Writer, comedian, and actor Humza Arshad recently made the 2020 New Year honours list, bestowing on him the title of MBE (Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire).
This award, an order of knighthood, recognizes individuals throughout Great Britain who made significant contributions to the arts and sciences. It specifically awards efforts of those who have given much to charitable organizations and public service.
Between making the UK laugh and writing books, Arshad spends much time working with youth and law enforcement in London to help students find a good path.
Diary of Humza Arshad
With his YouTube videos viewed more then 100 million times, British-Pakistani entertainer Arshad makes his way to being one of the most popular online comedians in the UK.
Arshad began his career in 2010 by creating an amateur comedy web series Diary of a Bad Man. Poised as the inner diary of a young man, the series addresses issues of arranged marriages, racism, and treatment of women in a way that is accessible, honest, and…well…comical. The series ended in 2013, but then restarted in 2015 as Badman.
In addition to his many appearances on BBC comedy shows and stand-up comedy performances, Arshad revealed his writing abilities with his children’s novel series Little Badman. This book series follows the silly adventures of a young Humza Arshad. Learn more about the series here.
Laughter is beautiful
Born in London to Pakistani parents, Arshad attended Croydon College to study Performing Arts. He then graduated from Richmond Drama School with a degree in drama. Despite a little hesitancy from his parents, comedy called him from day one.
“The reason why I love comedy is this: because life is tough,” he said at Mashable’s Creators for Change event. “If I say a joke, and one person in the audience laughs, it doesn’t matter how much pain that person has felt or is feeling at that moment in time…in those 10 seconds when they’re laughing, they forget everything. It is one of the most beautiful things you can do for another human being.”
Moreover, Arshad hopes his comedic talents can be something the Asian population in the UK can relate to and find some familiarity with. Humza, along with many other now-famous figures, struggled with this himself growing up.
Humza Arshad inspires youth
While Arshad’s videos have brought much laughter to the UK, it is his service to the local London community that earned him the MBE in 2021.
He especially focuses on the issues and pressures young teenagers, particularly British Muslims, face in the city. Collaborating with local police forces, Arshad works to help prevent radicalization and limiting youth’s exposure to extremist messages of violence.
“There’s so much going on right now,” he said in 2015 with the rise of ISIS. “And I think this was the perfect time for me to do something a bit more positive and to just promote that violence is wrong”.
Watch Arshad’s Badman about anti-extremism here.
