Anand Mehta, a third-year resident at Phillips Barber Family Health Center in Lambertville, will make his professional standup comedy debut on April 16 at 8 p.m. in an evening of comedy at the Lambertville New Hope Rescue Squad.
For Dr. Mehta, the road to standup started in his native Buffalo, N.Y., where he took part in open mic nights in pursuit of becoming the next Jerry Seinfeld. His father had other plans, however, and convinced him that medical school in India, far away from the night life of Buffalo would be a much better career move.
Still, the need to hear the laugher of the audience persisted. “When I came to Lambertville, I started doing some open mic nights at the Stress Factory in New Brunswick” said Dr. Mehta. “It was always a lot of fun.”
It was a chance meeting with a comedy show promoter that led to his first professional standup appearance. Dr. Mehta was enjoying the howls of laughter from his coworkers at a Phillips Barber holiday party when a guest asked him if he had ever done standup comedy. When the doctor said yes, the promoter told him the next time he put a show into the area, he wanted to have him on the bill.
As for how he mixes humor with his role as a doctor, Dr. Mehta said: “I’m always able to put patients at ease by starting things out with a joke or a one-liner, after all, laughter is the best medicine.”
Dr. Mehta will be joined by comedians Keith Anthony and Princeton native Liz Miele. Tickets for the night are $20 and can be reserved at sarcasmcomedy.com or at 1-800-727-3548, or purchased at the door.

