Comedian Negin Farsad Makes Kansas City Laugh—And A Little Uncomfortable

We sent Fake the Nation host and comedian, Negin Farsad, on a last-minute trip to America’s Heartland, aka Kansas City, Missouri. The author of How To Make White People Laugh, is six months pregnant and doing stand up in a comedy club that hasn’t had a woman on stage in five weeks.  From waddling on the “wrong side of town” to sharing her experiences as an Iranian-American Muslim in an interracial relationship—she moves past the pleasantries of ribs and fountains and glimpses the heart of Kansas City.  They Stared At Me While I Waddled.  In this episode, discover: How a New Yorker walks her way through Kansas City sights.  A comedy set that parallels a tourist’s experience of the city.  The ways race and segregation in Kansas mirror the rest of the country . “Dirty, Hungry Comedy Eyes.” Don’t miss these transformative travel moments:  [3:45] A traveler’s comedy set: Six months’ pregnant and sightseeing.  [8:00] The “wrong side of town” and leaning into the uncomfortable.  [11:22] Kansas City, united by “sincere booty shaking.”  Resources • Read Negin's original story. • Read this Afar story by Negin about a magic mushroom retreat • Explore Negin's other work. • Follow Negin on X. Be sure to subscribe to the show and to sign up for our podcast newsletter, Behind the Mic, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. And explore our second podcast, Unpacked, which unpacks a tricky topic in travel each week.