The Importance of Being Aziz

Comedy Album Review: Aziz Ansari’s “Moments for a Sensual Evening”

By Imran J. Khan

January 19, 2010

It’s been a few years since I first discovered the comedy of Aziz Ansari and I’m still fascinated with his obtrusively South Asian Muslim visage*, unapologetically Islamic first and last name, and colossal following among hipsters and comedy enthusiasts. I’m fascinated with him because growing up, I never imagined that someone who looked like Aziz Ansari could be considered cool by a large portion of the American public. This might seem like a completely superficial way to think about his success, but to me it speaks volumes about the effect Muslims can have (and do have) on mainstream America.

Sure, based on his own standup, he is at best only culturally Muslim with a heavy, almost suspicious disavowal of the Muslim community. But maybe through some kind of capricious twist of fate, Aziz Ansari’s distance from his Islamic roots has provided a service to the American Muslim community after all. Maybe the mere fact that his face is out in the mainstream ingratiates the masses towards others with similar names and facial features. Maybe CAIR should be thanking him for his exceedingly hip and sometimes bizarre forms of stand up and sketch comedy for the amicable face he places on the religion of Islam unknowingly and probably unwillingly. One might say, “Well isn’t he just portraying Muslims as less than moral and slightly offensive?”

But oddly enough, the general public actually finds him that much more cool and attractive because of the hip underground irreverence he exudes. Furthermore, it reflects positively on American Muslims on the whole (to some degree). Although it’s also perfectly reasonable to assume that Americans may consider him a fluke outlier and continue to harbor extreme distrust for American Muslims including everything they stand for and love. Anyways, let’s move on to my review of his album.

Intimate Moments for a Sensual Evening: A-

Aziz Ansari’s long overdue debut comedy album (considering the long list of TV and film credits he has under his belt) Intimate Moments for a Sensual Evening is a collection of unusual yet fresh comedic anecdotes that range from the outwardly mundane (shopping for bed sheets) to the borderline otherworldly (experiencing an R. Kelly concert). He exhibits his greatest level of skill when extrapolating ordinary conversations and situations into hilariously specific realizations that border on the malapropos (e.g. going to a show of Walking with Dinosaurs). If you’ve ever wondered, “Why does this guy always seem to be associated with many of the most acclaimed comedic talents working today?” By the end of the album, it should be increasingly clear – he’s a great comedian with a great comedic voice. As for established fans of his work, there may be many bits on the album that you’ve already heard via Youtube or late night talk shows, but overall there is enough new material here to warrant the purchase.

There are great laughs all over the album and I constantly found myself laughing at bits that I had heard numerous times before which is a testament to his comedic talents. Some of the stories on the album may feel slightly obscure to people unfamiliar with the subject matter (especially anecdotes regarding Kanye West and R. Kelly). But this also serves as one of the albums greatest strengths – while adroitly regaling the audience with ostensibly esoteric personal tales; he becomes a sharp witted companion that’s able to bring his audience into his wacky experiences while avoiding alienation. Overall, it’s a great alternative comedy album that I highly recommend especially for those who’ve only seen him on NBC’s Parks and Recreation or MTV’s Human Giant. I give it a very enthusiastic A-.

*If it wasn’t clear, I’m referring to the fact that he’s an Indian guy with a beard.

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