The real Kenny versus reel

Have you ever been curious about how a stand-up comedian’s  life is off stage? It’s definitely not all laugh and giggles......says Kenneth Sebastian, as he lets us take a peek into the world of s

CHENNAI: A nyone familiar with the stand-up comic scene know Kenneth (Kenny) Sebastian. Be it his chai time sessions, web series Star Boyz or his stand up shows, Kenny has won many hearts. Did you know there is a Quora page on ‘How many women are in love with Kennith Sebastian’?

There is also a page on ‘How is Kenny Sebastian in real life?’ As Kenny is coming down to the city with his brand new one-hour show Don’t Be That Guy, we shot him some quirky questions about his life off-stage. Excerpts from the interview...

How many guitars do you have? And do you name them? 
I have three guitars. My oldest is a Gibson Es335 electric, A Yamaha Semi Acoustic and my brand new Takamine Semi acoustic. I don’t name them. I never had the habit of naming what I own. I feel they might get offended if they have real names.

Being colour blind, why did you choose to pursue visual arts? 
It is a constant hindrance when it comes to editing and I pursued visual arts not knowing I was colour blind. I thought I just got confused and didn’t know it was a legit condition. To be honest, I managed to find a way around it.

When you talk to people (off stage), how often do they doubt the truth of your words?
Well, I mostly hang out with my close friends who know me really well. The people I meet for the first time don’t take me seriously in the beginning but they soon get my vibe.

Has anyone ever burst out laughing at something you said that wasn’t funny?
All the time!

Stereotypes of stand up comics that annoy you…
That we are always joking around, that we aren’t very educated and that’s why we chose comedy…and that we are eccentric and do drugs. 

How do you handle hecklers?
With sharp wit. The best way to deal with hecklers is to show them how little they are prepared for a verbal exchange compared to comedians who made a career out of it.

How often are you requested to crack a Malayalam joke? Do you do it?
I am often asked to crack a Malayalam joke. I seldom do it. Me speaking it is funny enough. 

Your craziest fan encounter
Two guys following me on a bike after a show to my hotel room and demanded a selfie. 

You once practice a joke 50 times before taking it on stage. Doesn’t it make you lose the “fun factor” or become monotonous? 
Well, the audience having fun is more important. Stand-up comedy is really hard; making a bunch of strangers feel a personal emotion like laughter doesn’t come by just improvising. There is no other way around than practising it 50 times if you want to be good.

During your chai time shows, do you actually finish your cup of tea?
My mother makes the best chai in the whole world. There I said it. I actually do drink a whole cup of chai during my chai time shows (smiles) They do get extremely cold due to the length of the show.

Do you lose your mind when you find someone stealing our jokes?
It’s quite sad how casually people in India think plagiarism is okay. But the comedy community is very tight knit and if you keep copying jokes your career will not progress. 

As a kid, did you ever use you “impromptu skills” to escape situations?
I was always an impromptu kid. The countless excuses I have made to escape homework will be enough for a book. I guess I always felt social situations were like a game. If you know the rules well enough, you could navigate through it for your advantage.

You are still young…do you think you’ll ever exhaust yourself in this field? 
Oh, I do feel exhausted emotionally many times not physically. It is a career that is mood-based (laughter/happiness); so it drains you especially when you have had a bad day and you still have to keep a happy face on to do a comedy show. I am lucky to have a supportive family and friends that keep me sane.
 
Are you one of those who makes memes? 
I love reading memes. If I would make one, it would definitely be dog or chai related.
 
When you make videos in public, all by yourself, do people look at you like you are some crazy guy?
At home, when I was 16, I wanted to make a Star Wars type Lightsaber fight video. So I got my friend to practice with me using sticks in our lawn and we practised everyday. All our neighbours used to complain to my parents. My parents casually told them “Yeah we know. After he finishes homework, he is allowed to do whatever.” The only reason I am here in my career is because my parents always let me do what I wanted. It is important the way you are raised.

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