You don’t need to worry about quickly closing the window on your computer if your parents walk in while you’re watching Kenny Sebastian’s show on YouTube. His clean humour and sharp wit light up living rooms and stages with laughter that everyone can enjoy. A conscious move on his part, Kenny says. His decision to maintain a clean image in his comedy was both personal and strategic.
“I want my dad to sit and enjoy the show. I wanted my shows to be family-friendly and accessible to all. I’ve performed at schools like Bishop Cottons and St. Josephs, engaging with 10th, 11th, and 12th graders in Bengaluru,” says Kenny, adding, “The benefit is that I can connect with families and corporate audiences, which I enjoy. However, the challenge in evoking the same level of laughter as someone performing more unfiltered material is very hard. I wouldn’t say that clean humour is superior to unfiltered jokes; it is just a personal choice. I enjoy unfiltered jokes, but I choose to focus on clean humour. The hard-hitting nature of unfiltered jokes can be difficult to match.”
Kenny’s ongoing tour, Professor of Tomfoolery, presented by the entertainment platform Paytm Insider, has been captivating audiences both in India and abroad with his unique blend of comedy, music, and personal anecdotes. In a telephonic interview ahead of his show in Hyderabad, he opens up about his creative process, the challenges of standup comedy, and the inspiration behind his latest show.
Professor of Tomfoolery is a departure from his previous work, according to Kenny. “I delve into the heavy topics of family issues and therapy. I am 33, married now, and have 14 years of experience. I felt it was time to lay it all out on stage. Despite the weightiness of these subjects, the special has been well-received, with audiences appreciating my unique approach. Many have even returned to watch it a second time with their families. To keep the tone lighthearted, I approached it like a fun professor, matter-of-factly explaining complex concepts. By confidently discussing family dynamics, I help the audience relax and connect with the material. This method has made the show the most fulfilling one I’ve ever done.”
Travelling worldwide has taught Kenny the importance of consistency. Unlike earlier tours, where he would adapt his material for different audiences, he now performs the same show word-for-word, whether he’s in Chennai, Delhi, Toronto, or Germany. “Why are people travelling to come to see you? They don’t want to see you dilute the material for them,” he states.
“Many standup artistes tailor their performances to connect with their audience, often referencing their background and experiences.” Though a Malayali, Kenny relates to a diverse audience, blending his cultural roots with his experiences in Bengaluru.
“My background is a bit unique,” he says. “My dad was in the Navy, so we moved around often. Until we settled in Bengaluru, when he retired, I had never identified with any particular state. Growing up, I was used to being surrounded by people from different parts of India, and that diversity was the norm for me. As a kid, Bengaluru gave me a sense of stability and identity. However, I didn’t realise I had developed a Bangalorean accent until I moved to Mumbai. People there pointed out my accent, which was a surprise to me. Even though I now refer to myself as being from Bengaluru, I still feel like I’m just Indian because of my varied upbringing,” says Kenny, who highlights his Malayali heritage and Bangalorean identity in his shows.
When Kenny started his career, he says he received a lot of support from the north.
. “Mumbai felt like a great equaliser. It is a city where everyone is an outsider somehow, so there’s no strong north-south divide. I appreciate that about Mumbai. It is a place where diverse backgrounds blend, which reflects in my comedy too.”
When asked about his favourite episodes from his vast repertoire, Kenny shares an insight into the writing process. “The writing process of standup is the most brutal,” he remarks. “You get an idea and are so excited, but if the audience doesn’t like it, you must let go of it.”
He recounts how some of his most cherished sets, like the Bucket Bath and the Ostrich Joke, received lukewarm reactions from audiences despite his high hopes. Yet, sets he considered merely ‘‘okay,” like the one about a middle-class family in a restaurant, ended up being crowd favourites. This unpredictability, he notes, is intrinsic to the nature of standup comedy. However, his extensive experience in theatre, music, and improvisation has equipped him to handle on-stage unpredictability easily. Kenny explains, “Comedy is a subset of our personality, and it is one of the only professions where 50% of the performance is the audience laughing.” Unlike music or acting, where the artiste can perform independently, comedy requires immediate, honest reactions from the audience. “It is an unconscious reaction, which is very honest,” he adds.
Kenny’s musical background plays a significant role in his standup routines. Reflecting on his early days performing as a singer in small bars and clubs in Bengaluru, he reveals that his friends’ feedback led him to incorporate humour into his music. “Out of ten members in the audience, eight would be my friends, and I realised I’m very funny with music. My friends would say that I talk more than I sing,” he reveals. This unique combination initially helped him stand out in the comedy scene and continues to be a powerful element of his performances.
Growing up, Jerry Seinfeld was a major influence on Kenny. “His clean humour and the universal appeal of his jokes resonated with me; even as a kid watching Seinfeld on Star World, I was amazed at how I could connect with his humour despite our different backgrounds. Seinfeld’s ability to craft jokes around fundamental human experiences, rather than specific cultural or pop culture references, inspired my writing style,” says Kenny, who now looks up to his colleagues like Abish Matthew and Kanan Gill. “Whenever I feel a bit confused, I see what they’re doing, and it helps me find balance and inspiration.”
Kenny’s podcast Simple Ken was launched in February 2020 with four episodes, and then in March, when COVID hit, it inadvertently became a documentary of a guy going through COVID. Now, the podcast has returned to its original concept of Kenny conversing with his comedian friends.
Simple Ken was an interesting venture because it countered the prevailing notion that the younger generation’s attention span is dwindling. “Around four years ago, I noticed the emergence of niche podcasts, which typically run for at least an hour. In the YouTube business, everything needs to be efficient — videos have to be four minutes, eight minutes, or even just 60 seconds long. Even on stage, jokes have to be efficient. I wanted to explore a more unfiltered, non-efficient form of content, which is where podcasting came in. A podcast is just a person having a conversation; it doesn’t have to be funny. I wanted to see if I could find an audience for this, but I wasn’t attached to any specific outcome. I also wanted my audience to see a non-funny side of me.”
Following Professor of Tomfoolery, Kenny is diving into a new special focused entirely on music. He plans to give audiences a taste of what is to come by playing two songs at the end of each show, akin to a Marvel post-credit scene. “It’s a fun way to blend my music and comedy,” Kenny shares. With 18 more songs to compose, he’s eager to take on the challenge and share his musical journey.
