Rising Stand-Up Star Adam Mamawala Dishes on His Indian Roots, Personal Idols, & Where Comedy Draws the Line

Mixed Asian Media - August 19, 2022

By Matt Blank

Get to know Adam Mamawala, a New York-based stand-up comedian whose handsome face we’ll surely be seeing plenty more of in days to come. Since first catching the comedy bug on a whim while still in college, he has been a regular on stand-up stages across the United States for a decade now, showing no signs of slowing down. With a style at once candid, casual and irreverent, Mamawala delivers fresh, often-quirky material covering topics that range from modern relationships to his half-Indian heritage to navigating divorce, city life and the COVID pandemic.

Having previously appeared on Comedy Central, MTV and BET, Mamawala just recently followed up his 2017 debut album with the July 15 release of Statistically More Relatable.

He recently took time out of his busy performance schedule to chat with MAM about his life, career and work on the upcoming series Under Cover Comic.

Learn all about Mamawala in the following interview, and be sure to catch him in person, along with fellow mixed comic Dylan Adler, at Mixed Asian Media Fest on Sept. 17!

Since we haven't talked before in this capacity, I'd love to know more about your background. Where were you born and raised and what do your parents do? Any other performers, artists or creatives in your family?

I was born in Aurora, Illinois, a western suburb of Chicago most known in pop culture as being the setting of Wayne's World. My dad is from India and my mom is from Wisconsin, but they moved to Illinois in 1985 after my dad's job brought him there. We also moved from Illinois to New Jersey in 1996 as a result of my dad's job, which is where I largely grew up. My dad worked in insurance, first for MetLife and then MassMutual. My mom was a stay-at-home mom when we were younger and then moved into education as a teacher's aide, largely with special needs children. She worked for over two decades until retiring this past year.

I come from a very musical family. Both of my parents sing, and my sister and I were both in choirs and musicals in high school and college. I was also in an a cappella group in college. Though none of them work in creative fields full-time, I come from an extremely right brain-oriented family and creativity was always welcomed and encouraged in our home.

I'd love to know more about how your parents met and anything fun or interesting about their courtship and history.

My mom was born and raised in Whitewater, WI, and attended college in that same town at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. My dad was born and raised in India in a city called Pune. When he was 21 he left and lived in Morocco for a few years but ultimately wanted to get his MBA and somehow landed on UW-Whitewater, where he would end up meeting my mom. Naturally this was somewhat of a shock to both families, given that my mom had grown up in an almost exclusively white area and my dad was the first person in his family to marry a non-Muslim, let alone a non-Indian. Nevertheless, both families ultimately supported them. I know they are both very grateful for that because it doesn't always go so smoothly. 

Growing up in the States, how strong a tie did you feel to your Indian roots? Were there particular traditions or values that were passed down? Any cuisine you particularly loved? Have you visited India?

I must admit that I feel more American than I do anything else. Nevertheless, we were involved in the Indian communities both in Illinois and New Jersey, largely revolving around my dad's love of music. We would go to Indian music parties and I have very fond memories of those experiences (cut to a massive pile of shoes by the front door).

One of the things that endeared my mom to my dad was her cooking, and she learned how to cook Indian food. It's honestly insane how good she is at it. All that to say, my ties to India were mostly music and food. Some of my favorites include samosas, biryani, and this Indian fish my mom makes (no idea what it's called but it's basically white fish with hella seasoning). Admittedly I was kind of a picky eater as a kid and didn't much care for Indian food, but I have grown to appreciate it as I have gotten older.

I have only visited India once when I was 7 years old, and I badly want to go back. We had started talking about the idea of going back in 2020 and that obviously didn't happen, but we've discussed going next year. It's unclear if my sister would be able to attend since she has a one-year-old, but I would really love to go while my parents are still young enough to make the journey. It would also be a cool experience for my dad because he grew up very poor and hasn't seen much of India himself. His return trips were always centered around family so he hasn't seen most of the country outside of Pune and Mumbai.

And what was the experience like growing up mixed Asian?  What was the community like in your town and in school? Did you feel particularly different or singled out, or was it not really a big deal?

