Egyptian-American Comedian Bridges Cultures with Laughter

By M. Scott Bortot

Washington - When most people think about the Middle East, comedy doesn't come to mind. But then again, they haven't watched Just Like Us.

Just Like Us ( http://www.justlikeusthemovie.com/ ) documents the journey of comedians, mostly American, on a tour of the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, in a region where stand-up comedy is little known. The documentary is the brainchild of Egyptian-American comedian Ahmed Ahmed ( http://www.ahmed-ahmed.com/ ), who directs and performs in the film.

Ahmed, a member of the "Axis of Evil" comedy tour that traveled America and the world, intends to convey a serious message with his directing debut.

"The idea for making Just Like Us is to prove that Arabs and Muslims, despite our cultural and religious differences, are Just Like Us when it comes to having a sense of humor," Ahmed told America.gov. Part of his inspiration was to correct Western misperceptions about Arabs. The film "is the answer that flips all misconceptions on its head. It's a peephole into the Arab world."

For people who have not visited the Arab world, the film presents an eye-opening experience.

"Most people who have seen the film want to travel to the Mideast, because we showed a different side. The beautiful side," Ahmed said. "It's important to shake hands with the rest of the world. What better way than through comedy?"

The Los Angeles resident has been touring the Middle East as a comedian since 2007, when he discovered the power of laughter in building bridges of understanding.

"Comedy heals. ... It allows humanity to take a good look at ourselves and re-evaluate situations in a light-hearted way," Ahmed said. "Angelo Tsarouchas says it best in our film. He says, 'I truly believe comedy is bridging the world.'"

Comics on the tour tailored their routines to avoid offending audiences. Stand-up humor in America broaches nearly every topic, but Ahmed said poking fun at religion, politics and royalty was off limits.

"In the Mideast, I always tell comics to keep it family-friendly and clean, like you're performing a set on [network television shows hosted by] Jay Leno or Dave Letterman," he said. "At the end of the day, funny is funny."

Almost all of the comedy is performed in English, with a little Arabic thrown in here and there to work the crowds. And the audiences were huge. The tour sold out everywhere, with thousands packing venues in Cairo, Dubai, Beirut and Riyadh.

In Riyadh, a Harley-Davidson club escorted the Just Like Us team through the streets of Saudi Arabia's capital.

"Every moment was eye-opening," Ahmed said. "But probably the most was Saudi Arabia, since public entertainment of any kind is forbidden. God blessed our shows there."

Ahmed interweaves performance clips and interviews with scenic location shots. Winding up in Cairo, the camera follows him back to where he was born, in the working-class suburb of Helwan.

An owner of Cross Cultural Entertainment, the company that produced the film, Ahmed learned much from his first filmmaking experience.

For starters, whom you pick to work with matters.

"Make sure you surround yourself with people who are smarter than you and are down for the cause. It was hard, tedious and a very patient and collaborative process," Ahmed said. "You have to be a team player to make a film."

Although the film is not yet available to the public, Ahmed and his team are negotiating for wide release. The film received a warm reception when it premiered at this year's Tribeca Film Festival in New York.

One of the enthusiastic audience members was celebrated actor Robert De Niro, a founder of the Tribeca festival. Ahmed said De Niro told him: "I really liked your movie. It was good."

Source U.S. Department of State