Negin Farsad is an Iranian-American comedian, writer and actress based in New York City. She has also produced and directed feature films and television programming, most notably the documentary Nerdcore Rising, which follows around Damian Hess a.k.a. MC Frontalot, on his 2006 Nerdcore Rising national tour. Farsad started Qualified Productions in 2005 when she decided to make Nerdcore Rising. Though Negin was raised in Palm Springs, California, her family is originally from Iran, a fact that is often featured in her comedic routines, in addition to political and sexual humor.
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Nerdcore Rising is a documentary/concert film directed and produced by Farsad starring Damian Hess, a.k.a. MC Frontalot, and various other Nerdcore hip hop artists such as mc chris, Optimus Rhyme and MC Lars with contributors such as "Weird Al" Yankovic, Prince Paul and Brian Posehn. The film premiered at the 2008 South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas. It combines interviews about Nerdcore and its origins with footage of MC Frontalot's 2006 Nerdcore Rising national tour.
Negin served as a producer and story editor for A Cricket in the Court of Akbar, a documentary film about musician Andrew Mendelson, shot entirely on location in Rajasthan, India.
Iran-ing on Empty is a short film written and directed by Farsad, who also stars in it. It has been a selection of comedy festivals around the country.
"Meeting David Wilson" is a documentary which Farsad served as a consultant and story editor.
Negin is currently producing/directing/performing in the upcoming Comedy Central series, The Watch List, the first show in the history of television to feature Middle-Eastern American comics tackling international political issues.
As a standup comedian Farsad has opened for the likes of Al Franken in venues ranging from the Laugh Factory in New York, the Comedy Store in Los Angeles, and Town Hall on Broadway. Negin has provided original comedy content for Pacifica Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio. As an active comedian she has earned a nomination for the Emerging Comics of New York Awards. Her solo show Bootleg Islam, which she wrote and performed, has appeared in the DC, Dallas, and Chicago Comedy Festivals among others. Her work has been called 'smart, funny, and fascinating' by the Wall Street Journal, a Critic's Choice by the Chicago Tribune, 'a shining exception,' by the Dallas Morning News and Backstage cheered that it 'doesn't get much funnier than this!' Her first ever musical, The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: A Romantic Comedy, recently premiered at the New York International Fringe Festival.