Last Minute Plans: Hari Kondabolu At Lincoln Hall

By Matt Byrne in Arts & Entertainment on Apr 4, 2014 4:01PM

Following the release last month of his debut standup comedy album, Waiting for 2042, on the legendary Portland-based indie rock label Kill Rock Stars, Hari Kondabolu performs at Lincoln Hall tonight. A writer for the recently (and unjustly) cancelled Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell, Kondabolu is an analytical, intelligent performer, tackling subjects like racism, class inequality and his obsession with the rock band Weezer.

Despite the political heft of much of his material, Kondabolu manages keeps things light, buoyed by his affable personality and sharp observational skills. The critically acclaimed Waiting for 2042 is a perfect crystallization of what makes Kondabolu a totally unique and necessary voice in standup comedy, serving up caustic observations on race and identity without seeming preachy or self-righteous.

When not writing or doing standup, Kondabolu also hosts a podcast with his brother, Ashok (also known as Dapwell, hype man for the dearly departed rap group Das Racist), called the Untitled Kondabolu Brothers Podcast. Last month, he appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman, where he was probably the first standup comic on Late Night TV to say "race is a social construct."

Hari Kondabolu performs tonight, Friday April 4 at Lincoln Hall, 2424 N. Lincoln, more information and tickets available here.