Comedian Zarna Garg, the ‘Funny Brown Mom’
Some people are naturally funny; Zarna Garg is one of those people.
Proudly representing brown women everywhere, Garg is a mom and lawyer turned award-winning screenwriter and standup comedian. Raised in Bombay, she made her way to the U.S. at age 16 after losing her mother and facing the choice of an arranged marriage or leaving. Making the journey from India on her own, Garg’s immigrant experience fed into her deep love for storytelling, and she always highlights it with her own signature style. She has built her comedy career on her passion for having fun while also sharing her life in America from an immigrant’s perspective.
Garg performs for sold-out audiences at top clubs across the country and can be found each month at the famous Caroline’s on Broadway with her second hit show Sari, Not Sorry, following her headlining debut, My American Dream. Since the pandemic, Garg has brought her comedy shows online and has taken the worlds of Instagram and TikTok by storm. They say laughter is the best medicine, and millions cannot get enough of Garg’s stories or commentary.
OFM recently caught up with Garg to discuss how she fell into the world of comedy, transitioning to online platforms during the pandemic, what makes a great comedian, and if select topics should be joked about or not.
You are a mother to three kids who initially obtained a finance degree and attended law school. How did a comedy career come into play?
It was my lifelong dream [laughs]. No, not at all. That was a joke. No Indian woman dreams of it, and to be honest, I didn’t even know it was a job. I was a stay-at-home mom for 16 years, but I couldn’t figure out how to do the mom thing, raise a family, run the home, and work. I was changing diapers and doing all of that, but I really wanted to get back to work. However, I couldn’t figure out what my space would be. The legal field had moved on since I left, and it was never really something that my heart was in. I sat down and thought, what do I want to do? Where can I make an impact? Where is a space that has possibilities?
My daughter, who is all-American, born and raised in Manhattan, said to me, “Mom, you need to do comedy. You are so funny.” I was like, I’m not funny. When I am yelling at you, it’s real. Somehow, no one finds me scary. Even when I am yelling at my kids about their grades or whatever, they just start laughing, but she undertook this whole project of reaching out to people asking what their favorite memory of me was, and funny seemed to be a common theme. She was like, just do standup comedy, and it never occurred to me that anybody would care about my stories.
Can you talk more about your comedic style and aesthetic?
In the comedy community, I am known as the happy comedian. I laugh at my own jokes half the time, and it’s not cool. Let me tell you, but I also like to make social statements through my comedy. I believe there is a space for that. I have a lot to say about the way the world is and the way we all operate, but I like to do it with humor. I’ll make jokes about how we use water. I’ll make jokes about the immigration crisis. It’s still delivering a message, but with humor, and it’s pretty gentle. I never leaned on dark stuff to begin with. Family comedy is my wheelhouse.
You are also known as ‘The Funny Brown Mom’ who highlights the American experience. How does your comedy stand out from others who talk about similar topics?
First, there are not many immigrant comedians. Second, there are not many women talking about their kids and life back home. I bring a piece of India to the audience here. My audience often tells me that they feel like they traveled to India when they see my show. Being an Indian woman and being who I am from back home is such a big part of me.
Even though I have been here for so many years, my stories are still rooted in my experiences back home, and I go back all the time. My ties are very strong. I think there is something about my being Indian that stands out because I don’t try to assimilate. I am very happy being the Indian woman that I am, and it’s a very funny, natural occurrence that has brought me on a stage like this.
When live performances stopped, how did you adapt and navigate during the pandemic? Is that when you started to discover TikTok?
I first transitioned to Zoom because everything was suddenly happening on Zoom, including my kids’ school and parent conferences. I went from not knowing what Zoom was to logging in 10 times a day. I knew that this had to be the next iteration for comedy, so I transitioned right away and started doing free shows for first responders. I didn’t know what I was doing, so I figured, why not take the chance on some people who really need relief.
The beginning Zooms were hysterical not because of the jokes, but just how rough-and-tumble the whole thing was. The more I did it, the more confidence I got. I started to book corporate shows, and then my 15-year-old son said, ‘Mom, I’m starting to see comedians on TikTok. Why don’t you put yourself out there?’ He basically made me do it, and that opened a whole new world.
