As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, many of us have likely forgotten what it feels like to welcome anyone into our homes, much less an award-winning comedian and Netflix star. 

Yet that’s exactly the exclusive experience the University of Richmond community was offered last Tuesday, logging on to engage in a virtual conversation with comedian Hasan Minhaj.

Named to TIME's "100 Most Influential People in the World," Minhaj is a two-time Peabody Award-winning comedian, writer, producer, and political commentator who originally rose to prominence as a senior correspondent on The Daily Show. Lately, he’s often trending on Netflix for his critically acclaimed one-hour comedy special and his comedy series Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj. 

During a week that typically would have had the community dispersed across the world for spring break activities, nearly 800 students, alumni, faculty, and staff tuned into Modlin Center for the Arts’ Digital Stage where Minhaj joined a live discussion moderated by UR journalism professor Shahan Mufti.

“We've been living this fragmented campus life in COVID times for almost a year now, and it's difficult to overstate how valuable it was to have someone like Hasan Minhaj here and gather around and all share in this fun experience,” Mufti said.

Minhaj’s opening act was a collection of prerecorded, student-created video skits, poetry, and original songs showcasing students’ eagerness to meet the comedian and commentator.

Senior Ryan Shah was one of 19 students who were selected to participate in a virtual meet and greet earlier in the day in addition to joining the evening conversation among the larger UR community. 

“It's always surreal when you get the chance to talk to one of your idols, even over Zoom,” said Shah. “It's also crazy to think about the fact that the meet and greet, along with the main event, most likely would not have happened without the pandemic.”

The live excitement for Minhaj’s appearance was also palpable, even virtually. The chat function buzzed as Spiders from as early as the Class of 1993 to the Class of 2024 introduced themselves and expressed excitement to hear from Minhaj, an opportunity made possible by UR’s Office of International Education, Center for Student Involvement, and Modlin Center for the Arts.

“International Education wanted to host a big event for our students that would lift their spirits and put them at the center of the production during this difficult semester,” said Martha Merritt, dean of international education. “My high hopes were exceeded by the students’ creativity, their poise, and important questions.”

Minhaj has become known for his depth and sincerity as much as his comedic commentary, and he showcased each of those traits as soon as he logged on for the evening. No topic was off limits as he fielded questions from Mufti and students, responding to each with genuine candor.

A first-generation American, Minhaj comes from a Muslim family originally from India, and often draws on his personal history in his work. First-year Ananya Chetia, an aspiring producer, asked how he navigates such a competitive industry, where few come from a similar background. Minhaj said he leaned into the power of comedy.

“Being able to laugh at myself has been massively empowering, I use laughter as a way to cope with all the things that scare me the most,” he said.

Junior Zena Abro prompted Minhaj to share his thoughts on what young people need to do today to navigate difficult conversations and to be heard. 

“We live in a vastly creative space and awesome things are created from a child-like wonder. The coolest thing young people can bring to the table is their wonder and curiosity,” Minhaj offered.

For Minhaj, showing up in living rooms is nothing new,  but the ability to have an honest and authentic discussion with the UR community for the night seemed to perfectly align with his reasoning for pursuing a career in comedy.

“They say that art has a way of making the world bigger, but I think the powerful thing about art and comedy is that it has a way of actually making the world smaller,” he said. “It’s a way to bring people into your living room and invite them to hear your own take.”