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Shaker Heights Native Jim Margolis Takes On 'Patriot Act' with Hasan Minhaj

When award-winning comedian Hasan Minhaj was looking for a showrunner for his new Netflix program, "Patriot Act," he chose Cleveland native Jim Margolis.

Jim Margolis [courtesy: Jim Margolis]

They both worked on "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" and share similar styles of humor. 

Hasan Minhaj [courtesy: Netflix]

But what makes Minhaj and his show different is that he's the first Indian-American host of a weekly comedy show. 

"I guess I might describe it as a TED Talk on acid.  But that's probably not how Hasan sold it.  It's his take on current events, but through his particular lens which is that of a first-generation American who is a comedian," Margolis said.

Hasan Minhaj on "Patriot Act" [courtesy: Netflix]

Minhaj's unique perspective is one of the reasons Margolis joined "Patriot Act," along with the fact that the show tackles larger stories, such as affirmative action, Saudi Arabia and the Taylor oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. 

"We're not that interested in the day-to-day churn of Washington, D.C., and that's kind of liberating," he said.

[courtesy: Netflix]

As showrunner for "Patriot Act," Margolis makes sure the very complicated program stays on track.

"Basically I have to oversee all of the editorial content of the show but also the personnel and make sure that everything is running the way that it should be and that things don't get bogged down in production and that the staff is generally happy and the show is well run," he said.

Dave DeOreo is coordinating producer for Ideastream Public Media’s arts and culture team.