Comedian Nimesh Patel prepares for biggest show yet at MSG, credits Brooklyn clubs for his rise to fame

Comedian and former SNL sketch writer Nimesh Patel is bringing his latest stand-up special, “Fast and Loose,” to Madison Square Garden on Dec. 30.

Patel, who has charmed fans with his quick wit since 2009, started his career performing humble shows in low-key Brooklyn comedy clubs. Using YouTube, podcasts and social media, the New Jersey native has quickly grown an admiring fan base and taken his talent to coveted stages.

“When you’re writing for yourself it’s cultivating your voice and mining your experiences and observations for what you think is funny,” Patel told Brooklyn Paper. “It’s really just a matter of having your own [point of view] down and making sure you’re able to communicate that.”

Nimesh Patle comedian talking to others — Patel’s joke have caught the attention of long-standing comedians including Dave Chappelle and Chris Rock. Photo courtesy of Mathieu Bitton

Patel rose to fame following his show “Lucky Lefty,” a special based around his run-in with testicular cancer. The show premiered on his YouTube channel earlier this year, where it has amassed 560,000 views so far.

“It was my way of talking about it without having to go to therapy,” he said. “It was a godsend in a sense. I had nothing else to talk about when I got diagnosed and thought okay, I guess I’ll talk about this. It was the most personal thing I’ve ever done.”

Nimesh Patel is preparing for his largest comedy show to date at MSG on Dec. 30. — Patel is preparing for his biggest show to date at MSG on Dec. 30. Photo courtesy courtesy of Nimesh Patel

In 2016, Patel’s jokes caught the attention of longtime comedian Chris Rock and he ended up writing for Rock when he hosted The Academy Awards. In 2017, Patel became the first Indian-American writer on NBC’s iconic “Saturday Night Live,” where he says he worked with “some of the funniest people on the planet.”

Last month, Netflix premiered his set as part of their new standup series, “Verified Stand Up.”

Now, he’s selling out theaters internationally, and preparing for the biggest show of his career thus far. Through it all, the comic credits Brooklyn as the place where he got his start in the comedy circle.

“You don’t necessarily need a comedy club to have a show,” he said. “You can just ask a bar owner and put some butts in seats and that’s all it takes.”

Nimesh Patel performs at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, Dec. 30, at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are available online starting at $54.