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Comedian Vir Das has request for TV news channels amid ‘India’s Got Latent' controversy
Vir Das said while there should be a debate on what is good comedy, there should also be a discussion on what constitutes good journalism.
Actor and stand-up comedian Vir Das took to Instagram on Wednesday to weigh in on the ongoing controversy surrounding influencer Ranveer Allahbadia, urging a broader conversation on the state of journalism alongside debates on what constitutes good comedy.
Allahbadia, who recently faced backlash for his controversial comments on parents and sex during his appearance on the YouTube comedy show 'India's Got Latent', has been the subject of intense media scrutiny. Though Das did not name Allahbadia directly in his post, he criticised television news outlets for their continuous and often sensationalized coverage of the incident.
In his Instagram Stories, Das slammed the media's approach, calling it "a bunch of irrelevant mainstream media anchors bordering extinction coming together to take down new media that gets million more views." He went on to suggest that the criticism of new media, particularly YouTube influencers, was more about protecting traditional media interests than addressing the actual content or issue at hand.
"Whether you like the new media or not is irrelevant," Das wrote. "That's ALSO what's happening here. And while we debate what good comedy is, please debate what good journalism is, and the news that they SHOULD be doing, the questions they SHOULD be asking, and who they should be asking them to."
Vir Das, known for his own controversies as a comedian - often pushing boundaries with his stand-up acts - emphasized that discussions about the nature of comedy should be welcomed, but should not detract from the need for accountability in journalism. He made it clear that artists, including comedians, must take feedback seriously and be ready to evolve in response to criticism.
"A good artist will take their feedback head down, mouth shut, and maybe evolve. Either way, the consequences of your comedy on your career and audience are pretty instant. That's a natural process," he added.
Samay Raina deletes all ‘India’s Got Latent' videos
Comedian Samay Raina, in his first reaction to the vulgar remark row, said on Wednesday that he has removed all India's Got Latent videos from his YouTube channel.
Raina, whose YouTube show became immensely popular, said that the controversy, which was triggered by objectionable remarks made by YouTube celebrity Ranveer Allahabadia, has become too much for him to handle.
