CHENNAI: He has over 86,000 subscribers on YouTube and is known for his stand up acts on marital rape, feminism, student suicide and more. Evam Standup Tamasha presents Daniel Fernandes, who is performing in the city today at the Egmore Museum Theatre and the seats are almost sold out. The Mumbai-based comedian has been the cause of splitting laughter in many cities after he quit his job in advertising. Before the show, City Express has a chat with him. Excerpts follow...
As a standup comic, what kind of pressure are you under?
Expectations are hard to escape from, no matter what you do. Yes, the fans invest in us and they want to be entertained. The bigger you get in comedy, the higher the expectation. I think smart comedians use that to push harder to outdo themselves. The right amount of pressure is good, otherwise you just get lazy.
Do you ever wonder about how and what complimented your talent, while growing up?
I always say I get my looks from my mom and my sense of humour from my dad (best way to make them both happy). I think everything you’ve ever dealt with in life forms some part of your comedy arsenal. You tap into different experiences at different times. I’ve personally had a very intense childhood. To put it in a nutshell, I had to grow up way before my time, and in hindsight that was a good thing. Today, everything I do in comedy is a sum of the last 32 years.
According to another interview, you get a little nervous before a show. What makes it go away?
Being a little nervous keeps me grounded. It makes sure I give 100% when I get on stage. Once you get that first laugh you feel a lot calmer, and after that, it’s just a whole world of fun. Comedy gives me a high that no substance in the world can match.
What is your biggest fear?
Dying young. I want to be an old man with lots of stories before I go.
Share your first open mic experience.
That was at The Comedy Store in 2011. I thought I did well. Then with every passing year I felt less proud. Today, I wouldn’t dare show a video of that performance. I’ve done not more than five open mics in my entire career. I don’t find them conducive to my style. Anything new that I want to try, I prefer to do it at my regular shows.
Have you ever been threatened before for something you mocked in your show?
I had a funny heckler experience along these lines. I spoke about it extensively in a podcast that I did with SNG Comedy. It’s on YouTube right now. Check it out.
What would you tell Daniel Fernandes five years ago?
Look good. Smell good. Speak smart. Stay single.
To check for the availability of tickets, visit bookymyshow