TanGent Show

Rajiv Satyal

Comedian Rajiv Satyal couldn't pick just one thing. How the heck can you do that in a world so big? And when he's JUST SO SMART? The Cincinnati-born, LA-based standup comic conducts holistic conversations with his guests, who hail from fields as diverse as entertainment, politics, business, religion, and tech.

  1. 1d ago

    Azhar Usman

    Azhar Usman is a comedian, actor, writer, and producer best known as one third of Allah Made Me Funny. He's also worked on shows like Ramy, Mo, Ms. Marvel, and Patriot. Before comedy, he somehow managed to become a lawyer. Azhar and I have been friends and collaborators for years, including co-creating our Make Chai Not War shows, so I knew this conversation was probably not going to stay on the rails... And it really didn't. We started with comedy movies and somehow ended up spending a huge chunk of the episode talking about Stand by Me and why a movie I'd always thought of as a coming-of-age story is, through Azhar's perspective, also a deeply spiritual one. We get into ego versus arrogance, the difference between confidence and humility, what it means to actually work on yourself. I asked him for a few quick answers at the end, but after spending almost an entire episode on one movie, I probably should have known better.   Watch Azhar's recent comedy film: "The Islamic States of America"   Follow Azhar: Website IMDb Instagram Facebook X (Twitter) TikTok LinkedIn Youtube

  2. 4d ago

    Janina Gavankar

    Janina Gavankar is an actor and musician who has appeared on The L Word, True Blood, The League, and The Gates. She also just starred in the hit movie Best of the Best which recently premiered on Netflix and hit #1 movie in the world on that platform. On top of all of her acting accolades, Janina is also one of those people who seems to have about six completely different careers happening at once. She trained in music, was in a girl group signed to Cash Money Records, became the face of Microsoft's viral Ms. Dewey, and was one of the first actors to get on Twitter. When Janina and I sat down, I quickly realized that "actor" didn't really cover what we were talking about. We get into why she cares more about being respected for her craft than being famous, and her idea of the "arc of commitment" - knowing when to stop dabbling and really go for something. We touch on creativity, being afraid to be normal, making music, getting stronger instead of trying to get smaller, and why she thinks everyone should leave people better than they found them. Naturally, we spend a completely reasonable amount of time discussing chai, chocolate, and whether there is such a thing as being a super-taster.   Follow Janina: IMDb Website LinkTree Instagram Facebook Threads X (Twitter)

  3. Sep 29

    Lalita Satyal

    My guest on this episode is someone I've known my entire life - my mom, Lalita. She taught elementary school for 36 years and, after retiring, somehow decided that sitting around wasn't for her and started teaching Hindi at Miami University. So naturally, I thought I'd bring her on the podcast and find out what she actually thinks about life, work, family, faith, and all the questions I've been asking other people for years. There's something pretty special about interviewing your mom this way. I knew a lot of her answers already, but hearing her articulate them made me see parts of her life differently. She talks about why family comes first, why she's never really understood the concept of being bored, how she thinks people should choose work they actually enjoy, and why she considers her greatest accomplishment to be seeing her children and students succeed. One of he most meaningful parts of this conversation comes when she talks about bringing me home from the hospital as a baby and calling it one of the happiest and most miraculous days of her life. That's a pretty good answer to the Groundhog Day question.   Follow Lalita: Facebook Instagram LinkedIn

  4. Sep 25

    Rakesh Satyal

    Rakesh Satyal is, most importantly, my brother. But he is also an esteemed author and editor, best known for his novel Blue Boy, a coming-of-age story about a young Indian American boy in the Midwest. He's also spent years working in publishing in New York, bringing together a rather unusual combination of literary brain and pop-culture obsession. Since Rakesh is indeed my brother, I figured I had a little more freedom than usual to ask him the questions I actually wanted answered. We discuss why he thinks manners matter more than people realize, and what it means to have a distinctly "Rakesh" quality in writing—something that can be both highbrow and lowbrow simultaneously. But the conversation gets much bigger than books. We talk about celebrity, history, anxiety, ambition, money, the Internet, and creativity. He also tells one of the best stories I've heard about a drag queen and a pot of red dye.   Pick up one of Rakesh's books!   Follow Rakesh: Website Instagram BlueSky LinkedIn

