Meet Mansi Mehra | Standup Comedian | Emcee | Technologist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mansi Mehra and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mansi, what do you attribute your success to?
There are several key elements behind my brand’s success as a stand-up comedian and an emcee. I have been able to bag opportunities by word of mouth and appreciation through my past work. I tried to capture a few here:

1. Authenticity and Originality: I like to bring my own personal story (also why I became a comedian in first place) to bring my unique perspective and personal experiences to my comedy sets. This includes adding Indian spices and flavor, pun intended. Audiences appreciate authenticity and originality in comedy, and my intent is to connect with them on a genuine level telling some spiced up real stories.

2. Skill and Craftsmanship: The mastery of comedic timing, delivery, and storytelling is fundamental which I learnt from my guru, Jeff Hodge at Stand-up comedy school. Stand-up comedy requires not just humor but also skillful execution to engage and entertain audiences consistently. Being bilingual made it more appealing to audience from various backgrounds including people from India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and middle east.

3. Adaptability and Versatility: Coming from an immigrant background, one can use it as a strength to get different perspectives. I like to demonstrate versatility in adapting the material to different audiences and environments. This flexibility allows them to appeal to a broader range of people and maintain relevance over time, both as a comic and an emcee.

4. Work Ethic and Dedication: Behind every successful comedian is a strong work ethic and dedication to honing their craft. Continuous writing, making notes on the go (you’ll watch me making notes on my phone!), refining material through performances & open mics, and learning from both successes and failures contribute significantly to growth and success. I feel shows are like cricket matches, sometimes you get out without scoring a run and sometimes it’s a century. You’ve got to have love for the game because no show is the same.

5. Connection with Audience: Ultimately, the ability to connect emotionally with the audience is crucial. Especially Desi Indian shows are a glimpse of India away from India. Whether through shared experiences, stories from back in the country, observational humor based on the contrast between the two India & America, or insightful commentary, I like to create a bond that keeps audiences coming back for more. I’s also a Bollywood buff so it adds value to my acts and hosting Bollywood gigs.

While factors like marketing, networking, and industry relationships play roles in a comedian’s success, I would want my journey to be named as “Talent without borders & boundaries”.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m an Indian-born standup comedian based out of Los Angeles. Today, I have performed more than 400+ shows across the United States sharing stage with several renowned international comedians including Maz Jobrani, Margaret Cho, Amir K and many more. I have hosted shows including musicals, dance competitions, recitals, Bollywood nights, speed dating events and worked with artists like Ayushmann Khurrana, Monali Thakur, Jonita Gandhi and many more.
I started as a Radio Jockey in L.A at Mera Sangeet radio station. I have been part of several film festivals like Indian Film Festivals Los Angeles (IFFLA), American Film Institute (AFI), Newport Beach Film Festival (NBFF) etc. Then became a filmmaker with my short film being selected by various film festivals and screened at AMC in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
In 2019, I won two pageants including being crowned as Miss India USA National 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina and Miss Exuberant Spirit 2019 in Beverly Hills, California. I’ve graduated from University of Southern California (USC) with a master’s in computer science engineering.
The journey from an R.J. to a Standup comedian to an emcee wasn’t linear but I wanted to channel my creativity in multidisciplinary proficiencies through different mediums. Today I enjoy performing at Comedy clubs for American audience as much as my heart swells with love when I watch tiny tots dancing on Bollywood songs while I emcee the show. I am glad that the variety of shows that take place in L.A. keeps your hunger for curiosity and continuous learning to improve your craft.
Although this was never the game plan, but today because of the shows I get to travel across the country, cater to variety of audiences from various countries, got invited to White House where I met President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, have gotten featured in several magazines and newspapers including L.A. Times, O.C. times, Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In and Brown Girl Magazine, Gorjes magazine and many more. More than me, it makes my family proud!

How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges?
I am a big believer in Kobe Bryant’s Mamba Mentality asking one to focus on the process and trust in hard work when it matters the most. Your work should speak for itself. Especially in Standup comedy where you get the results right away based on the audience’s response in the show. I remember being witnessed by CRY America team at Flapper Comedy club when they approached me to emcee their Gala in Orange County with Arjun Rampal being the guest of honor. I said “who me? I have never hosted any show”. They remain perseverant and that was my first ever show to emcee. Today I have lost count of the shows plus they have become more diverse. Was it easy? Nope but preparation is important catering to that show. The cultural sensitivity, open-mindedness, flexibility, collaboration, learning from fellow artists, understanding your audience, and the list goes on. You are always work in progress. So its eventually the mindset you carry to overcome any challenge that comes in.

What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way.
I feel as an artist you need to open yourself to learning new skills and ready to embrace failure which is essential for your growth. Surrounding yourself with people better than you inspires you to learn, explore and push boundaries, no matter what’s their background.
We all get burnt out sometime. So, rest is important to reignite creativity in your craft. I have written jokes to poems to rants to much more (which may not be worth sharing!). However discipline, consistency and mastering the art of patience is something I learnt during this process.

What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
I like to call myself an artist with no specific labels. I want to have the ability to perform as a comedian as well as be a good storyteller touching people’s hearts to a poet that people remember. I want to eat the cake and have it too haha!
All I would say is – don’t put yourself in a box. Don’t let your job be your identity when you are capable of being so much more than that.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Although it depends on the company, because LA has so much to offer. However, I love Mulholland drive for stargazing, walking around any of the beaches (my fav is Venice Beach and Palos Verdes), LACMA lights, checking out those late night taco trucks, some really good Korean BBQ places in Beverly Hills, cut little coffee shops in and around Redondo beach.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I owe my story to a long list of people.
To name a few: Jeff Hodge (my mentor) , Babu Bhai Patel, Manoj Kaytee, Harsh Vyas, and many more.

Website: https://mansimehra.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/machchar/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mansimehra/

Twitter: https://x.com/mansimehra

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/machcharmehra/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MansiMehra

Image Credits
Some Images are by Gene Lewis from Virtu imagery