Radical Radhika Vaz

• 29 Sep 2014
• Features

She is funny. She issmart. She is older, angrier and hairier. Comedian Radhika Vaz had the city insplits at her show in JTPAC.
“Call me whatever you like, but don’t call me lady” RadhikaVaz is the epitome of cool.  This is hersecond act in Kerala, and she is excited to be back. The short-haired,enthusiastic, not-so-much-of a-lady has had it with tradition. What is all thefuss about anyway? This is the crux of her show Older, Angrier, Hairier. Shebrings her life experience to the stage and isn’t afraid to talk about issuesmost of us would shy away from.
Wtzup (W):Tell usabout the show.
Radhika Vaz (RV):Times have sure changed, but we still hold on to our traditions and even makenew ones for everyone to follow. People expect so much from a woman; housework,career, babies. The aging process is something else that affects all of us. Ibring these issues to light from my personal experience.
W: How do you think the Malayali audience is going to react?
RV: So many people keep telling me that the Malayali crowdis very conservative. Where are these conservative Mallus, I ask. Since I wentto boarding school in the South, I have a lot of Malayali friends. Trust me,they are far from conservative. I have met their families and spent time withthem.  This is my second act in Kerala. Ihad a private performance in Kottayam a while back. The audience was great.As a professional, I have no idea how my first public showin Kerala is going to be received. That is the beauty of a live show. It isgood not to have expectations. In a crowd of 100, if ten people are enjoyingthe show, I will perform for them. I have had people reacting negatively to myshows. The point is that you have to go on with a lot of confidence. Your valueshould not go down.
W: What are you bringing to the Kochi crowd?
RV: Stand-up comedy is still young. A lot of people will benew to the format. Some may feel awkward at first. Some people are scared thatif they laugh too loud that they will bring attention on themselves. So youraudience needs to be warmed up. Once a few people let themselves go, otherswill join in. Don’t worry; I don’t pick on people much. Don’t feel shy aboutsitting in the front row.
W: Who is the stereotypical Indian woman?
RV: You really can’t stereotype her. Though there is a generalexpectation that an Indian girl is a “good” girl. She doesn’t drink, she doesn’tsmoke, she always crosses her legs when she is sitting, she doesn’t talkloudly, she doesn’t shout. I don’t think this is true anymore. We have such adiverse culture.
W: What do you think of the ‘mundu’?
RV: Men should show off their legs too. The mundu is reallyinteresting. My father wears a lungi to sleep so I am used to it. When I landedin CIAL, I got this really cool picture of four men in mundu: two of them hadfolded it up.  
W: What goes on behind a show?
RV: There is all the writing and preparations. I get myinspiration from around me, especially my female friends.  You need to be really to be focused during theshow. So one hour before, I completely cut off from everybody. I take my timeto concentrate because you need to be in control of the matter, language anddefinitely the humor to tell the story.
W: So standup, popularity then Bollywood?
RV: I used to take Improv classes in NYC and I have a lot ofactor friends. As a performer most of my work is acting related. I amdefinitely motivated to be involved in films. There are good movies being madelike Finding Fanny, Queen, Mary Kom etc which show contemporary life. That ismore to my sensibility. Well I’m a writer, maybe I will write for movies. Icould do an item number……in my own way.
W: When did you know you were funny?
RV: I think I always was funny. I loved making people laughand doing whatever it took. My dad is also a very funny guy.
(We get solid proof of this from her school friends from Kochi.)
W: Which comedians do you watch?
RV: Jim Carr, Bill Hicks, Patrice O’neal and most definitelyJoan Rivers. I also watch what people recommend. It’s great to have Youtubewhere all the material is always accessible.
W: Do you think there is life outside of Earth?
RV: I’m not a fan of sci-fi stuff but I hope so. If we arethe only example of life, that is quite depressing. Here we are just spinningaround, messing things up.

Getting older has changed a lot of thing in her life. Nowshe can tell people to mind their own business. She maybe hairier, not becauseof age, but because she stopped giving a damn. No more nipple hair tweezingsays Radhika. No more explaining to people why she doesn’t want babies. Why dowe women have to burden ourselves with so much expectations? Her humor is spoton and she doesn’t miss a beat when a baby (she is not a child hater but justfinds them annoying) starts crying in the audience. We can’t wait for theunladylike Radhika Vaz to come back. 

Quickies
Why did the chicken cross the road? -Thanks to my Malayalifriends, “simbly”.
Music – current favorite is John Newman and Haim
What is in your bag  -always moisturizer and chapstick
Pet Peeves -we should always say please and thankyou
Who are you - I’m just a person
Weirdest comment on your haircut - women who have cut offtheir hair have given up on life.