  5. Sep 22

    Fahim Anwar

    Fahim Anwar is a comedian, actor, writer, and former Boeing engineer who went from doing stand-up in Seattle while working in aerospace to performing on Conan, Late Night with Seth Meyers, and Comedy Central. He also was a part of Goatface with Hasan Minhaj, Asif Ali, and Aristotle Athiras, and has appeared in shows like Chuck, The Carmichael Show, and United States of Al. When Fahim and I sat down, we ended up talking about comedy in a way I really enjoy - not just jokes, but the actual mechanics of doing this weird job. We get into the difference between talent and hustle, why Fahim has a romantic notion of letting the comedy speak for itself, and why he'd rather spend hours quietly grinding at The Comedy Store than handing out flyers on Hollywood Boulevard. Fahim explains why he loves the process of "engineering" a joke (appropriate...) and what a bad show can teach you.   Watch Fahim's new special "Intrusive Thoughts" Pick up some of Fahim's merch line   Follow Fahim: IMDB Website Instagram Facebook X (Twitter) Youtube TikTok

  6. Sep 18

    Maz Jobrani

    Maz Jobrani is a comedian, actor, writer, and a founding member of the comedy group "Axis of Evil". He's built a career talking about culture, politics, immigration, and family, while also appearing on shows like The Colbert Report, Grey's Anatomy, and Superior Donuts. Maz and I go all over the place in this conversation, but underneath all the jokes is a pretty consistent question: how do you build a life around the things you actually love? We talk about why he'd happily keep doing comedy and acting even if he had all the money in the world. He touches on the pressure immigrant parents can put on kids to choose a "real" career, and why he thinks more people should find a way to get closer to the things that make them happy. Maz is remarkably thoughtful about all of it, but he's also exactly the kind of guy who can turn a discussion about finding your purpose into a story about accidentally walking past his mark on The Late Late Show.   Watch Maz's most recent special "The Birds & The Bees" Get tickets to see Maz live, on tour!   Follow Maz: IMDb Website Instagram Facebook X (Twitter) TikTok Youtube

  7. Sep 15

    Sebastian Maniscalco

    Sebastian Maniscalco is one of the sharpest observational comedians working today, with a style built around turning everyday annoyances into very specific, very funny outrage. He's gone on to star in films like Green Book and The Irishman, release multiple stand-up specials, and become one of the biggest live comedy acts in the world. When Sebastian and I sat down, I was fascinated by how much of his comedy really does come from simply living his life. He talks about constantly turning new experiences into material and the difference between being funny and actually being good at stand-up. We also get into what makes a comedian's voice distinct and the particular art of letting a joke breathe. Naturally, we get into what pisses Sebastian off. Cheap people. Bad customer service. People staring at their phones instead of interacting with the humans standing right in front of them. Somewhere in there, the conversation turns into a much bigger discussion about manners, work ethic, immigration, and whether being accessible has replaced being mysterious.   Watch Sebastian's most recent standup special "It Ain't Right" on Hulu Catch Sebastian on tour! Pick up some of Sebastian's merch! Listen to Sebastian's Podcast "Pete & Sebastian Show"   Follow Sebastian: IMDb Website Instagram Facebook X (Twitter) TikTok Youtube

  8. Sep 11

    Vinay Satyal

    In this episode, I sat down with an extremely special guest: my dad. He has since passed away, so this recording is very special to me. It serves as a lasting memory of the love and kindness he shared with everyone he met. Vinay Kumar Satyal: November 12, 1944 - May 8, 2024

See All (76)

About

Comedian Rajiv Satyal couldn't pick just one thing. How the heck can you do that in a world so big? And when he's JUST SO SMART? The Cincinnati-born, LA-based standup comic conducts holistic conversations with his guests, who hail from fields as diverse as entertainment, politics, business, religion, and tech.

Information

  • Creator
    Rajiv Satyal
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    76
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025
  • Show Website
    TanGent Show

You Might Also Like