“Old YouTube Clips of the Now Famous†is a column in which we watch old YouTube clips of now famous funny people.
Before being cast and breaking through as Abed on Community, Danny Pudi was mostly an unknown. After moving to LA in 2005, he was able to get some commercials and some guest spots. Most often, he was playing someone named Sanjay. Â He wrote in GQ:
Stereotypes happen. I try not to embrace them or avoid them. My job is to focus on bringing characters to life in an honest and personal way. That being said, I did play three Sanjays in 2007. Yep. Three different Sanjays: one in a TV pilot, one in an independent film, and one in a cable show.
He elaborates that he tried out but didn’t get the part of a fourth Sanjay. However, then he became the star of a cult network TV show and he’s been doing fine ever since. Later this year, Danny will play a Sanjay once again but this time in a large Seth Rogen/Barbra Streisand film. So, let’s look back at his early commercials, web series, and, of course, Sanjays.
COMMERCIALS:
WEB SERIES:
TV/FILM SPOTS:
Here is one of the Sanjays! Skip to the 6:30 mark!
I should warn you, this video might change how you look at Abed for-ev-er.