During a segment on The View, Whoopi Goldberg defended Hasan Minhaj against accusations of embellishing jokes in his stand-up routines.
Goldberg, along with her co-hosts, discussed the practice of comedians exaggerating stories to make them more engaging.
Goldberg emphasized that this is a common practice among comics, explaining, “That’s our profession. We tell stories and enhance them.”
She shared an anecdote about a reporter fact-checking her claim of having a degree from New York University in one of her stand-ups.
She clarified that it was a character in her routine, Fontaine, who had the degree, not herself. Goldberg argued that scrutinizing comedians’ stories for accuracy misses the point, as the goal is not always to convey precisely what happened but to make the stories more entertaining.
Towards the end of the discussion on Minhaj, Goldberg reiterated that many comedic narratives contain elements of truth but are not meant to be taken literally.
She concluded, “That’s our duty—to include a kernel of truth, sometimes the whole truth, and sometimes complete fiction.”
The conversation followed a report in The New Yorker questioning the authenticity of certain anecdotes in Minhaj’s stand-up performances.
In response, Minhaj explained that his stand-up stories are rooted in real experiences but employ comedic techniques like hyperbole, altered details, and condensed timelines for entertainment value.
He likened this approach to visiting a haunted house for the thrill rather than seeking complete truth, highlighting that stand-up comedy operates similarly.