Ronny Chieng and Hasan Minhaj sharing a stage is catnip to “Daily Show” fans. But the “Hasan Hates Ronny/Ronny Hates Hasan” tour, which stopped at the Orpheum Theatre on Saturday, was tailored more to immigrants ready to laugh about — and celebrate — stereotypes about their heritage.
For the record, the two comics don’t really despise each other. Their feud is as artificial as the one between Matt Damon and Jimmy Kimmel.
But the pair, both dressed liked they were about to give a PowerPoint presentation, leaned into the fake fight from the start, circling each other like sumo wrestlers, knocking down microphone stands, throwing shoes and delivering verbal low blows.
Chieng, 39, brought up the New Yorker article that exposed Minhaj, 40, for fibbing in his routines, a story that took him out of the running to become the permanent “Daily Show” host. Minhaj made fun of his opponent’s height.
But the bulk of the 80-minute show was focused on a debate over who was better: South Asians or all other Asians.
They took questions from an AI referee, represented by an ominous globe, on who was superior in a variety of areas including sports, food, business and politics.
About 50 audience members were invited to sit on stage bleachers, as if they’d end up serving as judges, but they didn’t end up playing much of a factor.
Chieng scored when he pointed out that India has only won a single event (the javelin throw) at the last three Summer Olympics.
