‘Don’t Wanna Get Punched for Political Jokes’: Kenny Sebastian

Stand-up comic Kenny Sebastian says he is scared of making political jokes.

Stand-up comic Kenny Sebastian speaks about self-censorship.

(Photo Courtesy: Screengrab from YouTube/Kenny Sebastian)

To all of Kenny Sebastian’s fans who keep badgering him to crack jokes on politics, here’s why he wouldn’t do so.

In a video released on YouTube, the comedian gives reasons for why he practises self-censorship.

The video, which was from his live performance in Chennai, was posted on Sunday, 22 April and was among YouTube’s top trends in India.

I don’t make jokes on politics because I am scared. It’s not like I don’t get punchlines for political jokes, I don’t want to get punched on my face.

Kenny Sebastian, Stand-up Comedian

Three Types Of Audiences

Sebastian has his audiences diligently categorised: the ‘let’s laugh at life’ types, the naysayers, and the controversy lovers.

Despite being late to shows, those in the first category are the most chill people to share a joke with, says Sebastian.

It starts getting difficult with the second type (the ones he dubs as ‘the haters’), for these people would virtually file an FIR against a comedian every time she/he shows up on screen. If only they were equally concerned about other, more pressing issues in the country, says an exasperated Sebastian.

In March 2017, stand-up comic Kunal Kamra had received death-threats after he posted of a video of his performance on YouTube.

Sebastian goes on to say the viewers who give feedback are possibly the worst kind. The people, he says, push the poor comedian down the line of fire by suggesting him or her controversial topics to joke about. Would they take responsibility and bail him out if he ever dared to crack a political joke and was thrown in jail for it? Sebastian wonders.

People don’t realise that I am self-aware. It’s not by accident that I make jokes on restaurants and <i>chai</i>.

Kenny Sebastian, Stand-up Comedian

In his signature comic style, Sebastian says the government has been silent spectator of recent incidents of rape, murders, and attacks on journalists in the country.

“It’s sad when you are in a democracy and feel scared”, he adds.

Now that Sebastian has made his stand amply clear, we sure do hope that he doesn’t get an FIR registered against him for speaking out his mind.

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