'I want to be universally funny'

Photo Credits: pg 3- lead

Pic: Sagun Gawade

Kenneth Sebastian can bring out the funny in anything. From discussing the merits and demerits of different biscuits, to the right way to open the door for the maid, he will make you look at everyday objects and situations in a whole different light, while leaving you giggling for hours.“I think that finding the funny in basic simple things in life is more difficult to do then for instance making a joke about politics, which is already out there. I'm not depending on something that is a viral topic,” says Kenneth.” Also I want to be universally funny, so that whether I'm performing in America, UK or Singapore, they should still find it funny and the jokes should be relevant even ten years from now.”

Starting off his stand up comedy journey at 19, Kenneth has over the last six years grown to be a name to reckon with performing with all over the country with the likes of Abhish Mathews, Kannez Surka and Kanan Gill (who together with him are part of the Improvisers group) and was voted as number one young Indian to watch out for by Buzzfeed last year. But comedy was not Kenneth's first love as a youngster. “When I was in 10th standard, I discovered film and knew instantly what I wanted to do. But then I researched and found out that all my favorite film makers like Spielberg and Christopher Nolan didn't go to film school. Being a good film maker you just have to make films and that applies to all of the arts,” he states. On his dad's insistence that he get a degree, Kenneth decided to opt for a degree in painting as he loved sketching, and it also gave him the time to pursue other things like film and theatre. But art college did teach him a few important lessons too. “I met a lot of interesting people who had started their own thing aside from pursuing art and that's when I realised that you have to market yourself and build your brand. It's not enough just to be good at what you do,” he says. After he won a stand up comedy show at IIT Mumbai, Kenneth decided to experiment further in the field and with huge success. “ I think I was kind of funny when I was growing up but being funny onstage is completely different. All comedians are not funny offstage and a lot of people who are funny in real life would freeze and not be funny onstage. So while being funny is completely generic, being funny on stage is purely work,” explains Kenneth, adding that it does take a whole lot of practising. “All these jokes that you see, I have actually done about 60 times already. It has been rehearsed to the point, to the order, to the tone, to the word. But I make it look like I've just come up with it and doing improv comedy does help a lot here. In fact I find it easier to do improv then to remember something because my memory is not that good. And though improv is fun for me, the scripted jokes are the ones that get the hardest laugh,” he says. Of course doing these well rehearsed jokes again and again does get boring for him, he admits. “It's a Catch-22 situation. When it gets boring for you, it's the perfect version of the joke which the audience loves. The more you do the joke, the better it gets but the more boring it is for you. To contradict it, I improvise in the middle and that makes it fun for me and for the audience.”

And while a lot of comedians have been using comedy to take a stand on social issues, Kenneth has so far consciously veered away from that. “For me stand up comedy is entertainment, for others it may be social commentary. I want you to come have a good time and not feel offended about certain things. Also I want everyone to be able to watch it. You should be able to come for the show with your parents and not feel uncomfortable,” he says, although, he adds he admires these other comedians who choose to take the risk. “In India, people can be sensitive. And while the news of the FIR may be in the news for one day, we have to deal with it for the rest of our lives. Your family gets threatened. I've seen it happened. People come with stones to their houses. So it is very risky. But may be one day I will have the courage to do what these comics so and use comedy for social change.”

And while he chooses to play relatively safe for the time being, he does get his fair share of hate even so, he admits. “Stand up comedy is one of those fields where you face rejection everyday. It is social rejection. No matter how much people love me if they haven't laughed at my joke then I am a bad comedian. You're not going to have a great show everyday. I have performed for an audience of 10 people sometimes and had major losses. But the rewards usually outweigh this. Out of 100 people, 10 may hate you. But it only hurts because I care so much,” he says. With his good looks though, Kenneth definitely gets a lot of love especially from his many female fans, but he is quick to downplay this. “ They call me, send me letters and sometimes after my shows they come up to me and say these very innocent things. But it all comes from a nice place and they grow out of it,” he smiles. “I'm not really very big and not even close to it as yet. But I'm glad that people are coming for my shows and I hope it continues.”