For starters, New Jersey was way more diverse than where we lived in Illinois. Weirdly, my best friend in Illinois was also half-Indian/half-white, but I kind of feel like that was just a coincidence, as hard as that may be to believe. There weren't many other mixed kids that I knew if any, but I never really felt isolated because of it. Once we moved to New Jersey there was a lot more diversity, but it tended to be cliquey. That's when things got a bit trickier because it always felt like I wasn't deemed to be "Indian enough" by the Indian kids.

I've always described being mixed as this weird feeling of fitting in everywhere and nowhere simultaneously. I would say for the most part I never felt singled out or unwelcome, but I distinctly remember going to a party in college with a floormate who was Indian, and upon arrival an Indian kid asked me "what my deal was.” I asked him what he meant by that and he said, "Are you Indian?" I replied, "my dad is Indian but my mom is white", and he responded, "Oh, it's cool, don't worry about it." I was like, "Dude, I wasn't apologizing for my mom being white, you asked me what my deal was." I'll never forget that.

Now I'm curious just how you got into comedy. What was your first exposure to comedy, and when did you start to think it was something you wanted to pursue seriously?

Honestly, it never really occurred to me that stand-up comedy was a thing that a person could do in general, let alone as a career. It's still shocking to me when I meet other comics who say they wanted to be comedians from the time they were like 12. For me, I was always comfortable in front of people, whether that was doing a presentation in class or doing choir and musical theatre in high school.

When I was in college I gave stand-up a shot on a recommendation from a friend of mine. We had actually gone to a New Jersey Nets game (yes, they played in New Jersey), and evidently I kept joking around about stuff during the game. At some point my friend Tim looked at me and said something to the effect of, "You should do stand-up. The way that you describe things sounds like a comic." I wrote some material and went to an open mic at the Stress Factory in New Brunswick, NJ, and did pretty well considering that it was my first time.

From that point forward I started doing stand-up more at my college, at coffee houses, variety shows, etc., and as a sophomore I won a statewide competition across 12 different colleges in NJ. At that point it started to occur to me that this might be more than just a hobby, and by the time I graduated from college in 2009 I had decided that I wanted to pursue this full time.

Who were your earliest influences or comedians that, even today, you look up to? Who would you list as your personal Greatest of All Time?

My earliest exposure to stand-up comedy was Jerry Seinfeld (moreso as part of Seinfeld when my parents would watch it than his actual stand-up). Naturally like a lot of people my age, I went through my Dane Cook phase, but I later discovered Mitch Hedberg and still consider him my favorite comic. The shows that had the biggest impact on my relationship with humor were Monty Python's Flying Circus, which my mom introduced me to as a kid, Chappelle's Show, and The Office, both of which came to prominence when I was in high school. If you had asked me five years ago I probably would have said that Chappelle was the stand-up GOAT, but I'm not overly enamored with his recent work, so I'll go with Chris Rock.

How long did it take to really gain traction and for you to realize that, yes, this is how I'm going to make my living?

It took a long time. I was very fortunate that I started making money faster than a lot of comics because I figured out a way to get into the college market, but even at that stage I was still completely unknown in NYC, and that was a challenge. I think it helped that I went into it with realistic expectations because I was well aware of the fact that making a living as a performer is no easy feat, and it wasn't something that I was ever guaranteed. The fact that I've been able to support myself as an entertainer for the better part of the past decade is something I'm immensely proud of.

Do you consider yourself a performer first or a writer first?  Or does it all kind of roll into one?  Have you done any comedy writing that wasn't for your own shows?

I always consider myself a performer first, but I've been very open to pursuing lanes outside of just doing stand-up. I love comedy more than anything and I think I always will, but I also think I have other skills, and at a certain point it becomes challenging if you have a really myopic view of what your career can be. At this stage of my career, my income is comprised of a very interesting mix of stand-up/acting/podcasting/hosting/corporate gigs/VO gigs/commercial acting, etc.

It sounds ridiculous but it's true, and honestly I think there's something to be said for having a lot of skills. I have done some comedy writing that wasn't for my own shows, most notably when I had the chance to be a freelance contributor for Saturday Night Live's Weekend Update. I also used to write on a freelance basis for Someecards, I've had the chance to submit writing packets for late night TV shows (though I have never been hired), and I helped to rewrite the show I starred in last summer, Under Cover Comic.

