Kumail Nanjiani Is a Taskmaster Cautionary Tale

Contestants on Taskmaster often fit into familiar roles. You’ve got the established comedy veterans who seem a bit unenthusiastic (like Armando Iannucci, Jack Dee, and Frankie Boyle), the witty younger women who playfully tease host Greg Davies (such as Sophie Duker, Fern Brady, and Ania Magliano), and the unpredictable comedians whose awkwardness is part of their charm (think James Acaster, Sam Campbell, and Noel Fielding). Recently, we’ve seen a trend of American actors appearing on the show, seemingly trying to impress Davies (Jason Mantzoukas and Kumail Nanjiani have both been on in recent years). However, considering Kumail Nanjiani’s fairly average performance, this ‘American actor’ archetype shouldn’t become a regular thing.








