Palaniappan Manickam

Last updated

Dr. Pal

Palaniappan Manickam (Dr. Pal)
Born
Madurai, India
Education
Occupation Gastroenterologist
Known forMedia personality. ("MedCom")
Medical career
ProfessionMedical doctor, health advocate
FieldMedicine
YouTube information
Channel
Subscribers3.02 million [1]
Total views1.02 billion [1]
YouTube Silver Play Button 2.svg100,000 subscribers
YouTube Gold Play Button 2.svg1,000,000 subscribers
Last updated: April 2, 2024
Website drpalmanickam.com

Palaniappan Manickam, better known as Dr. Pal, is a board-certified gastroenterologist, [2] who is originally from India, and currently practices in California. He specializes in gut health, time-restricted eating, and a mostly plant-based diet. He is also a celebrity doctor who uses in-person and virtual stand-up comedy("MedCom”) to educate the general public on chronic illness intervention.

Contents

Manickam was born and raised in Madurai, India. [3] [4] [5] He received his MBBS from PSG Institute of Medical Sciences & Research in Coimbatore, India, his MPH from University of Massachusetts Boston, and his residency in Internal Medicine from Wayne State University School of Medicine in Michigan. [6] He did his gastroenterology fellowship at Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak. [2]

Career

Manickam is a gastroenterologist at a hospital in Sacramento, California. [3] [5] He uses a form of stand-up comedy he calls “MedCom,” [7] on social media and in person in order to educate the public on gut health and chronic illness intervention. [5] [4] [8] [9]

Manickam made his first video in March 2020 [10] during the COVID-19 pandemic. He notes that it "all started when an NGO got in touch with me saying they wanted a video for Covid awareness. I agreed and prepared a 10-minute script in four hours. They saw the video and wrote back to me saying this was very comical and that they wanted a professional video. I was gutted because I had spent a lot of time writing the jokes. They suggested I upload it to YouTube.” [9] Manickam followed through and created a YouTube channel, uploading the video. He then shared the video with a WhatsApp group that he belonged to, and the video went viral. [10] He subsequently developed his YouTube channel, and created channels on other social media outlets such as Instagram. [7]

While the initial content of his videos focused on COVID-19, it gradually shifted to gut-health, [7] time-restricted eating, [4] mostly plant-based diets, [11] and weight loss. [3] Manickam also began to study the genre of stand-up comedy, and invented the character "Saravana Kumar” as a means of connecting with his audience. [7] He eventually began to perform his “medcom” routines in live stand - up performances in the United States, India, [5] [9] and Malaysia. [12]

Manickam says that his comedic videos and live performances are his form of giving back, [10] as all funds collected from his media outlets go towards Aishwaryam Trust, Madurai (a foundation which offers Palliative care). [8]

Honors

In 2024, Rediff.com listed Manickam as one of “India’s Top Social Media Influencers.” [13]

Personal life

Manickam and his wife Priya [10] live with their children in Sacramento, California. [14]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joe Rogan</span> American podcaster and comedian (born 1967)

Joseph James Rogan is an American podcaster, UFC color commentator, comedian, actor, and former television host. He hosts The Joe Rogan Experience, a podcast in which he discusses current events, comedy, politics, aliens, religion, philosophy, science, martial arts, and hobbies with celebrity guests. His podcast channel is one of the most influential and most watched podcasts in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Madras Medical College</span> Medical school and hospital in Chennai, India

Madras Medical College (MMC) is a public medical college located in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. Established in 1835, it is one of the oldest medical colleges in India, as well as in Asia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ken Jeong</span> American comedian and actor (born 1969)

Kendrick Kang-Joh Jeong is an American stand-up comedian and actor. He rose to prominence for playing Leslie Chow in The Hangover film series (2009–2013) and Ben Chang in the NBC sitcom Community (2009–2015). He created, wrote and produced the ABC sitcom Dr. Ken (2015–2017), in which he portrays the titular character, and he has appeared in the films Knocked Up (2007), Role Models (2008), Furry Vengeance (2010), The Duff (2015), Ride Along 2 (2016), Crazy Rich Asians (2018), Scoob! (2020) and Tom & Jerry (2021).