And now that you're off and running, you have a packed stand-up schedule and some acting jobs coming in. I'm curious about all of the different audiences you encounter. You perform at clubs, schools, bars, theatres... I think you even mentioned a youth hostel gig. Do you have a personal favorite type of crowd as far as appreciating the work? Any that are more challenging than others? Has any particular city really stood out as having amazing crowds?

One of the things I pride myself on the most is my ability to adapt to whatever the venue or audience may be. I think that developed because I have always been willing to give things a try, and that was really put to the test during the pandemic where we ended up performing in parks, on Zoom, and even on subways a few times.

Naturally the age of the audience and their political viewpoints factor into the kind of material they will enjoy the most, but to me a great comic can make any audience laugh. I would say my favorite crowds at this point are NYC club crowds, but even those vary based on where and when you're performing. Ironically, despite my early college touring, I find college gigs to be tough nowadays, as I just don't think most 18-22 year-olds have much frame of reference for the type of material I do.

In terms of a favorite city, it really comes down to how smart the audiences are. I love NYC for that reason. I recorded my album in Chicago and have always loved doing stand-up there as well, Boston is great, Denver is great. There are so many great scenes nowadays, it's hard to narrow it down.

In your new special, you talk about the initial resistance to and eventual acceptance of Zoom comedy shows and how there ended up being some surprising benefits to that format. What was that adjustment like, in terms of timing and delivery? How do you get accustomed to delivering comedy without the instant feedback from a live audience?

Initially it had a lot to do with the fact that this was an entirely new medium for us, and a lot of the issues were purely technical. Part of what makes stand-up so exhilarating is the immediacy of it, and there were times where I would freeze in the middle of a show and would have to stop my set to say, "Can you guys still see me?" Obviously that would never be an issue in person.

The other really challenging part was that audiences would often keep their video and/or audio off, which made it almost impossible to perform because we were getting no feedback from the crowd. I had to do a virtual college gig in which I could neither see nor hear the audience, so I essentially just recited material for an hour. It was a nice paycheck but a really unpleasant experience.

Ultimately, I did my best to be adaptable and figured out ways to make it work, at least as well as it could. I think my style of comedy also translated better than others for virtual shows because I'm not overly physical onstage, so there wasn't that much lost in terms of my performance. For comics who are more physical onstage, I imagine it was a real challenge.

Now let's talk about your work in the upcoming Under Cover Comic.  I got to see the excellent trailer and am curious to know more. Tell me how it came about, and let our readers know a bit about what it is and where they can see it.

Thanks man, I appreciate it! Under Cover Comic was originally a short film directed by and starring Bobby Friedman that came out in 2019. The film was based on Bobby's own life and tells the story of a man who is married with two young kids, working at a dead end job, who has a cancer scare. The brush with death leads him to reevaluate his life and pushes him to pursue his passion of stand-up comedy, which in turn impacts his relationship with his family.

The fundamental question is, "Can you actually have it all?" At the time when Bobby was filming the original short film I knew him in passing, and he asked me to be in it, playing myself doing stand-up. We got closer over the years and when Bobby decided that he wanted to film Under Cover Comic as a series, he reached out to me about potentially playing the leading role. He knew I had some acting chops and also felt I could relate to the main character as someone who had been married and had also attempted to navigate that balance between pursuing your passion and being there for your partner.

The coolest part about working on it was that I got to incorporate elements of my own life, including my identity as a biracial person. It was surreal getting to help cast and work with my TV parents. We filmed last summer (2021) between May and September, and I'm really proud of our work.

It is in fact a full series that will be comprised of six episodes, each between 20-30 minutes. It will be streaming somewhere TBD, but people can follow instagram.com/brainchiild4k for updates! 

Has your family been supportive of you being a performer? Do they enjoy the work and appreciate how they're portrayed in your comedy?

They have been incredibly supportive and it's hard to overstate how much that means to me. This industry is hard enough as it is, I can't imagine doing what I do if my family and friends were unsupportive. I have to give both of my parents a ton of credit for being supportive of my pursuing a career they knew absolutely nothing about. I think it helped that I (A) finished college and (B) had realistic expectations for how difficult this was going to be. Their mindset towards my sister and myself was always, "Do what you care about, just work hard at whatever it is that you choose." I think that's a great mindset.

