored.com to see what Aziz is up to and to sign up for his mailing list.