A Muslim comedian’s take on diversity in America

Negin Farsad opens her recently published memoir, How to Make White People Laugh, by announcing that she is an "Iranian-American Muslim female comedian-slash-filmmaker," and also a self-professed "honey mustard enthusiast." She declares that like most comedians, she "has a master's degree in public policy and African-American studies," from Columbia University. Rather than trying to establish a common ground with her audience as some writers might, Farsad calls attention to her idiosyncratic bac

Negin Farsad opens her recently published memoir, How to Make White People Laugh, by announcing that she is an "Iranian-American Muslim female comedian-slash-filmmaker," and also a self-professed "honey mustard enthusiast." She declares that like most comedians, she "has a master's degree in public policy and African-American studies," from Columbia University. Rather than trying to establish a common ground with her audience as some writers might, Farsad calls attention to her idiosyncratic bac…