Why Trump’s No Laughing Matter—Even for Me: Comic

The Daily Beast Podcast

The Daily Beast

News & Politics

4.6 • 7.9K Ratings

🗓️ 1 December 2025

⏱️ 29 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Comedian Zarna Garg joins Joanna Coles to explore why she avoids political comedy, the pressures of Indian-American family expectations, and the surprising ways the Indian community relates to figures like Trump and Modi. Along with her daughter Zoya, Zarna traces the intersection of heritage, ambition, and representation, from Bollywood-inspired bravado to the delicate balance of supporting daughters marrying across faiths. Along the way, Garg reflects on mentorship, collaboration with Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, and the lessons that have shaped her career. It’s a conversation that’s at once personal, political, and profoundly revealing—how does heritage shape ambition in America?

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Transcript

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0:00.0	So Indian community has not had the problems with Trump in the way that America has.
0:05.1	Because we don't, he should, me personally, I don't think he should be doing things the way he's doing that.
0:13.7	I have a problem with his execution.
0:16.9	I'm Joanna Coles. This is the Daily Beast podcast.
0:19.5	We've got advice for you from the only Indian family that has a family podcast. I'm talking, of course, about the Zaggs. Zana Zag is the matriarch. Zoya is her daughter. They're also going to give you a different perspective on Ushah Vance and how J.D.
0:39.4	is fully integrated into a Hindu lifestyle. And, well, they're just going to blow your mind about
0:45.5	many, many things and give you a good laugh.
0:49.7	So are you tempted to do, the shows I've seen that you've done haven't been political.
0:55.6	No.
0:55.8	Are you tempted to do politics at all?
0:58.1	I have a lot of political opinions, but I try not to do it.
1:01.8	I don't do political comedy because it feels like every other comic wants to.
1:06.7	You know, the space that I'm in, nobody seems to want to be in.
1:12.2	There are so many brown comics today that are married, but they don't want to talk about
1:16.2	their mother-in-laws.
1:17.6	Right.
1:18.2	They're too afraid.
1:19.2	So I feel like...
1:21.0	So you're going there.
1:22.3	So actually, that's the elephant in the world.
1:24.1	It's easier to take on Trump than it is your own mother-in-law.
1:27.3	You're an Indian mom. Another Indian mom must be feeling very proud. Her son at the age of 34 got elected, mayor of New York. I'm obviously talking about Mira Naya, the filmmaker. What do you think she's thinking?
	...

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