Were you surprised by the reception you were receiving?
I was absolutely shocked. Who would have guessed? My jokes are so basic. One of the biggest jokes that broke on TikTok for me was when I said I’ve never said ‘I love you’ to my husband. I do love him; I just don’t say it, but it apparently touched such a nerve. It hit a nerve globally. People from all over chimed in saying, ‘We don’t say it either.’ I thought it was just me and my quirkiness, but it turns out, it’s a cultural thing. Are Americans the only people who say it? I don’t know. I am developing more and more material in that space, and I am also surprised by the number of teenagers who are logging in by the droves. The more I yell at my kids about their grades, the more teenagers flock to my page because they can relate. Don’t worry; I go after parents as well.
In your opinion, what makes a great comedian?
Somebody who is able to be unapologetically authentic onstage. The story must be real. Otherwise, it won’t connect with audiences. I assume that my audience is so smart, I can’t make stuff up. If I was a woman saying ‘I love you’ all the time, but I was making a joke going the other way, it would never work. People can tell if you are lying or not, and the vibe is what makes it a super hit. It also takes a lot of courage as a performer to bare your soul in that way because the deeper you go, the more you are putting your own personal truths and journey out there. That differentiates a good comedian from everybody else that’s trying it.
How do you know if a joke works or not?
Thanks to the pandemic and how the world has shifted in the last two years, the old-school way would be, keep doing open mics. When the world shut down, open mics shut down, so now I do everything in a multi-dimensional way. I’ll put a tweet out; I’ll put a video of a concept out, and I’ll see what kind of engagement it receives. If the tweet is getting no traction, people are not interested in this topic. If the video is getting a million views, OK, this is a hot interest. That helps me know where to go and where to push. The old-school way of going to open mics is still helpful because it’s still live, but there is a whole parallel, electronic universe of testing material. I use every platform that is now available.
Do you believe there are topics that should never be joked about?
No. Unfortunately, freedom of speech is like that. Once you say you can joke about this, then it becomes a hairy issue of, where do you draw the line? I know this is a hot topic in America right now, but this has been ongoing in India for a long time. Women have given up comedy in India because no matter what they say, they get persecuted. Everything is against our culture; everything is too westernized back home, but I know the problem of drawing the line.
Do I wish people used better judgement? Yes. You can wish and hope, but as a comedian, I don’t support the idea of saying this topic is off limits because you’re going to get into a whole Pandora’s Box of nothing’s on limits anymore. If somebody says or does something that you don’t like, don’t give them your attention. The worst thing you can do is log off and unfollow them.
@zarnagarg Kids ask so many questions #wheredobabiescomefrom #desimom #medicalschool #beadoctor #browntiktok #zarnagarg #urologist #curiouskids #askmom #thanksgiving #wondering
You won the highly esteemed “Ladies of Laughter 2021 Newcomer Award” and were included in the list of “New York City’s Top 100 Inspiring Small Business” during the pandemic. How does it feel to receive such honors?
It is so great and validating. I usually sit by myself with my laptop or phone recording bits that I think are funny, and I don’t know until it’s out in the world if it’s actually funny. I don’t know if it’s changing anybody’s life or day, so receiving these accolades makes me feel like my work is worth something. It means something to somebody, and it’s going somewhere. I don’t do it for the accolades, but when I receive them, it is very gratifying.
Do you have any upcoming productions, tours, or any other projects currently in the works?
Absolutely. Multiple, but my biggest one right now is the New York Comedy Festival. I have a show November 12 on the Upper West Side in Manhattan. In addition to that, I am working on a feature film that I wrote before becoming a standup comedian. I am a self-taught screenwriter, and that screenplay won the top comedy feature at the 2019 Austin Film Festival. It is in development right now, as well as a reality show and a scripted series, which is my take on Everybody Loves Raymond, but a mom is at the center of this universe, and the in-laws live in the building. Lots of projects going on.
Connect and stay up-to-date with Garg by following her on Instagram and TikTok, or visit her official website.
Photos Courtesy of Mandar Parab and Rashmi Gill
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