NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
Indian-American comedian Nimesh Patel set social media buzzing after a recent Daily Show appearance where he lampooned Donald Trump’s inner circle of Indian-American allies with biting humor and cultural commentary.
Introduced by host Ronny Chieng as “the Indian representative,” Patel riffed on what he called Trump’s version of DEI — “the d***-eating Indians” — drawing loud laughter from the audience. His sharp jabs spared no one in the MAGA orbit.
On former presidential candidate and Ohio Gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, Patel quipped: “His opening line was ‘God is real.’ Why did he make you 5’7”, Vivek? He has 5’7” energy.” He went on to brand Ramaswamy a “herb,” a 1990s slang term for someone trying too hard.
Turning to Usha Vance, wife of Trump’s running mate JD Vance, Patel delivered one of the night’s most viral punchlines: “I’m praying she has Stockholm syndrome. Because otherwise, why is she with JD Vance?”
Patel was more cautious when mentioning Kash Patel, a former Trump aide. “I’m not saying sh* about Kash Patel. I’m not trying to get one-way tickets to El Salvador,”* he joked, before adding that Kash Patel’s Long Island upbringing and full name — Kashyap Pramod Vinod Patel — gave him “out for revenge” energy.
Clips of Patel’s set have since circulated widely online, sparking both applause for his fearless satire and debate over the boundaries of political comedy.
The full segment is available on The Daily Show’s official YouTube channel here.
