Did you know that Shishir Budha is a Stand-Up Comedian both on and off of Bucknell’s Campus? You may have seen his recent set at Brasserie Louis or at the annual SASA dinner, heard him perform at open-mic night at the Cider Bar downtown, or watched his Stand-Up at the Uptown Lit Fest! If you want to know more about Shishir’s Stand-Up journey, continue reading:
How did Shishir get into Comedy?
Shishir’s eyes were opened to the world of Stand-Up and its possibilities when he first heard comedian Geroge Carlin talk about how religion is ‘BS.’ This made him realize you can make jokes about stuff like that. He loved and still loves listening to comics like Eddie Murphy, Richard Pryor, and Wanda Sykes.
Which comedians inspire Shishir?
In addition to the comedians mentioned above, Shishir also follows Dave Chappelle, John Mulaney, Jessica Kirson, and Michelle Wolf. His most recent inspiration is Gary Gulman.
How does he come up with his material?
Since leaving his home country, Nepal, to come study in the U.S, Shishir has noticed a lot of differences between Nepalese and American culture and language(s). These differences lent a lot of material for his comedy. Though he admits he had some bad jokes in the beginning, Shishir has worked on honing his craft by writing for an hour each day (talk about work ethic!).
How did Shishir come to perform at the Gotham Comedy Club?
Though New York is extremely cut-throat, Shishir managed to snag a spot performing at Gotham Comedy Club through hard work and persistence. He performed three times a day every day until he got noticed. He says his journey has been filled with some heartbreaks, but overall his success has come from his own merit, connections, and luck.
Shishir’s Gotham Comedy Club Set went viral on Facebook with more than 256,000 views!
As one of the only Stand-Up Comics talking about Nepal, Shishir has gained a huge amount of Nepalese fans who support his comedy and follow his journey from afar.
What is a misconception that people have about Stand-Up Comedians?
Shishir believes the idea that one needs to be a ‘troubled artist’ to produce interesting or meaningful art is a myth. Dealing with depression hinders instead of helps one create art. Shishir shared that these topics are focused on in both Hannah Gadsby’s Emmy-winning special, Nanette, and Gary Gulman’s HBO special, The Great Depresh. Check out this article to learn more.
What is Shishir’s favorite part about Stand-Up?
According to Shishir, getting to share his story through comedy is one of the best parts about Stand-Up. Also, being able to meet new people and make friends with other comedians is awesome. Finally, Shishir notes that he has ‘atypical’ Asian parents in that they don’t conform to the stereotype of being really strict. He is so thankful for his family for supporting him along this journey and says he couldn’t have done it all without his friends from Nell Party and the Cider Bar who keep him afloat.
What is Shishir up to now?
By the time you read this Shishir will have performed at Franklin Street Comedy Festival in North Carolina. You can see what Shishir is up to by following him on facebook and youtube!