Nimesh Patel

Nimesh Patel is a stand-up comedian and television writer recognized as the first Indian American writer on "Saturday Night Live." Patel's career in comedy began after a transition from investment banking, gaining momentum when Chris Rock discovered him performing stand-up in Brooklyn and recruited him to write for the Academy Awards ceremony. Patel contributed primarily to the Weekend Update segment on Saturday Night Live and received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Writing. He also wrote material for Hasan Minhaj's White House Correspondents' Association Dinner performance and served as a producer on the multi-award nominated TBS series "Full Frontal With Samantha Bee." Additionally, Patel wrote for Season 2 of NBC's "A Little Late With Lilly Singh."

As one of the few South Asian writers in American comedy, Patel's work has influenced a new generation of comedians and contributed to increased diversity in the industry. He was named one of Variety's "10 Comics to Watch" and recognized by Vulture as a comedian to know. Patel has performed in venues ranging from comedy clubs to major theaters, and his self-produced specials "Lucky Lefty," "Thank You China," and "Jokes to Get You Through Quarantine" have garnered millions of views on YouTube. His stand-up special "Instant Karma" appeared on Netflix and was filmed at NYU's Skirball Center, where Patel explores the experience of growing up as a first-generation Indian American. In 2026, he debuted a new special, "Buy the Dip," which also premiered on Netflix.

Patel's comedy features sharp observational humor, drawing on his background as the son of immigrants and his experiences navigating cultural identity in America. He addresses the nuances of immigrant family life and the complexities of American culture. Patel has toured extensively, performing in more than 80 cities, and his social media clips have reached hundreds of millions of viewers. His "With All Due Disrespect" tour continues to bring his perspective to audiences nationwide.