Maz Jobrani has a few irons in the fire, including a TV show that was recently picked up by TruTV — but that’s not going to stop the Iranian comic from taking advantage of a Boston environment when he visits The Wilbur Theatre on Saturday night (October 13) with a new hour of stand-up in the bank.
After two seasons on the now-cancelled CBS sitcom Superior Donuts, a career move that took him off the rigorous touring schedule of a stand-up comedian, he’s gotten back on the grind of headlining dates all over the country. While he did get to act as a part of a cast that included Judd Hirsch, Katey Segal, Jermaine Fowler and David Koechner, the real take away from the opportunity was found away from the soundstage, and at home with his family.
“I try to be away as little as possible, but even when I’m working close to home, I make it a point to be around,” Jobrani tells Vanyaland. “Really, all of this revolves around me trying to spend time with my young kids while they’re still young and wanting to spend time with me.”
It’s no question that Jobrani is a family man. To further his place as a lovable comic, he’s a man of the people when he hits the road, bringing a diverse mix of race and ethnicity to his shows all over the world for a night meant to bring the masses together for a little while to laugh and forget about the insanity ensuing outside. But as a comic who has weighed in on political topics for a long time, Jobrani realizes that there are people who don’t fall in line with his political ideologies, and in turn chooses to see the positive side of his gatherings.
“I do have a diverse crowd that comes out to have a good time together, so in the end, it’s kind of an educational experience, because I engage with my audience and try to get to know a little bit about them,” says Jobrani. “I love what I do, and I love that I’m able to draw crowds from different backgrounds, and hopefully you leave with a good feeling when you leave my shows.”
Stretching far beyond ethnicity, the diversity Jobrani sees in his crowds, more than anything, is of a generational sort, where young crowds might not catch references to celebrated public figures like Marlon Brando. Even so, Jobrani is coming back to the city with a new hour in tow, and is psyched that he can present his art, and have his crowds on the same page as him in the process.
“I’ve been all over the place this year,” he adds. “Orlando, Chicago, St. Paul, Atlanta, San Diego, and wherever I’ve gone, it feels like the audience is on board with me. It’s also been really nice to read recent comments about the shows, where people have said, after all of the turbulent political stuff with the Kavanaugh hearings and everything over the last few weeks, that they were glad they had the chance to enjoy an hour and half where they could just sit down, laugh, and forget about it all.”
MAZ JOBRANI :: Saturday, October 13 at The Wilbur Theatre, 246 Tremont St. in Boston, MA :: 7 p.m., $39 to $75 :: Advance tickets :: Wilbur event page :: Featured image via the artist