If Kumail Nanjiani isn’t on your list of favorite comedians you are doing it wrong. One of the funniest in the games, he makes stand-up look effortless and has a sense of child-like wonder in the way he views the world that is impossible not get swept up in. His album “Beta Male” was hands down the best album I listened to in 2013 and that is incredibly hard for me to say because my own album came out in 2013 and I listened to it a lot. But I have to give it to Kumail on this one.
CONGRATU-FUCKING-LATIONS!
Kumail has a slew of other impressive credits that are getting more and more impressive all the time – numerous appearances on Portlandia, The Indoor Kids podcast that he hosts with his wife the amazing Emily Gordon, a new show coming out on HBO by Mike Judge – but of all the accomplishments, I’m most impressed with his show in Los Angeles, The Meltdown. He runs it with Jonah Ray – who also did an episode of this very podcast, check it out! – and in three years the two of them – along with Emily, who produces the whole damn thing – have turned that show into one of the absolute best, if not the best, comedy show in the country. I’ve been lucky enough to perform on it many times and in several different cities and it is always an incredible time. One of those shows that you think about for weeks after because of how great it was. And now Comedy Central will be filming it come February to air on their network. As a comedy fan, not just a comic, that makes me happy. It’s good for the game. What Kumail and Jonah and Emily have crafted is special and unique and an amazing playground for comics and that the world will soon get to see that on a television show is one of those examples of things working out how they should. Because Kumail and Jonah and Emily all deserve the great things coming their way.
So congrats to them for that, but more importantly, congrats to Kumail for being my friend! Of all your impressive credits I’m sure this ranks high on the list! In fact, perhaps you should start putting it on your posters as you tour. “Kumail Nanjiani, Live for Three Nights in Columbus, Ohio! Friend of Adam Cayton-Holland! Yes that Adam of The My Dining Room Table Podcast That Really More Local Colorado Craft Breweries Should Sponsor! Get On That Shit, Craft Breweries, You’re Really Missing A Great Opportunity! Did You Hear He Just Had Kumail Nanjiani on the Show?! Yeah, He Did. Because They Are Friends!”
Something like that, anyway. We’ll workshop it.
Anyway, enjoy the episode everyone. How great is Kumail? So great that he made me re-watch Meatloaf’s “I’d Do Anything For Love.”
Check out the episode on iTunes here.