Speaking to the funniest person in the world, I expected to be in stitches half of the time. But that’s not the obligation of a comedian, I learnt. Harith Iskander is a well-known face in the comedy industry and he shares with Discover KL how the common misconception of folks like himself is that comedians are funny 24/7. “Not true,” he conveyed in a matter-of-fact tone. In fact, Harith said he might be the most boring person that his other half, Dr. Jezamine Lim, knows.
27 years in the standup comedy industry has earned Harith his rightful place as one of the kings of comedy in Malaysia. But underneath the exterior of a funnyman, he’s actually just a regular ol’ guy who loves his family to bits, enjoys the occasional guitar jamming session and golfing in his spare time.
Discover KL recently got to speak to Harith as he bares all on everything, from what hairstyle he’d love to have if he could, to how he’d spend his last day on earth.
1. When did you first discover that you’re actually pretty funny?
All my secondary school friends told me that I was the class clown back then and I would make them laugh. I was definitely not a sportsman, so I was the class clown. But I think the moment I realised specifically was 1990 because at that time, I started my standup comedy career plus I directed my first TV series, Jangan Ketawa, which became the highest rated TV series of the time (circa 1991-1992).
2. What’s your backup plan if your audience does not laugh?
There is no backup plan, that’s both the joy and downfall of standup comedy. You live and you die on stage. If you succeed, it’s all up to you and if you die on stage, it’s all up to you. So there is no real backup plan. If they don’t laugh, just learn from the experience. There’s nothing you can do about that except learn from it.
3. Has that ever happened before?
It has happened to me before many times. I would not be a good comedian if it did not happen to me.
4. What’s the common misconception that people have about comedians?
That we are funny all the time. Not true. My wife can verify this. I’m probably the most boring person she knows.
5. What’s the best topic to center a standup comedy show about in Malaysia?
Well, number one. Malaysians love to laugh. I’ve been doing standup comedy for 27 years and I’ve performed for anything from 100 people to 9,000 people and if there’re Malaysians in the audience, you’d know. We really, really, really love to laugh, more so than I would say, our closest neighbours in Singapore. They seem to be afraid to laugh. They’re learning but they’re still far away from Malaysians. So as long as everybody gets the topic, Malaysians will laugh. We’re quite blessed that we love to laugh.
6. Do you feel the pressure to always be funny or happy when you’re in public?
Yea, that does happen. But I don’t complain about it. It’s like saying to a prime minister, “Oh, do you feel the pressure of running the country?” They chose to do that. I chose to be a comedian, the so-called fame came a little later. But it’s still my choice. I accept it and I embrace it.
7. Being a comedian and entertainer means that you’re away from your family a lot. How do you juggle family life?
Yea, that’s the toughest part, especially ’cause I’ve got 3 kids. When I have a trip that takes me longer than 2 or 3 or 4 days, that’s always tough. Fortunately, my wife happens to be my manager. She’s a damn good manager at that. So when I go on long trips, at least I’ll have her with me and we can both miss the kids together. But at the end of the day, we are blessed because when we are at home, the kids always still feel the need to run to us. When we go out, they’ll cry and say, “Why do you have to go out?” I still feel good that I’m able to spend enough quality time with them that when I’m not there, they’ll feel sad.
8. What are your other passions besides comedy?
My passion is actually my family. But if you’re talking about recreation, I love golf, but I don’t play enough of it. I also love music and concerts. We just went to the Coldplay concert in Bangkok and I went to see Madonna in Singapore. I love the live music experience and that passion I indulge in once in a while. Other than that, it’s golf and music.
9. What’s the one thing you love most about your wife, Jezamine?
Her kindness to underprivileged people.
10. What’s one talent you’d like to have?
To be able to sing. I’d love to have a really good singing voice like Luther Vandross’.
11. If you could have one specific hairstyle, what would it be?
I’d go for the mullet from the ’80s. (laughs)
12. Tell us one foolproof joke.
Oh my gosh. I’m not joking when I say there is none. What one person finds funny, the other person might not. There is no one joke that everybody laughs at.
13. Describe yourself in one word.
Loving.
14. A Malay and Chinese guy walk into a bar and…
They look at each other and say, “Where’s the Indian?”
15. If you weren’t a comedian, what would you be?
A rock n’ roll guitarist. Playing heavy rock somewhere and making no money at all.
16. How would you spend your last day on earth?
With my wife and kids.
17. What’s the worst thing about being a comedian?
That I need to work on Friday and Saturday nights, I guess.
18. What advice would you give a 16-year-old Harith?
Don’t spend so much money on rubbish. Because I used to buy tons and tons and tons and tons of magazines which I read once and they end up stacked up in my room somewhere. And also, invest in insurance.
All Image Credits: Harith Iskander