I Want My Hyphenated-Identity MTV

From The New York Times:

Mtv2_1 Azhar Usman, 29, with his knitted skullcap and full beard, presented somewhat differently. An MTV executive, he explained, had recruited him, saying: “We’re going to redefine the identity of the MTV host. It doesn’t have to be someone sexy and good-looking.” A comedian (and lawyer) from Chicago, Mr. Usman used the audition to invent an exaggeratedly accented (and quite amusing) character: Vijay the V.J.

“My uncle in India says desi stands for ‘doctors earn significant incomes.’ My relatives in Pakistan say desi means ‘Don’t ever say India.’ Here on MTV, desi means South Asian flavor, style and music. Check this new video out. It’s going to knock your socks off. You’ve heard of a big production budget. How about 500 backup dancers? This is like ‘Grease’ meets desi, making it …greasy. No, that doesn’t sound right. People think in my country everybody so sad, crying, terrorism,” Vijay said. “We not terrorism, we dancing. Not dancing like panties falling down …. What is this panties falling down” the buttocks?

More here.