Who is Ahmed Bharoocha? Former comedy club dishwasher and 'AGT' contestant made his TV debut on 'Conan'
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Ahmed Bharoocha, a veteran of Conan, Colbert, and Comedy Central , is half Irish Catholic, half Pakistani-Indian-Burmese-Muslim, and entirely a master at punctuating powerful social critique with high-energy theatrics. Now the comic is going to lay out his funny bones in front of the greatest audience yet, 'America's Got Talent'.
Season 18 of 'AGT' has now aired nine episodes, and episode 10 will premiere on NBC on Tuesday, August 8, at 8 pm ET. This episode will feature a range of performances, including circus acts, magic, dance acts, and song performances. Terry Crews hosts 'AGT' season 18, and Heidi Klum, Simon Cowell, and Sofia Vergara serve as judges. Here's everything you need to know about comedian Ahmed Bharoocha.
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Who is Ahmed Bharoocha on 'AGT' Season 18?
Ahmed Bharoocha, a stand-up and sketch comedian living in Los Angeles, encourages audiences to focus on the positive rather than dwell on the negative. Even when addressing subjects like cultural clashes and religious hypocrisy, he maintains a light touch and always incorporates a healthy dose of humor. In his album 'Almond Badoody,' Ahmed humorously compares God to a youthful, immature dad and playfully discusses God's obsessed era, saying, "Tell your friends about me. Tell your friends about Dad. Tell ’em to come to dad’s house. Tell ’em I’m a fun dad. I’m the only dad. Thou shalt only have one dad!”
Ahmed Bharoocha is not only a stand-up and sketch comedian but also a member of the gleefully childish comedy trio Dead Kevin. This collaboration highlights his fun theatricality onstage, showcasing his talent for mimicking various settings, such as ceiling fans. After relocating to Los Angeles, Ahmed co-founded the sketch comedy duo Dead Kevin with fellow New England stand-ups Ryan O'Flanagan and Jack Robichaud. The Dead Kevin YouTube channel, boasting approximately 30,000 subscribers, released new sketches every Monday for three years before taking a break.
Ahmed Bharoocha's comedic talents have earned him appearances on TBS's 'Conan', Comedy Central's 'Adam Devine's House Party,' and Montreal's 'Just For Laughs Comedy Festival,' where he was part of the New Faces Unrepresented showcase. His sketch comedy ensemble, Dead Kevin, has also garnered recognition, being featured on Comedy Central Studios, Huffington Post UK, Funny or Die, and BuzzFeed. Ahmed is a regular performer at the Comedy Meltdown. Beyond his career, he enjoys a fulfilling personal life, being married to Abbey Londer, the festival director and executive producer of Live Events. They are proud parents to a son and a daughter.
Ahmed Bharoocha makes his debut on 'Conan'
Ahmed's comedic journey began with an unexpected twist. Back in 2004, while attending the University of Rhode Island, Ahmed mistakenly applied for a dishwasher and busboy position at Stitches Komedy Kafe in Providence. His assumption was that the comedy club employees were responsible for making the customers laugh. Little did he know that this mix-up would lead him to discover his true comic ambition.
Ahmed occupied himself by quietly composing his own content and, after a year, mustered the courage to sign up for his first open mic. He quickly made his mark in the Boston comedy scene and became a resident comedian at the renowned Comedy Studio. In 2010, Ahmed relocated to Los Angeles, where he found success as a member of the sketch comedy company Dead Kevin, all while honing his skills on the open-mic circuit.
Ahmed's dedication eventually paid off. The 34-year-old has become a stand-up pro, with notable appearances on 'Conan' and 'The Late Show With Stephen Colbert' to his credit. His performances combine keen observations of daily life with high-energy theatrics.
Ahmed is a regular on the surreal Adult Swim comedy 'Dream Corp LLC,' alongside the likes of 'Napoleon Dynamite's' Jon Gries and 'The Office' co-creator Stephen Merchant. In addition to his stand-up career, he will be performing at Drafthouse Comedy this weekend. The series, returning for a second season this autumn, marks another significant step in Ahmed's career, a dream he could only have imagined a decade and a half ago while washing dishes at a Rhode Island comedy club.
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Ahmed Bharoocha on 'AGT' Season 18
In its 18th season, NBC's reality competition 'AGT' has failed to crown a comic winner. During auditions, judges Simon, Howie, Sofia, and Heidi often declare that a stand-up comic they put through may finally win the program, yet no hopeful has yet to achieve that distinction, raising the question: Will a comedian ever win?
The 'AGT' stage is ideal for comedians to make their national debut. Although no comic has ever won 'AGT,' several have risen to stardom after appearing on the national stage. On August 8, Ahmed is about to make his big 'AGT' debut, and it will be interesting for a comic of his stature, to aim for the big prize.
New episodes of 'America's Got Talent' Season 18 air every Tuesday on NBC at 8 pm ET.