Science can be a tough subject for many. It isn’t something that is just dealt with in a laboratory, but occurs in our daily lives. Understanding complex concepts behind how things work isn’t something that everyone can grasp easily. Sony BBC Earth has come out with a new show called Got Science? which explains the science in everyday life using reason, logic, rationale and most importantly, humour. The episodes explore themes like food, health and fitness, sport, anatomy and technology in a fun manner. We speak to the presenter, Malaysian comedian Harith Iskander, to find out more.
- Tell us about the show and how has your experience been working on it?
It was very surprising when I first got the call for this because when I was in school, I was probably the worst in science. In fact not just in my school, I think I was the worst in the entire country (laughs). I asked the producers why they chose me, but it all came together beautifully. Got Science? speaks to individuals in lay man terms. Doing the show was an incredibly educational experience for me. I went through all the episodes and had to understand all the concepts so I could put them into my own words. I probably came away much smarter than I was when I first entered the studio. I feel that if I went back to school now, I would totally do well.
- Your comedy is observational and personal. How did you bring these elements to the show?
It is true that my comedy is mostly observational and personal, I think that is why the channel approached me to do the show. Audiences take away most from the presenters that they know a bit about. My comedy is inspired from personal experiences, so when I went through the research and read the script, I tried to make it personal.
- Tell us about a few things you learnt on the show, and something you found absolutely hilarious.
One of the most interesting things that I learnt from the show was something that I relate to very closely. You know how the food tastes really bad when you’re flying? It’s because all your senses are affected when you’re in a capsule up in the air, that’s what causes jet lag too. All your senses change when you’re in a flight, and I recognise that because I am such a regular flyer.
There’s also one episode about durian, a Malaysian fruit that is known worldwide for its bad odour. I grew up around it, but I never questioned why it smells so bad. I got to know the reason behind this on the show.
- You have three kids. What is their feedback about the show?
The eldest one is seven. I mostly watched the episodes with her. Rather than reacting to the fact that it’s daddy on the screen, she was more interested to see what’s going on. She kept on saying “Is that true?” since she probably feels that if daddy’s saying it, it’s probably not true. But I enjoy watching the episodes most with my son because he is a bit of a scientist. Kids are so smart nowadays and they have almost all the answers to their questions on their fingertips because of their phones. I highly recommend watching the show with your kids.
- What is the comedy scene like in Malaysia currently?
It’s a great comedy scene. I opened a comedy club called The Joke Factory a year-and-a-half ago where we host shows six nights a week — Monday to Saturday. It seats about 150-170 people. About 90 per cent of comedians who perform are locals, we occasionally bring in a foreigner from Australia, US, or India, But it’s great to expose local comedians to a new audiences because every night, about 40-50 per cent of the guests who come in, have never been to a comedy show before. The market is growing not just in terms of comedians but also in terms of audiences..
- What are your future plans?
I’m very much on my comedy club. I plan on branching out in the region — Thailand, Philippines, Jakarta, and so on. I am also working on another comedy special, but have not decided on which platform it will be aired on. I already released a special titled I Told You So on Netflix last year.
