Funny That Way ~ On-Demand
To listen on mobile devices, simply click on the audio file link.
Comedienne Dhaya Lakshminarayanan chats with Dana about growing up Hindu in
Alabama, Nerd Pride, mindful humor, and why Ganesha is the god of
Information Technology. Also, true stories of the Dalai Lama, rocks with
spirit, the extreme challenge of vows of silence for hyper-active funny
folks, and who said "India is a spriritually over-rated country".
Pronounced "Dye-yah" not "De-hiya" as some may think is fiery yet enjoyable
(much like masala). In past incarnations she's traveled to Cuba as a
researcher, worked as a venture capitalist, chosen to be Ms. August '06
Saffron Rare Threads, received degrees from and taught "Charm School" at the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and attended two Democratic National
Conventions as a journalist before starting in the "funny" business of
comedy. Her commanding 5-foot-tall stage presence, sharply written material,
ease with the crowd, and vibrant characters draw in rowdy bar flies and
excite sober intellectuals alike.
For Dhaya, life is comedy, including her traditional Indian upbringing,
nerd-pride, childhood in the Deep South, thoughtfully accessible
socio-political commentary, and daily amusements in colorful San Francisco.
She was chosen to be part of the national "Five Funny Females" tour. She has
performed in showcases around the country such as the San Francisco
Punchline, the San Jose Improv, Silicon Valley's Rooster T Feather's, New
York City's Gotham Comedy Club, and The Los Angeles Comedy Store . She has
performed for the South Asian Journalists' Association, the Indus Women
Leaders, Singapore Airlines, emceed the Nirvana Woman Magazine's Fashion
Show, the APAture Runway Fashion Show, covered Election Night for KMVT
Channel 15, and performed for numerous private events.
She was a finalist at the Rooster T Feathers Comedy Competition, won third
place in the 2008 Harvey's Political Comedy Competition, and first place in
the 2007 "Battle of the Bay" competition. She is one of the only female
Indian stand-up comedians in the world.
