Comedy with a purpose: Need for family acceptance being a comedian is hard enough but being of South Asian origin makes it harder.

A Conversation with Veena Merchant.

Being a stand-up comedian is hard enough - but being of South Asian origin with the expectations of their immigrant parents mainly focused on economic stability, it makes it all the more harder. Most of them seem to feel the need to be accepted and understood by the family and community. They feel it is a profession which allows them to release their pent-up emotions and explain to mainstream America who they are.

Nikki: I started two years ago. I started comedy because I wanted to express myself on stage. I always wanted to be an actress and my father never wanted me to be on stage. I come from a really strict Indian family where you're told to cook and clean, get your education but make sure you get married and get married to someone they want. I grew up in that strict kind of environment and my dream wasn't pursued until my dad passed away and I decided that life was too short and why don't I try comedy.

Nikki: I didn't know what length comedy would take when I first started because I'm a teacher by profession. I am an elementary school teacher and I got my masters two years ago. I was still doing clubs and I said to myself I like comedy more than teaching. I love children but then I started having more of a love for comedy. I met Aladdin at New York Comedy Club and he inspired me and other people I've met.

Q: Do you think it is our community or it is general? I think most people love money and success.

Q: Since all of you agree that your profession changes perceptions - white Americans looking at colored Americans in a particular way, south Asians being perceived differently, your parents looking at you differently. Do your shows try to change these perceptions?

They have this idea that standup comedy, much like TV, has frivolous subject matter. My family does come to the shows. My father cannot understand that people would pay me to make people laugh, it is something foreign to him. I think it would be different if I didn't have a law degree.

Nikki: I don't think I can change my family's perception of comedy and I don't think I would invite them to a show at this point, not until I become more successful.

Nikki: My difficulty with my mother is understanding the language. She speaks fluent Punjabi, she understands English but I don't think she would understand my jokes. I would have to do it in a way that she can understand and again if someone successful like Shabana Azmi came up to my mother I think that would have an impact. That's why I haven't told her yet because one day maybe she'll see something written about me.