Shaun Majumder ready to 'shine a light' on hate with new comedy show

Comedian Shaun Majumder of This Hour Has 22 Minutes fame is bringing his latest show, Hate, to Summerside and said despite the title it's "going to be funny."

"On this tour I'm excited to kind of explore the theme of hate," Majumder told CBC Mainstreet's Angela Walker. "It's been kind of top of mind in my world."

"Being a person of mixed race, coming from Newfoundland and travelling as I've done and now living in Los Angeles and seeing Trump and seeing how he's given rise to this feeling ... hate seems to be trending," Majumder said. "So let's talk about it."

'It's ridiculous'

"It seems like there is a trend for people to feel emboldened to express how they feel," said Majumder.

While some perceive it as hate, others say it is their right to free speech, he said.

Wake-up call for the alt-right: a beige horizon is inevitable

8 years ago

Duration 2:07

Since the US election, alt-right white nationalists feel emboldened in their quest to create a utopian society where races never mix. Shaun Majumder sees a different future: beige.

Majumder was inspired after seeing people's reaction to sketches on 22 Minutes such as a recent one in which he plays a rapper who created a hit called Beige Power. It was intended toskewerwhite supremacists after an uptick in activity during the 2016 presidential campaign, he said.

"The reaction online was off the chartspeople started accusing me of promoting white genocide," he said, starting to laugh. "To me it's ridiculous.

"I thought it was done the idea of the KKK or any white supremacist," he said. "I didn't realize how intense it really still is and the fear that immigrants and diversity is going to destroy the white race."

'Shine a light on behaviour'

Majumder said the show will still be funny, though he hopes it will also be thought-provoking.

"The beautiful platform that standup is yes you have a responsibility to make people laugh, but at the same time where I'm getting now is ... I want to shine a light on behaviour in a funny way.

"Standup gives me that opportunity to really go there and say things that people might not agree with."

He's open to changing the show as new ideas and issues come up along the tour.

"You can't ever worry about offending anyone," he said, noting you can't win over every audience member. "You gotta speak truth to power."

The show will be July 6 at Harbourfront Theatre.

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