816 Sacha Dhawan, actor, "Outsourced," "24"

Today's Guest: Sacha Dhawan, actor, "Outsourced" Mr. Media is recorded live before a studio audience of lovelorn sitcom characters waiting for their chance to impress a girl on 'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire'… in the new new media capitol of the world… St. Petersburg, Florida! Sacha Dhawan, star of NBC's "Outsourced" Network television has given us some truly memorable character names. Dobie Gillis. Gilligan. Peter Tork. Fonzie. But one from this season has them all beet. Headsets down, it’s “Manmeet” on NBC’s “Outsourced.” Order 'Outsourced: The Complete Series, available from Amazon.com by clicking on the DVD cover above! Get it? He’s Man-meat! SACHA DHAWAN podcast excerpt: "What 'Outsourced' is doing is bringing the West and East together through these characters, who are believable and lovable at the same time." My guess, however, is that what seemed like a fall-down funny idea in the writer’s room before the season started never really gained the expected traction after the first episode when Manmeet’s new American boss, Todd Dempsey, finds it hysterical but none of the Indian employees understands what’s so funny. Manmeet – as played by Sacha Dhawan – is simply too gentle and sweet a character to keep clobbering with the same one-note joke. As the series developed, the writers have found much better uses for his talents. Of all the crazy characters on “Outsourced” – which airs Thursdays at 10:30 p.m. after “30 Rock” – Manmeet is the most grounded, the most Indian “Average Joe” on the show. He is its Jim Halpert (“The Office”) or Jeff Winger (“Community”), providing laughs yet balance in the portrayal of India’s call center employees at Mid America Novelties. Sacha Dhawan Facebook • Twitter • Order Outsourced: The Complete Series from Amazon.com