Mehran Khaghani (Persian: مهران خاقانی; born May 25, 1976) is a British-American standup comedian,[1] comedic director, and comedy event producer based in the Boston Metro area, of Iranian descent. In 2010, a reader survey in the Boston Phoenix named him Boston's best comedian of the year.[2]

Mehran Khaghani
Born (1976-05-25) May 25, 1976 (age 48)
London, UK
Other namesMehran, MehMeh
OccupationStand-up comedian
Known forCharming presentation of the obscene and absurd

Born in London to Iranian parents, Mehran grew up in the United Kingdom, Iran, Turkey and the suburbs of Boston.[3] In 1993, at the age of 17, he cofounded Lexington High School's first LGBT organization, called Bi-GLASS, with two fellow students, Fred Simon, now a New York-based visual artist, and musician Amanda Palmer, longtime frontwoman of The Dresden Dolls and now a solo artist.[4]

After years in the hospitality industry and a four-year stint holding various administrative positions at Harvard University (including a year as Project Manager to the Office of the President and Provost under former President, Larry Summers[5]) Mehran began pursuing a career in standup comedy in 2007. He has toured with Maz Jobrani's Brown and Friendly Tour[1] and in his first year competing, ranked in the top 8 in the Boston International Comedy Festival.[6]

As of 2010, Khaghani hosts a monthly standup comedy show at Mottley's Comedy Club in Faneuil Hall, Boston called "The Mehran Show,"[7] building each showcase around a different theme. He recently headlined and hosted a sold-out show in San Francisco called "No Gays In Iran"[8] and was voted Boston's best comedian for 2010 by the readers of the Boston Phoenix.[2] In August 2010, he produced the cabaret comedy show "Criscotheque" at the American Repertory Theater's Club Oberon.[9]

References

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  1. ^ a b Zaino III, Nick A. (June 12, 2009). "He's Iranian, he's gay - and he's funny - The Boston Globe". Boston.com. Retrieved August 11, 2010.
  2. ^ a b "Mehran Khaghani > Best Arts + Entertainment - Boston Best Readers Poll 2010". Thephoenix.com. Retrieved August 11, 2010.
  3. ^ "Iranian and Gay: Interview with Comedian Mehran Khaghani". Persianesque Magazine. January 21, 2010. Retrieved August 11, 2010.
  4. ^ Rainbow smiles on Youth Pride, Ethan Jacobs, Bay Windows, May 17, 2007, New England.
  5. ^ Levy, Marc (July 26, 2010). "Hard to explain, impossible to miss: Rave meets comedy at Crisco Theque | Cambridge Day". Cambridgeday.com. Retrieved August 11, 2010.
  6. ^ "the comic's comic: Dave McDonough wins 2009 Boston Comedy Festival contest". Thecomicscomic.typepad.com. September 6, 2009. Retrieved August 11, 2010.
  7. ^ "The Mehran Show at Mottley's Comedy Club - Comedy - Boston.com". Calendar.boston.com. Retrieved August 11, 2010.
  8. ^ "There Are No Gays In Iran".
  9. ^ "Events". The Boston Globe.
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