After their viral dosa-making video shook the Indian American community four years ago, actor Mindy Kaling joked that she’s the one who “outed” Vice President Kamala Harris as Indian.
During her speech on the third night of the Democratic National Convention, Kaling, 45, hearkened back to filming the video.
“For those of you who don’t know me, I am an incredibly famous Gen Z actress who you might recognize from ‘The Office,’ ‘The Mindy Project,’ or as the woman who courageously outed Kamala Harris as Indian in an Instagram cooking video,” she said.
Kaling says the two met for the first time when making that video and immediately clicked behind the scenes.
“She wasn’t Madam Vice President then. She was my senator,” she said. “When she arrived, we immediately hit it off. We talked about the love we have for our moms, who had both passed away from cancer.”
Both of their moms share a common story: They were immigrants from South India who came to the U.S., became scientists and sought to serve others, she said.
“After speaking to Kamala, it was clear to me that Shyamala [Harris’ mother] had passed down the same optimism and fearlessness to her daughter,” Kaling said.
The actor’s comments come at a time when the right is subjecting Harris’ race to scrutiny and racism. Earlier this month, former President Donald Trump told journalists that the vice president “turned Black” for political gain.
“Is she Indian or is she Black?” he asked. She is both — her father is Jamaican and her mother was Indian.
Kaling said that although Harris’ dosa was much better than hers, the then-senator encouraged her with kind words throughout the process.
“When she finally bit into my dosa, she looked at me and said ‘really good!’ And then never took another bite again,” Kaling joked.
