1MDB not IMDB.
Patriot Act returns this week with another slice of topical news, this time with an update on the Indian Elections and Goldman Sach’s hand in the ongoing 1MDB scandal.
In a nod to the original episode about the Indian Elections, Patriot Act begins with Hasan discussing the election with his family. After pleading with him not to air any jokes or content on the show, Hasan arrives and gives us the latest scoop on India. Following on from the previous episode on the topic, we learn that the BJP have swept to victory with over 300 seats in parliament. It’s as close to a landslide as you can get here – meaning India no longer need to form a coalition with another party.
It’s a massive result and as Hasan explains, this result is a huge blow for the opposition. After some background on the topic, Hasan goes on to share some tweets he received, essentially accusing him of steering the election result toward a right wing government win.
The second half of the episode changes gears and moves on to discuss Goldman Sachs and their hand in the ongoing 1MDB scandal. Notorious for having their hand in several big name scandals over the years, we learn about Sovereign Wealth Funds, seeing the good (Norway) they can do for a country when handled right but how much damage they can do when misappropriated.
This is where 1MDB comes in. From financing The Wolf Of Wall Street to booking an extravagent concert involving Psy, the scandal runs deep, involving two Presidents and essentially crippling an entire country’s economy. It’s pretty shocking stuff and through Hasan’s usual mix of wit and well written comedy, this is explained in simple to understand terms and humorous comparisons
Rounding out the show with another thought provoking and clever joke, Patriot Act continues to cover some of the biggest news and scandals the world over. The new format this year of showcasing two topics in one episode from time to time is something I think works quite well, especially for some of these topics that don’t have much substance to them. It helps reinvigorate the series and add more bang for your buck – showcasing extra news and getting Hasan’s views on this too.
Quite what next week will bring remains to be seen but for now, Patriot Act continues to deliver, with another decent episode.
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Episode Rating
(3.5)