Comedy for positive change: Papa CJ to help charities through his shows across India

Stand-up comic Papa CJ’s initiative aims to support a range of causes from women’s empowerment, child welfare to animal welfare. To accomplish the same, he will be doing shows pro bono for charities across India, between May 15-30.

His business card defines him as an ‘Ambassador of Happiness,’ and stand-up comic Papa CJ believes he’s in the “happiness profession and not the comedy profession.” And now with Papa CJ Happiness Project initiative, he plans to perform his award-winning acts pro bono for charities across India, to bring smiles on the faces of less privileged.

Papa CJ is also scheduled to perform at the Sydney Opera House in Australia soon.

“I lost a big project, (which required doing) multiple shows across the country. However, when the project got cancelled, I found that the financial loss did not bother me at all. So, I decided that if my motivation lay more in creating happiness in the lives of people, I might as well direct my efforts towards raising money for those, whose lives it could significantly improve,” says CJ, whose show Naked, has received standing ovation even in New York, Broadway Show.

Women’s empowerment, child welfare, building schools for the underprivileged and differently-abled children, and animal welfare are some of the causes this initiative will support. CJ will be bringing his best material for the shows, which will be held in Vadodara, Bhubaneswar, Kolkata, Delhi among other Indian cities. He adds: “These shows will not include any parts of my show Naked, which I will be touring separately.”

“All my shows will include my trademark unpredictable, irreverent and uncensored spontaneous crowd interaction. I have currently offered to do these shows between 15-31 May, and I am in talks with various charities to confirm shows,” says CJ, who has performed over 2000 shows in 20 countries.

“My passion is to perform for the live audience. My aim is not to attain fame and popularity but to find meaning in my work. I believe that being a celebrity is a currency and what matters is how we choose to spend it. Whether in short or long term, I’d like to spend the little currency I have trying to bring a positive change in people’s lives,” says Papa CJ, who is also scheduled to perform at the Sydney Opera House in Australia soon.