Rajiv Satyal estimates he has dated about 100 women from virtually every socioeconomic background. Despite his smoothest efforts, not one relationship has ever worked out. Now, the Los Angeles-based comedian is getting ready to explore the "it's-not-you-it's-me" syndrome in his new one-person show, "No Man's Land," November 1 and 2, at the ACME Comedy Theater in Hollywood.
"This is a bit different from what I ordinarily do, because it's more theatre than stand-up comedy," Satyal said. "But don't worry, it'll still be funny. Anything based on my dating life would have to be."
Satyal, who formerly worked for Procter & Gamble and has been called "the funniest P&G marketer ever" by Advertising Age Magazine, often bases his comedy on real-life experiences. With "No Man's Land," he is looking for answers from the audience as much as he offers his own theories and hard-earned wisdom about what went wrong with his relationships.
Among topics covered are:
- Losing a girl at a Halloween party not because of his ridiculous costume but how he danced to a teen pop song
- Spending two decades in the "friend" zone
- The differences between manhood and "guyhood"
- How a crush cost him $12,000
- His Dave Chappelle fantasy
- How dating is like The Legend of Zelda
- Doing karaoke in front of a thousand kids to win over his crush
- The girl who threw up in his car and her father who helped clean it up
"The basic question is, 'Why am I still single?'" Satyal said. "Maybe I'll get lucky, and the right woman will be in the crowd. That's the plan. I mean, that's not the plan. That would be weird. But kind of awesome, let's face it."
Fortunately, Satyal has proven to be more popular among fellow performers than with the ladies. He has opened many times for such legendary comedians as Kevin Nealon, Dave Chappelle, Kevin James, Tim Allen and others.
In 2008, Satyal teamed up with Muslim comedian Azhar Usman to create a multicultural comedy show titled "Make Chai Not War." It was so popular among diverse ethnicities that the U.S. State Department sent Satyal and his partners on a comedy tour of India in 2012. Since then, the tour has repeatedly been criticized on Capitol Hill and in the news media by U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) as a waste of tax dollars. The trip was intended to be good diplomacy for America. For Satyal, it turned into something more.
"We were interviewed by this really pretty entertainment reporter," he said. "I got her number and we started dating. We carried on a long-distance relationship for a while. I flew back to visit her. We went for romantic elephant rides. That's what you do in India. I was really into her, but, of course, it didn't work out. I hope Rand Paul's next presidential campaign goes over as well as that relationship."
Directed by Samara Bay, "No Man's Land" will run Friday, November 1, and Saturday, November 2, at the ACME Comedy Theater, 135 N. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles, California 90036. Performances: 8:00 p.m. Tickets: $15. For more information, visitwww.nomanslandshow.com or call (323) 525-0202.
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