Five Questions For: Aziz Ansari

Aziz Ansari will be at the Sixth & I Historic Synagogue on Saturday. Photo by Steven Dewall.

You’d be hard pressed to find a comedy this past year Aziz Ansari’s presence didn’t improve upon. Whether it's Amy Poehler’s slow to start Parks and Recreation or his memorable turns in otherwise lukewarm films (Observe and Report, RAAAAANDY in Funny People), Ansari has come to perfect the scene-stealing cameo. With his comedy troupe Human Giant on hiatus, online ubiquity thanks to RAAAAANDY and an upcoming role in the forthcoming Judd Apatow-produced Get Him to the Greek, Ansari’s sold-out show at the Sixth and I Historic Synagogue on Saturday looks like a sign of things to come. In the midst of his busy schedule, Ansari offered DCist his perspective on weighty issues like his increased profile, Gov. Mark Sanford and how to convincingly conjure the spirit of East Avenue legend Marlo Stanfield.

In a previous interview for our sister site LAist, you answered questions both as yourself and as a member of Marlo Stanfield’s crew from The Wire. Please feel free to respond to our questions in the same manner at any point.

Since this is for DCist, I’ll start with a requisite political question. Having grown up in South Carolina, do you believe Governor Mark Sanford should resign?

What did he do? Have sex with a horse or something? Who knows with South Carolina? Yeah, I guess?

The past year has been tremendous for yourself and fellow comedians Demetri Martin, Patton Oswalt, Rob Huebel, etc. How would you say that success has changed all of you? Provide two to three concrete examples.

1) I have a security team of nine bodyguards.

2) I bathe exclusively in Ciroc Premium Vodka.

3) I am responding to these questions while on a hovercraft/jet ski hybrid called a hoverski or jet craft.

The RAAAAAAAANDY character from Funny People seems to have really taken off. Will he be a fixture in your set from here on out?

I have to write some new Randy material, but first I need to focus on Aziz! It seems like Randy material would be easy to write a bunch of, but it’s actually really hard, because, thank God, I don't think about the things the way Randy does.