That was our personal joke: Tabish Hashmi regrets on-air gaffe about Mariyam Nafees

Comedian says ‘Neem’ actor is a close friend and jokester herself

Renowned comedian and host Tabish Hashmi, who gained prominence through YouTube show, To Be Honest, recently addressed a brewing controversy during his appearance on Hafiz Ahmed’s podcast. During the podcast, Tabish confronted the backlash over a joke he made about actor Mariyam Nafees.

In February 2024, during a live PSL show, a video clip showed Mariyam, who was co-hosting with Tabish, responding to a question about her favorite PSL team. The actor said, “I like Peshawar Zalmi, then other teams, and Karachi in the last because they don’t perform well.” In response, Tabish suggestively quipped, “Your husband is also from Karachi. Does he also not perform well?”

The double entendre was not lost on the audience who took to the internet to slam the comedian. Mariyam, on the other hand, appeared to take the comment in jest. Tabish buffered his remark by saying, “Your husband is director, of course. Why would he perform?”, prompting the Neem actor to say, “Nice cover.”

The joke, which did not sit well with many, sparked criticism and seemed to be an embarrassing misstep for the comedian. Addressing the issue now on the podcast with Hafiz, Tabish clarified that the joke was intended to be light-hearted and emphasised his close relationship with Mariyam, stating that their mutual banter is a regular part of their dynamic.

Addressing the incident, the TV host clarified his stance on trolling Mariyam during live shows. “I said something to Mariyam Nafees during a live show in jest. I shouldn’t have said that. Mariyam is a very close friend of mine. She’s also very mischievous. We have this banter going. Off-air, I also joke around with her husband. He’s very nice and sweet,” Tabish explained.

He stressed that their personal rapport includes such jokes and that there was no intention to offend. However, he acknowledged that some topics are best avoided on live television. “But that was our personal joke. There are some things that you should not discuss openly, let alone joke about them,” Tabish quoted, expressing his regret and offering an apology.

Having said that, he admitted that in the heat of the moment during the show, jokes can sometimes slip out unintentionally. Despite the chaos, the joke in question was not edited out of the YouTube recording until much later. He expressed his frustration over the inability to prevent such slip-ups entirely.

As per Tabish, he sought to address the joke publicly the following day after the incident. However, Mariyam advised against it, suggesting that it would be better to let the controversy fade away naturally. Despite the comedian’s insistence, Mariyam believed that fueling the fire would only prolong the issue. “But I shouldn’t have made that joke,” Tabish maintained.