<i>Pennin Manathai Thottu</i> 2000 Indian film

Pennin Manathai Thottu is a 2000 Indian Tamil-language romantic drama film written and directed by Ezhil. The film stars Prabhu Deva and Jaya Seal, with R. Sarathkumar in an extended guest appearance. Produced by Kaja Mydeen, the film was released on 7 July 2000 and became a commercial success.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Need a Doctor</span> 2011 single by Dr. Dre featuring Eminem and Skylar Grey

"I Need a Doctor" is a single by American rappers Dr. Dre and Eminem featuring American singer Skylar Grey. The song was produced by Alex da Kid and released for digital download through the American iTunes Store on February 1, 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jimmy O. Yang</span> Hong Kong-American actor and comedian

Jimmy O. Yang is a Hong Kong-American actor and stand-up comedian. As an actor, he is best known for starring as Jian-Yang in the HBO comedy series Silicon Valley, as Dr. Chan Kaifang in the Netflix comedy series Space Force, and as Josh Lin in the Netflix romantic comedy film Love Hard (2021).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">GloZell</span> American YouTube personality (born 1972)

GloZell Lynette Green, better known mononymously as GloZell, is an American YouTube personality. GloZell established her YouTube channel in 2008, with video interviews, comedy about her life and song parodies. By 2015, the channel had accumulated more than four million subscribers and more than 700 million total views. Her most popular videos include her cinnamon challenge video, which has accumulated more than 60 million views, and "My Push up Bra will help me get my man" video, with more than 25 million views. She gained wide notice when her blog about meeting Elijah Wood was mentioned by the actor during a 2011 interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live!. In 2012, she appeared in the web series Dr. Fubalous.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zubin Damania</span> Physician, businessman, internet celebrity

Zubin Damania is an American physician, assistant professor, comedian, internet personality, and musician. He also has been writing and performing comedic raps as ZDoggMD, an internet celebrity known for his music videos, parodies, and comedy sketches about medical issues, as well as systemic issues with healthcare.

Philip Augustine, an Indian gastroenterologist, specialist in gastrointestinal endoscopy and a hospital administrator from Ernakulam, Kerala. He founded the Lakeshore Hospital and Research Centre in 2003. In 2010, the Government of India honoured him with the Padma Shri, for his services to the fields of medicine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nate Bargatze</span> American comedian (born 1979)

Nate Bargatze is an American stand-up comedian and actor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kanan Gill</span> Indian stand-up comedian, actor and YouTuber

Kanan Singh Gill is an Indian stand-up comedian, actor, author and YouTuber. He won the Punch Line Bangalore Competition. He is known for the YouTube series Pretentious Movie Reviews where he reviews campy Bollywood films along with fellow stand-up comedian Biswa Kalyan Rath. He was one of the main personalities behind the YouTube Comedy Hunt and also co-hosted the YouTube FanFest India. In 2017, he released his own one-hour comedy special, Keep It Real on Amazon Prime Video. He made his debut on the big screen with the movie Noor, alongside Sonakshi Sinha. In 2018, he was also a judge on Comicstaan, a comedic reality TV show, on Amazon Prime Video. He released his new special Is this it? on YouTube in 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tanmay Bhat</span> Indian stand-up Comedian (born 1987)

Tanmay Bhat is an Indian YouTuber, comedian, scriptwriter, Actor, performer and producer who hails from Mumbai, Maharashtra. Born in a Kannada speaking South Indian middle class family, Bhat did his schooling from Cosmopolitan Babaram Education Society located in Andheri. He went on to pursue his higher education at the R. D. National College and Jai Hind College. He is the co-founder and former CEO/CFO/Driver of the creative agency All India Bakchod (AIB) along with Gur simranjeet Singh Khamba. In 2018, he was the judge on season 1 of Comicstaan, a stand-up comedy competition broadcast on Amazon Prime.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrew Schulz</span> American comedian and actor

Andrew Cameron Schulz is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and podcaster. In addition to his stand-up, he is known for his work on MTV2's Guy Code and its two spinoffs, the Flagrant podcast with Akaash Singh, and The Brilliant Idiots podcast. Schulz's first Netflix special, Schulz Saves America, premiered on December 17, 2020.

Surinder Kumar Sama is an Indian gastroenterologist, known for his expertise in endocrinology and diabetology. He is considered by many as the Father of Gastroenterology in India. The discovery of Non-cirrhotic portal fibrosis, an idiopathic chronic liver disease is attributed to him, which he described in a 1962 medical paper, co-authored with Ramalingaswami and Wig. The Government of India awarded him the civilian honour of the Padma Shri in 2004 for his pioneering research on liver diseases including Non-cirrhotic portal fibrosis and Hepatitis B. Sama also received the highest Indian medical honour of Dr. B. C. Roy Award in 2004.

