Summary
Comedy is subjective, but Zarna Garg’s humor is remarkably relatable. She has an endearing energy, and while not all her jokes landed, the show is entertaining to watch.
Zarna Garg is a stand-up comedian who won the Best Screenplay award at the Austin Film Festival in 2019. She’s been performing live in New York City comedy clubs, has an impressive TikTok following, and her first stand-up special, Zarna Garg: One in a Billion, premiered on Prime Video.
Garg starts the show by introducing herself as an immigrant here to take Jerry Seinfeld’s job. She mentions an unorthodox use for her traditional bindi and expresses amusement at certain cultural differences between the U.S. and her native India. It’s a solid start to the one-hour show, managing to get an immediate laugh out of the audience.
Comedy is subjective, but Zarna Garg’s humor is remarkably relatable. She talks about her kids (the 16-year-old son is “so handsome”), her husband, and her dreaded mother-in-law from a refreshingly honest perspective.
Family isn’t Garg’s only source of inspiration (though it seems she’d be out of the material without her mother-in-law). She addresses contemporary topics without falling into the trap of getting too political and makes fun of the struggles that come with parenting as an immigrant in American society.
She’s right at home on stage as a performer, and it’s impossible to tell how relatively new she is to professional comedy. Garg is engaging, charming, and knows how to time a good punchline.
I’d never seen Garg’s performances before watching this Prime Video special, but it’s easy to understand why she has over 100 million views on TikTok. She’s a genuinely hilarious and charismatic entertainer.
Throughout the hour, some of the jokes were laugh-out-loud funny, while others were a bit flat. The set’s first 10-15 minutes, as is the ending, are brilliant. Something was lacking in the middle of the set, but that’s probably just a subjective opinion rather than a consistency issue in Garg’s performance.
Zarna Garg: One in a Billion is not a perfect comedy set, but it features some hilarious moments that had me in stitches. Garg has an endearing energy about her, and while not all her jokes land, the show is entertaining to watch.
Her jokes about the cultural shock that comes from moving to a Western country are spot-on. Many parents, immigrant or not, will find her takes on raising kids relatable.
If you’re looking to spend an hour watching a talented “auntie” make a series of light-hearted mom jokes, this Prime Video comedy special is worth watching.
While not the best comedy act out there, Garg is certainly a unique and worthwhile entertainer.
I’d love to hear my readers’ thoughts on Zarna Garg: One in a Billion. Comment below!
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