
It appears to be a toned-down version of either a scene from his previous Netflix series Patriot Act or one of his Daily Show segments.
Rather, the 21-minute film, which was originally published on Thursday in the Hollywood Reporter, is a personal and in-depth response to a scathing piece about comic Hasan Minhaj that was published in The New Yorker over a month ago. It is titled “Hasan Minhaj’s ‘Emotional Truths’.”
Minhaj remarks, “I know that even talking about this feels so trivial now, given how much of the news has been about the Israel-Hamas War lately.” “But it’s not insignificant to be accused of false racism. It requires an explanation because it is quite severe.”
Seated at a desk with violent images sporadically tipped over his shoulder, Minhaj addresses the camera directly, saying that although he offered context and proof to justify his exaggerations in his stand-up comedy specials, The New Yorker chose to ignore it. Rather than that, he claims the report gave the sense that he had exaggerated or made up racism in his life—a claim Minhaj vehemently disputes.
He claims that he made the film in response to the question that has been on everyone’s mind: “Is Hasan Minhaj just a con man using false racism and Islamaphobia to further his career? Because I would likewise assume such after reading that article.”
An official from The New Yorker declined to comment on Minhaj’s allegations in public but offered the following statement in support of their narrative:
In this video, Hasan Minhaj affirms that he embellishes and delivers material selectively in order to make a point—exactly what we documented. Our article, which extensively discusses Minhaj’s viewpoint, was meticulously researched and fact-checked. It is based on interviews with over twenty people, including people who have featured in his stand-up work, such as the woman at the core of his prom-rejection story and the former F.B.I. informant “Brother Eric,” as well as former Patriot Act and Daily Show staff members. We maintain our narrative.
Minhaj has a lot on the line because, according to press reports, he was a strong contender to become The Daily Show’s permanent host before the New Yorker article was released (Puck News has since stated he was officially notified he will not be receiving the position).
However, he himself acknowledges that his reputation is in jeopardy. On his show Real Time with Bill Maher, comedian Bill Maher delivered a scathing review, stating, “The stories Mr. Minhaj says in his act to elicit sympathy to himself as a Muslim & a person of color are completely made up.” Maher has been accused of Islamaphobia in his commentary.