Indian-American comedian and screenwriter Zarna Garg is taking center stage—not just for her punchlines but for a 27-year-old matrimonial ad that’s capturing hearts and headlines. Appearing on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Garg shared the story of how she met her husband—not through a dating app or a charming coincidence, but through a brutally honest ad she wrote herself.
Forget romantic meet-cutes. Garg crafted a matrimonial notice that was part stand-up set, part feminist declaration. In a now-viral segment, Fallon read excerpts from the ad: “To some, I’m too short, too plump, too dark, or too argumentative. But enough about me. Here’s what I want: A husband. A partner. Ambitious, but kind. Confident, not arrogant…” She even requested tax returns and medical records up front and made her intentions crystal clear: “Only contact me if you want to get married. No friends!”
The audience roared with laughter, and Fallon, clearly impressed, asked, “And it worked?” Garg responded with a beaming smile, “Twenty-seven years later, here we are.”
For her, the ad wasn’t bold—it was practical. “People make dating so complicated,” Garg explained. “I believe the universe gives you what you ask for—but only if you ask clearly.” Her approach, now hailed as refreshingly straightforward, struck a chord in a world tangled with dating games and ghosting.
Garg’s journey, however, didn’t stop with love. Born in Mumbai, she left India to avoid an early arranged marriage and eventually moved to the US. After completing a law degree, she spent years raising her kids before diving into comedy in 2018, thanks to her children’s encouragement.
Since then, she’s won Kevin Hart’s comedy competition, starred in Zarna Garg: One in a Billion on Amazon Prime, and shared stages with icons like Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. She is also the host of The Zarna Garg Show podcast and performs worldwide with her comedy special Practical People Win.
In a dating culture full of ambiguity, Garg’s story reminds us that honesty and humor may just be the ultimate love language—along with a peek at those tax returns.
