"I really want to offend people with my jokes," said Indian-American comedian Wyatt Feegrado minutes before his standup at Bengaluru's Courtyard Community. Feegrado, who was in the city to visit his grandparents, capitalised on the opportunity by hosting his first-ever show in India.
Known for his dark humour and confrontational comedy style, Feegrado sat with Indulge for a quick chat. From his tendentious tweets to being the eldest child pursuing comedy in an Indian-American household, we discussed it all and more.
What would you say is your comedy style?
I would say that sometimes I really want to offend people with my jokes. I'm doing this very pro-abortion joke now and sometimes I'll be touring in Texas or where they're anti-abortion and I'll be like you know, 'I don't really care that they're not gonna laugh at this.' That's not really why I'm doing this joke. I want to make a point. I think you can bring up points that you otherwise wouldn't be able to with comedy.
How well do you deal with criticism online?
I would say that a big part of finding my voice in comedy was realizing I shouldn't be seeking approval from others, they may be seeking approval from me. You should be trying to impress me, not the other way around.
What does your support system look like?
My parents are extremely supportive. When I was touring in San Francisco, I had one or two shows every single day and they were there for almost everyone. But when I was growing up, they wanted me to be an engineer or lawyer. I always wanted to be a comedian ever since I was a child. I snuck out when I was 16 and that's when I did my first open mic for comedy. Also, I want to show my siblings that you can take an unconventional path but as long as you are smart about it and hardworking, and if you have the support of your family, even better.
What does the future have in store for you?
Career-wise, I'm a very ambitious person. So definitely, the sky is the limit. I'm going to be touring the east coast of the US when I get back. And I also have my podcasts which we're doing. We actually got the cast of Indian Matchmaking together from season two and we’re doing a reunion episode.
E-mail: muskankhullar@newindianexpress.com
Twitter: @muskankhullar03
Inputs By: Monica Tudu