Actor and comedian Yasir Hussain has spoken about the criticism he faces online, arguing that stand-up comedy should not be subjected to stricter standards than other professions and forms of public expression.
Speaking in a recent interview, Hussain addressed the ongoing debate around boundaries in comedy and questioned why restrictions were often demanded specifically from comedians.
"Either there should be boundaries in everything, in journalism, government policies, etc, or nowhere. If boundaries are applied, they should apply everywhere. Why demand boundaries only in comedy?" he said.
Hussain pointed to his appearance on Nadir Ali's podcast as an example, saying guests were aware of a show's style before agreeing to participate.
"Take Nadir Ali's podcast; he asked controversial questions, but I went knowing his style of humour. If someone has an issue with a host's timing or controversial questions, why go on that show in the first place rather than having problems afterward?" he said.
He said the same principle applied to stand-up comedy, where audiences knowingly bought tickets to watch a particular performer.
"You buy a ticket for a stand-up show, why go if you think you'll have a problem with it?" he said. "If you don't like it, don't watch the show; why does the host need to be cancelled?" he added.
Hussain said that genuine concerns should be addressed through established legal channels rather than public backlash.
"If there are bigger issues, there's the government; there are legal forms that can look into all of that. These decisions being made in the public sphere should stop. Why are you getting every verdict decided in the people's court? Take it to an actual court," he said.
Asked how he dealt with criticism, Hussain said negative reactions no longer had much of an impact on him. "Who is listening to criticism? Did anyone hear them? I only remember the applause; I remember the sound of the claps echoing and the whistles of appreciation I received," he said.
