Romesh Ranganathan
Romesh Ranganathan

I've had a Hindu upbringing. There's a lot about it I think is cool. Temples are amazing. It's a nice vibe when people are praying. And there's lots about it where I understand why they believe those things. But I'm not practising.

Romesh Ranganathan
Romesh Ranganathan

My beard is just an ongoing effort to hide my face as much as possible.

Romesh Ranganathan
Romesh Ranganathan

I strive for honesty because I think that's where the funniest stuff comes from.

Romesh Ranganathan
Romesh Ranganathan

To avoid depression while travelling, I always take loads of items that make me feel connected with home. I can't even explain the joy I felt when I realised I'd remembered to pack my vanilla and mango scented beard oil. The feeling of euphoria was similar to my kids being born.

Romesh Ranganathan
Romesh Ranganathan

Social media has exacerbated a trend whereby people speak with complete authority on every subject, regardless of how informed they are.

Romesh Ranganathan
Romesh Ranganathan

My comedy career aside, I am a father of three, a husband, a son, a brother and a vegan.

Romesh Ranganathan
Romesh Ranganathan

Supermarkets and specialist suppliers will have you believe there are great substitutes for cheese. There are not. No vegan cheese tastes anything like decent cheese, and melting cheese might as well be alchemy as far as the vegan cheese industry is concerned.

Romesh Ranganathan
Romesh Ranganathan

I'm hugely negative, so if a joke doesn't land it takes me a long time to get over it. If something doesn't go well I go dark in my head. Basically I start thinking it should be illegal for me to be doing comedy.

Romesh Ranganathan
Romesh Ranganathan

I have a hip-hop podcast and get to meet all these rappers I love, so I feel very lucky.

Romesh Ranganathan
Romesh Ranganathan

One day, I brought home Eddie Murphy's 'Raw', and Dad and I would watch that together.

Romesh Ranganathan
Romesh Ranganathan

I used to love the Wu-Tang Clan. They took my school by storm, by which I mean the three kids in my year who listened to hip-hop. I skipped lectures to go and buy their second album, 'Forever', and then rushed home to listen to it.

Romesh Ranganathan
Romesh Ranganathan

I tend to be melodramatic and super self-involved.

Romesh Ranganathan
Romesh Ranganathan

I realised I had an issue with my mobile phone use when a friend started explaining the virtues of the Fast 800 diet and, while still engaged in the conversation, I pulled out my phone and ordered the book before they had finished their sentence.

Romesh Ranganathan
Romesh Ranganathan

Years later, when I was working as a trolley wally in a supermarket, I tackled the boredom by talking to the customers in as many different accents as I could manage. I started with one that I didn't think would alert any suspicion - generic Asian - then moved on to Irish, Welsh, Australian and American.

Romesh Ranganathan
Romesh Ranganathan

Education seems to be placing increased emphasis on assessment and tracking, which means parents are terrified that if their kid doesn't exceed their expected learning level at six years old, they are immediately put in the class that ends up working at McDonald's.

Romesh Ranganathan
Romesh Ranganathan

The key to a happy marriage is myself being absent for long periods of time. My wife Leesa and I will celebrate our tenth wedding anniversary next year, but if my comedy gigs petered out and I was around the house more, we'd 100% be getting divorced.

Romesh Ranganathan
Romesh Ranganathan

Usually, if I have a day to write, I will spend the first hour thinking about how I am going to structure my day. I will also spend time helping my kids to get ready for school. Then I spend an hour making and eating breakfast, because balanced nutrition has suddenly become very important.

Romesh Ranganathan
Romesh Ranganathan

I want to say things on stage that I wouldn't have the guts to say in conversation.

Romesh Ranganathan
Romesh Ranganathan

All of the most interesting people had a horrible time as kids. All the best rappers struggled.

Romesh Ranganathan
Romesh Ranganathan

I was a teacher before comedy, but it was good because no two days were the same, which this job is too.