And while there is often that expectation that an Asian parent will expect you to be a doctor or an engineer, my dad looked at it differently. I think his viewpoint was that part of the reason he had worked so hard was so that my sister and I could pursue our passions.

As far as whether or not they enjoy my work, I would say largely yes. There have certainly been times that I have touched on topics that probably make them uncomfortable, but by and large they love seeing me perform. I'm also very mindful of how I portray them and other people who are close to me in my stand-up. Even if I'm making fun of someone, I always try to make it clear that I'm doing it out of love and usually making fun of myself in the process too. 

There's been a lot of conversation these days about comedy and its limits, with comedians like Dave Chappelle being attacked onstage and in the media for material that seems to cross the line. For you personally, where is that line? Are there certain things that shouldn't be joked about or groups that are off limits?

As you can imagine this has become a very common question these days, and my attitude about it is pretty straightforward. I truly believe that anything can be funny if it is spoken about in the right way. I've heard jokes about rape, genocide, 9/11, you name it, all of which are hilarious because of how expertly they are crafted.

With Chappelle the biggest issue I have is that the material just isn't particularly good. It feels lazy, and part of that is a result of how wildly famous he is. His audiences will laugh at anything he says. I don't go out of my way to be edgy, but my rule in general is that the more sensitive the subject, the more bulletproof the joke has to be, ESPECIALLY if the joke is about a group I am not a part of. If I, a half-Indian, half-white straight male, wants to tell a joke about being Black in America or about being trans, it better be well thought out.

Also, and I'm shouting this for the people in the back, NOT EVERYONE NEEDS TO HAVE AN OPINION ON EVERYTHING!

Getting a little bit back to race and culture. Do you have any particular words of advice to the mixed-culture readers out there who might be struggling with identity or finding their community or sense of self?

I think the most important thing is that you shouldn't let anyone else dictate the relationship you have with your culture. It's nuanced, ya know? There are some areas in which I feel deeply connected to my Indian roots and others that I don't relate to at all, and that's ok. I think it becomes easier as you figure out who you are, and the ways in which your background informs that.

Any words of advice to aspiring comedians, actors, artists out there?

At the risk of sounding jaded, my words of advice are as follows: Life isn't fair, and entertainment DEFINITELY isn't fair. Make sure you are pursuing a career in the arts because you really care about it, not because you're chasing fame or glory or anything else. It's a long road and can be super rewarding, both emotionally and financially, but it's not easy.

Do your best to keep an even keel and don't forget to take care of your mental health, because a career in entertainment involves constant rejection. Control what you can control and try to let go of everything else. Obviously this is easier said than done.

Ideally, where would you like to see your career go next? You're doing more acting these days. Is the ideal next step for you to focus on TV or film or sketch comedy? Maybe some theatre? Or is stand-up your home base and what you'll always be attracted to?

Honestly, I'm open to any number of ways it could go. If you had asked me five years ago, I would have had a different answer than I do today, and if you ask me five years from now I bet I'll have a different answer then too. The most important thing to me is being able to financially support myself as an artist without compromising my integrity. Anything beyond that is gravy.

The dream has always been to cultivate enough of a following as a stand-up that I can work my way up to doing theatres, but obviously that is extremely rare. I love acting, but auditioning, particularly these past few years of self-tapes, has really made me disillusioned with the entire process. I'm constantly battling that fatigue and trying to stay positive, but it's not easy. Theatre doesn't interest me, but some combination of stand-up, acting, and hosting would be the dream.

If you could plan and headline your dream comedy event, who would perform with you and what would the venue be?

I would headline Carnegie Hall. I got to see Gary Gulman headlining there this past November, and it was electric. The history of that venue and the fact that it's located in the city where I became a real comic make it the perfect place. I would probably want some of the comics I came up with in New Jersey to perform with me, as well as the comedians I am closest with in the city.

And finally, anything else in the pipeline that you want audiences to know about? We can find your gig schedule on your website.  Any particularly important events or screen appearances?

Nothing I can think of other than encouraging people to follow me on social media and to please buy and/or stream my new album, Statistically More Relatable. It was the culmination of years of material that were borne out of the most difficult period of my life (going through a rough divorce), and I'm immensely proud of it.

All of my info, socials, where to buy my album, etcetera can be found here: www.linktree.com/adammamawala.