'Got Science': Everyday science made fun

Malaysian stand-up comic Harith Iskander speaks about hosting BBC Earth’s new series

November 04, 2019 11:29 am | Updated November 06, 2019 10:47 am IST

Science, many in India will agree, is a bunch of equations, formulae, compounds and other confusing things. But science, actually, is a key to curiosity, a boat to sail in the vastness of knowledge and a subject that is endlessly fascinating. It is crucial to cooking, eating, driving, working, playing et al . It is learning about life itself.

Sony BBC Earth, with Got Science , attempts to explain the science in our everyday life with reason and fun. For this, they have got on board popular Malaysian stand-up comedian Harith Iskander. Harith, who did badly in science at school, talks about hosting the show and more.

Excerpts

You said in an interview that you never really grasped science in school. What made you take up this show?

I did not ‘grasp science’ is an understatement. I was at the bottom of my class in science. And, I say that proudly. When I was offered the show, I jumped on board as the theme and the tone of the show is explaining science to the layman. I thought I would also be learning something I did not 30 years ago. So, it was a no-brainer for me to accept the show. And, I am enjoying myself.

How challenging was it to do the show?

Science was such a crazy difficult thing for me when I was younger. But with the support of writers and the BBC, everything was making sense and it all sounded simple. The challenge was getting to know the material and grasping it. I would be like, ‘Wow, how come I did not know this before?’

How was the transition from doing stand-up comedy to hosting a TV show?

I do a lot of live hosting, like music and film awards. So, presenting a show is not new to me. I started off as an actor. So, being in front of a camera is not new either. But this show was definitely a new experience for me as it involves science.

Can you share some fascinating things you learnt during the show?

Almost every episode was a learning experience for me. One of the things I learnt is about the changes that happen when we travel across time zones: jet lags, how our senses and taste buds change at an altitude of 30,000 feet. When I read about these things, I was like, ‘now I get it’. Another thing that was of particular interest was durian, a Malaysian fruit that is famous for being smelly. I never thought about why it smells that way but found out that through the show.

What are some of the most ridiculous science myths you have heard?

In Malaysia, there is this belief in the spiritual world. There is this condition, sleep paralysis, where you wake up and can not move. In Malaysia, people say that it is a ghost that is holding you down. I grew up believing that (laughs).

What was the last thing that made you laugh a lot?

These days, it is mostly about my wife. She is a doctor and a scientist. Now that I have a little knowledge in science, I tease her that she doesn’t know as much as she thinks she does. I remember shooting an episode and testing her on the topics I covered in the show. It gave me great pleasure to find out that in some ways I am smarter than a doctor.

Your best and worst experience of being on stage...

Once a person came to me and said, ‘I was depressed, was having a bad day and a friend recently passed away. Yours was the first show I came to see and I feel so much better.’ The best experiences have been such feedbacks. When it comes to the worst, I treasure them too. It is usually when nobody is laughing. It has happened many times and continues to happen. Once again, that is science. I might try to understand the science behind ‘why some people laugh at some things and not at others?’

Do you think standup comics should draw a line for themselves when it comes to topics?

It is all about the context, I think. I consider myself to be an entertainer… I am not a shock comedian. I do not think I will stop someone from saying what they want but I practice self-censorship. I believe in this quote, ‘Offence is never given, it’s taken’. So, the most important thing would be to look at the intention.

Got Science will air on Sony BBC Earth till November 10 at 8 pm

0 / 0
Sign in to unlock member-only benefits!
  • Access 10 free stories every month
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.