Saad Haroon

Last updated

Saad Haroon
Medium Stand-up comedy, writing, film, television
Nationality Pakistani
Genres Observational humor, politics, current events

Saad Haroon is a Pakistani comedian, actor, and writer. [1] [2] He is the creator of the first ever Pakistani improvisational comedy troupe "BlackFish", [1] and was the first Pakistani stand-up comedian to perform in English in cities across Pakistan in his tour "Saad Haroon: Very Live". [3] Haroon created and hosted the first ever English language comedy television show in Pakistan, called The Real News. [1] In October 2014, he was voted the second funniest person in the world, securing 59,213 votes in the Laugh Factory competition. [4] [5]

Contents

Improvisational comedy

Haroon worked on "SHARK" in 2008, the first improv troupe to tour Pakistan and perform Long Form Improvisational Comedy. [6] SHARK's tour included performances in Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore where audiences throughout Pakistan witnessed musical forms of improv comedy and a long form improv structure known as the Harold for the first time. [7] SHARK's lineup includes Haroon, Danish Ali, Umair Pervez, Jaffar Ali, Daniyal Ahmed, Sohaib Khan, and Sana Nasir. [8]

In 2002, Haroon created BlackFish, Pakistan's first improv troupe, which was chosen to represent Pakistan in an international Theater Project at Contact Theatre in Manchester, England. [9] Haroon stepped down as director of BlackFish in 2005 to pursue other projects [10] but has continued to work on other projects with Contact Theatre. [11]

Haroon is also creator, co-writer and director of ‘We’ve made contact’; a half improvised half scripted original format play created for the British councils Connecting Futures Project which was performed in Manchester, England. [12]

Open mic nights

Saad Haroon arranges Open Mic Nights which features aspiring comedians, writers, poets, and other talented enthusiasts. [13]

The Real News

The Real News is Pakistan's first ever English Language comedy show in Pakistan. [14] Created and hosted by Haroon, the show pokes fun at current news events using political and social satire. [14] [15]

Conan (talk show)

Saad Haroon’s video sketch was selected by Conan O’Brien as part of the opening monologue for his show. “The sketch is about how people in Pakistan enjoy Conan’s late night talk show,” Nabhan Karim, the director of the video, told The Express Tribune. [16] [17]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Parhlo (29 October 2014). "The Story of Saad Haroon, the Second Most Funniest person in the World and Pakistan's Pride!" . Retrieved 29 April 2019.
  2. ↑ "Asap.ap.org". Archived from the original on 11 February 2008. Retrieved 8 February 2008.
  3. ↑ INSTEP Magazine Archived 7 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ↑ "Saad Haroon is the second 'Funniest Person in the World'". The Express Tribune . Archived from the original on 30 October 2014. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  5. ↑ "Results of world's funniest person". IBN Live . Archived from the original on 5 November 2014. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  6. ↑ "Saadharoon.com". Archived from the original on 11 January 2009. Retrieved 8 April 2009.
  7. ↑ "Thegreenkaleidoscope.com". Archived from the original on 18 January 2009. Retrieved 8 April 2009.
  8. ↑ "Sonyarehman". Archived from the original on 13 February 2009. Retrieved 8 April 2009.
  9. ↑ "Fish out of water". Dawn. 1 August 2004. Archived from the original on 5 September 2008.
  10. ↑ "Pakistan : Khaleej Times Special Report". Archived from the original on 19 December 2013. Retrieved 11 April 2013.
  11. ↑ "Contact Theatre: Showcase View". Archived from the original on 14 October 2007. Retrieved 8 February 2008.
  12. ↑ "Performing Arts - British Council Pakistan". Archived from the original on 2 December 2009. Retrieved 11 April 2013.
  13. ↑ "The Second Floor » t2f events". Archived from the original on 18 August 2007. Retrieved 8 February 2008.
  14. 1 2 "Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan". Archived from the original on 30 January 2011. Retrieved 9 November 2007.
  15. ↑ "How Pakistan's Satirists Poke Fun, Politically - washingtonpost.com". Archived from the original on 14 September 2019. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  16. ↑ Ansari, Hasan (19 March 2015). "Saad Haroon's sketch aired on Conan O Brien's talk show". The Express Tribune.
  17. ↑ "Saad Haroon sends love to Conan O'Brien from Pakistan". Dawn News. 19 March 2015. Archived from the original on 17 March 2020. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
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