Misplaced Comic Genius

 As the title suggests, today I'll be writing about misplaced comic genius. While it can be applied to several things (politics, media, Race 3, soap operas), I'll be referring to a specific person here. No prizes for guessing.

I've mentioned one thing in earlier posts which has the ability to put me off my appetite. That time, it was Kangana Ranaut as Thalaivi. This time, it's one of the most recognizable faces in India, who pops up during, just before, or just after dinner. I refer, of course, to the inimitable, the indefatigable Arnab Goswami. Don't sue me for misrepresentation, please; I said most recognizable, not most loved. 

We've all seen at least one meme video of Arnab Goswami rapping or being used as a template, but that still doesn't capture the pure comic genius he can bring to the show. Steve Carell is a good comic, but he relies on the impracticality and the irony of a situation, as well as his straight-facedness. Jim Carrey is a brilliant comedian and that's because he has mastered the art of physical comedy with well-placed humour. I'm a huge fan of his, but it's always difficult to say who is first among equals.

Take Rowan Atkinson, for example. Mr. Bean is his calling card, but his sketches are just brilliant. Intelligently derisive comedy is what he nails, and together with Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie, there is no shortage of laughter. However, the key difference between all of these comics and Arnab Goswami is simple: they do it intentionally to get laughs; Mr. Goswami does not. He does it for the TRP.

I'm not a regular news-watcher, before you ask. The only time I started looking at news channels was when the first lockdown began. The first time I saw a debate, I was flabbergasted. It was nothing like the debates I had seen in person, and there have been a few of those. For one, I had never seen a moderator as hands-on as the man on TV.

And I mean hands-on in the literal sense. He couldn't keep his hands off the table. The number of slaps and smacks he gave to that one piece of furniture really made me appreciate the carpenter who put it together. I've seen basketballs pop for lesser whacks, but Mr. Goswami seemed hell-bent on making the table submit to his whims and fancies. He still does, I think. He definitely whacked it enough when I last checked the news.

If anyone ever needs an example of a toxic relationship, they should refer to the relationship between Mr. Goswami and his news table. Perfect example, there's no doubt about it. Moving on to volume now. This is one of the few moments I miss a mute button for humans. I normally don't, because I'm very talkative with certain people, so it might backfire on me. When I listen to Republic TV, though, I'm convinced it's a very small sacrifice to make. 

There's a reason why I said Republic TV and not Arnab Goswami. That's because one of the two exists in multiple regional languages, including Bengali. There will be no news worth showing, but the way the news anchor will start, you'll think UPSC is about to start setting questions from that news segment. 

"Bringing the news to you from Ground Zero, we have..." and so on and so forth. The way they deliver the everyday news makes special news seem mundane. Take for example the Bollywood drug scandal. Insert a really loud fanfare of trumpets here, please. The news was so ludicrous that after a point I just started laughing whenever the ad breaks ended and the anchor came back on. My mother tried to keep a straight face (it was a drug scandal, after all), but even she started laughing once I pointed out the funny side of it. 

The one line which made me laugh non-stop for half an hour went something like this. 
"There's a certain house in Mumbai, on the seaside, where drugs flow like water. So much so, that the owner's name has now become a standard for drug measurement. Give me one Susie, give me 2 Susies, give me 3 Susies, BRO!!!"
I cannot stress enough the emphasis on "bro" here. I felt sorry for the cameraman- how in God's name he kept a straight face through that tirade I'll never know. 

There are several running gags associated with Arnab Goswami and his style of journalism, but I'm afraid I don't have the luxury to put it all into one post. Vir Das does that well enough, so I'll limit myself to just this for now. Before I forget, disclaimer: I have absolutely no political bias, and please do not get offended at whatever I have written. It is all in jest.

I suppose I've rambled enough for today. Hope everyone's safe. If you're not, get well soon. You wouldn't want the nation to know. Adios!