If you overlook the mildly racist connotations and jokes about “brown people”, British comedian of Indian origin Tejpaul Singh “Paul” Chowdhry makes accurate observations for what it’s like to be brown and live in the West. Because brown skin is a signal that its owner could be a terrorist.

Let’s start with the beard. Chowdhry talks about having grown a beard and mocks how “we” (Indians) are hairy people. Saying in this video, “I’ve got that straight out of Syria look. That one way ticket look”. Insinuating that all brown people get suspected of being terrorists, Chowdhry points to the environment of suspicion that some governments around the word are fostering.

If there’s one take-out from Chowdhry’s routine, it is that truth about these fraught times is best accepted when it comes laced with laugher.