Celebrity doctors include physicians, medical professionals, people with the title doctor, and some with the nickname "doctor" who have extensive media exposure. Some may have a secondary role as an entertainer. Examples of celebrity doctors include Dr. Drew, Dr. Miami, Dr. Oz, Dr. Ruth, Dr. Weil and Dr. Om Murti Anil.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doctor Mike</span> Soviet-born American celebrity doctor (born 1989)

Mikhail "Mike" Oskarovich Varshavski, known online as Doctor Mike, is a Soviet-Russian-born American YouTuber, internet personality, certified family physician, philanthropist, and professional boxer. His Instagram account went viral after he was featured in BuzzFeed and People magazine named him The Sexiest Doctor Alive in 2015. He has a YouTube channel on which he posts medically themed entertainment videos and debunks false medical claims.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bhuvan Bam</span> Indian YouTuber, writer, actor and singer (born 1994)

Bhuvan Bam is an Indian comedian, writer, singer, actor, songwriter and YouTube personality from Delhi, India. He is known for his comedy channel on YouTube named BB Ki Vines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alok Kanojia</span> American psychiatrist and Twitch streamer

Alok M. Kanojia, also known as Dr. K., is an American psychiatrist and co-founder of the mental health coaching company Healthy Gamer. He streams interviews on Twitch, where he and participants discuss mental health topics.

William John Bulsiewicz better known as Dr. B., is an American board-certified gastroenterologist and author known for his exploration of the relationship between the gut microbiome and plant-based nutrition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alan Desmond</span> Irish gastroenterologist

Alan Desmond is an Irish consultant gastroenterologist and writer known for his advocacy of plant-based nutrition. He has argued that a whole food plant-based diet may prevent many diseases.

References

  1. 1 2 "About DrPal". YouTube.
  2. 1 2 "Dr. Palaniappan Manickam, MD". Doximity. Archived from the original on 2023-10-09. Retrieved 2023-10-06.
  3. 1 2 3 Sunder, Kalpana (2023-11-05). "Losing belly fat, intermittent fasting for weight loss – doctor, YouTube star 'Dr Pal' uses humour to promote healthy living". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 2023-11-04. Retrieved 2023-11-04.
  4. 1 2 3 James, Merin (2023-08-02). "Medcom: Dr Pal's unique prescription to bridge health, humour". DT Next. Archived from the original on 2023-10-06. Retrieved 2023-10-06.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Ramanujam, Srinivasa (2023-08-09). "Meet stand-up comedian Dr Pal, who combines medical information and comedy". The Hindu . Archived from the original on 2023-10-06. Retrieved 2023-10-06.
  6. ↑ "About Dr. Pal". drpalmanickam.com. Archived from the original on 2023-10-06. Retrieved 2023-10-06.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Clarance, Daphne (2024-01-01). "How a doctor is proving laughter is the best medicine". India Today. Archived from the original on 2024-01-01. Retrieved 2024-01-01.
  8. 1 2 Rajagopal, Rashmi (2023-08-15). "Doctor uses 'med-comedy' to promote good health". Deccan Herald. Archived from the original on 2023-10-06. Retrieved 2023-10-06.
  9. 1 2 3 Ahmed, Muskaan (2023-08-27). "The doctor with a funny bone". The Times of India . Archived from the original on 2023-10-06. Retrieved 2023-10-06.
  10. 1 2 3 4 "Indian doctor in US on a mission to reduce people's belly fat". The Times of India . 2021-07-12. Archived from the original on 2023-10-09. Retrieved 2023-10-06.
  11. ↑ Manickam, Palaniappan. "Dr Palaniappan Manickam's Post:This is the #1 root cause of obesity". linkedin.com. Retrieved 2024-08-11.
  12. ↑ Mani, Sowmya (2023-10-23). "A Doctor or a Standup Comedian? Dr Pal Manickam On Using Laughter As Medicine For Millions". thebetterindia.com. Archived from the original on 2024-01-13. Retrieved 2024-01-12.
  13. ↑ Nair, Divya (2024-02-03). "India's Top Social Media Influencers". Rediff.com . Archived from the original on 2024-01-16. Retrieved 2024-02-09.
  14. ↑ TN Health Desk (2023-01-18). "Fatty Liver Disease: Gastroenterologist stresses on taking action". Times Now. Archived from the original on 2023-10-06. Retrieved 2023-10-06.


This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.