Q&A WITH CYRUS BROACHA

Former MTV host Cyrus Broacha has turned author and podcaster in recent years. LOL—Hasse Toh Phasse, an Amazon Prime Video comedy reality show, now brings him back on screen

Q. What inspired you to participate in LOL—Hasse Toh Phasse?

The concept is fun and interesting. It’s really tough to make someone laugh but not laugh at the same time. Also, you might be a great singer [like] Rihanna or whatever, but you want to find out whether you are better than others. So, a little bit of ego is there in that. There’s a little bit of selfintrospection where you say, ‘Let’s find out how good you are’.

Q. Your podcast, Cyrus Says, seems to represent your thoughts best. For instance, you mentioned you are against the lockdown…

A podcast is intimate and, yet, free. It’s a forum that allows you to speak your mind. The lockdown is like a band-aid— a temporary thing. There has been loss of income for daily wage earners and for us. The way I see it, the positive way to deal with this is to go on a war footing—get vaccines, medical supplies, beds and infrastructure in place.

Q. Your thoughts on the state of comedy?

We still live in a democracy. There are areas of concern no doubt, but it’s not as bad as some people think it is—you can still express yourself. But having said that, there is always room for more freedom of expression, less fear. I would like a more positive attitude from both comedians and artists, for them to find out innovative and creative ways to communicate, and hope for the best. And yeah, have a good lawyer.

Q. How do you keep yourself busy during the lockdown?

I walk my dogs five times a day, workout at 6 am…I do things that keep me happy.