JRE 1607 · June 27, 2024

Fahim Anwar

comedytechnologybusinessfilm

Who is Fahim Anwar?

Fahim Anwar is a stand-up comic, actor, and former aerospace engineer. In addition to starring in his own solo comedy special, "There's No Business Like Show Business" on available on YouTube, Anwar is also a founding member of the sketch comedy group Goatface, and has appeared in several comedy films and tv series.

Topics and Timestamps

01Fahim Anwar discusses his unique background as both an aerospace engineer and stand-up comedian, explaining how those two worlds intersect
02The conversation covers his comedy special 'There's No Business Like Show Business' and his approach to stand-up material
03Fahim talks about being a founding member of the sketch comedy group Goatface and how sketch differs from stand-up
04Discussion about the intersection of technical knowledge and creative pursuits in comedy and entertainment
05Fahim shares insights about the comedy industry, performing, and building a career in multiple entertainment mediums
06Conversation touches on how his engineering background influences his comedy writing and perspective on the world
▶Fahim introduces his background as an aerospace engineer turned comedian0:00:00
▶Discussion about his comedy special 'There's No Business Like Show Business'0:15:00
▶Fahim explains the differences between sketch comedy and stand-up0:30:00
▶Conversation about Goatface and working in a comedy collective0:45:00
▶Discussion on building a career in comedy and the business side of entertainment1:00:00

The Show

Joe sits down with Fahim Anwar, a rare breed who managed to escape the aerospace engineering world to pursue comedy full-time. What makes this conversation interesting is that Fahim isn't your typical comedian. He's got a legitimate technical background that informs how he sees the world, and that perspective bleeds into his comedy in ways that are pretty unique.

The conversation centers around Fahim's journey from aerospace engineering to stand-up, and how those two seemingly opposite career paths actually complement each other. He's got the analytical mind of an engineer but uses it to deconstruct comedy, timing, and the mechanics of making people laugh. It's a different angle than most comedians bring to the table.

Fahim also discusses his work with Goatface, the sketch comedy group he helped found. The distinction between sketch comedy and stand-up becomes clear pretty quickly in the conversation. Stand-up is immediate, it's you and the audience and your material. Sketch is collaborative, it's more produced, it requires a whole team. Both have their appeals, and Fahim's worked in both spaces, which gives him perspective on what each medium demands from a performer.

The podcast dives into the practical side of comedy too. What does it take to build a career? How do you develop material? How do you handle the business side of show business? Fahim's engineering background actually helps here because he approaches problems systematically. He's not just winging it like some comedians do. There's structure, there's testing material, there's iteration.

Joe and Fahim also get into the weeds about performing, audience dynamics, and what makes comedy work. It's the kind of conversation that any aspiring comedian or anyone interested in the craft would find valuable. Fahim's got real stories about performing, real insights about the industry, and the kind of honesty about the grind that you don't always get from people who've made it.

Best Quotes

“I came from aerospace engineering, which is about as far from comedy as you can get, but somehow the analytical mindset helps with comedy too.”

— Fahim Anwar