Growing up, Danny Pudi’s mixed background made for a confusing childhood.
On Wednesday night, the Polish and Indian comedian told a crowd of more than 200 students about his struggles growing up and learning to understand the two cultures that molded him.
He said he created equations to calculate the chances of there being another Polish-Indian-American: 0.0016 percent.
“The question I’ve been asked most in my life is ‘What are you?’” he said. “’What are you?’ is an easy question to answer. But ‘Who are you?’ is much tougher to answer.”
But two things he’s sure of are his affinity for Thin Mints and redheads.
The comedian and actor from the TV show “Community” was paid $10,000 to speak at the Reitz Union. He spoke about the uncertainty he faced growing up in two opposite cultures and how he found his way into the world of entertainment.
He also recited a rap he wrote as a child in Polish.
“Give me food, because I am hungry,” he said. “I’ll take everything; it doesn’t matter. But the best of all is ice cream.”
RUB invited Pudi because his performance wasn’t just stand-up, said Kaitlin Milligan, the speakers and comedians co-director of the Reitz Union Board entertainment.
“We wanted to have one last event before the year ends,” Milligan said.
She performed a comedy set before Pudi. She told the audience about a boy she had a crush on called her “White Shaq” because she played basketball.
“Like if you look at me, you’re like, ‘This girl could be Shaquille O’Neal — except she’s white,’” Milligan said.
After she finished, the “Community” star hugged her as he took the stage.
He encouraged the audience to stop him for questions or comments as he showed a video of his younger self doing a Polish dance and pictures of his family.
Varun Aggarwal, 27, said he knew Pudi from his role as Abed Nadir on “Community.”
“What he said about coming from mixed races, it was an interesting point of view,” the chemical engineering doctoral student said.
Comedian Danny Pudi jokes about his unique multicultural background at Reitz Union Board Entertainment's event in the Reitz Union Rion Ballroom on Wednesday night. "I am half-Indian, half-Polish, so that means during the day I run a convenience store, and at night, I clean it," Pudi said.
