Flagrant w/ Andrew Schulz & Akaash Singh

Episode: Mo Amer on American vs Arabic Culture, DJ Khaled Beef, & Palestinian Pride
Release Date: November 20, 2025
Guest: Mo Amer

Overview

This episode of Flagrant features comedian Mo Amer, whose stand-up and Netflix show have pushed Palestinian and Middle Eastern narratives into mainstream comedy. The discussion dives into cultural identity, Mo’s experiences as a Palestinian-American, the complexities of Middle Eastern and American society, beef with DJ Khaled, the Saudi comedy controversy, Mo’s family, religion, travel, and the importance of authenticity in comedy. The tone is playful and irreverent, mixing deep insights with unfiltered jokes.

Main Themes

• American vs. Arabic Cultural Overlaps and Contrasts
• Comedy as Cultural Bridge and Lightning Rod
• Public Criticism of Comics Performing in the Middle East
• Palestinian Identity, Family Trauma, and Pride
• Religious Experience and Meaning of Pilgrimage
• Personal Growth, Authenticity, and Representation
• Humor as Survival and Social Commentary

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Mo Amer’s Origin Story & Cultural Parallels

• Mo details fleeing Kuwait at age 9 due to war, arriving in Houston, and seeing his mother’s strength under pressure ([04:42] - [06:52]).
• Quote: "You don't know who your parents are until something like this happens... My parents were unbelievable under pressure." — Mo Amer ([05:24])
• He discusses how Southern values in America (God, country, family) deeply resemble Middle Eastern culture: “The entire South… God, country, family. This is why I get along with my neighbors. They're there for each other, they feed the fuck out of you. It just reminds me of my childhood." — Mo Amer ([03:53]–[04:35])

2. Authenticity in Comedy & Pressure to Assimilate

• Mo reflects on industry pressure to “change your name, don’t say you’re Palestinian,” which he resists. “The essence of stand-up is being yourself on stage. It takes years of practice to be yourself on stage.” — Mo Amer ([10:05])
• “I can’t pretend to be something else.” — Mo Amer ([10:07])
• The group jokes about cultural and racial labels, using candid humor to highlight absurdities in identity politics ([10:24]–[12:13]).

3. DJ Khaled, Palestinian Representation & Comedy as Catharsis

• Discussion about DJ Khaled’s public silence on Palestine as comedic fodder in Mo’s new special. Mo uses this to explore visibility and responsibility ([07:30]-[09:00]).
• Andrew asks if Mo wants Khaled to stay out so he can keep his punchline; Mo jokes, “Yeah, you can’t take away my opening line... It’s a lifeline.” ([08:48])
• On growing Palestinian pride in the U.S.: “I’ve been talking about it for so long... about time.” — Mo Amer ([09:44])

4. Saudi Comedy Festival Backlash & Double Standards

• Mo is furious about criticism for performing in Saudi Arabia, highlighting industry hypocrisy:
  • “Fuck you for your casual racism. Fuck you for not wanting to push the needle forward... You want to pick on comics, the most freest art form on planet Earth?” — Mo Amer ([17:23])
  • Points to silence over other global issues and notes, “Nobody's having a beef with doing shows in Tel Aviv or anything like that.” ([18:18])
  • Explains that he got paid standard Middle Eastern rates, not state jets and millions ([18:49]).
  • On authenticity: “I’m myself no matter where I go.” ([24:30])
• Andrew notes progressives’ low expectations of non-Westerners: “Their expectations are so low, it doesn't match up with the so-called progressive ideals.” ([19:14])
• Mo resents being lumped into criticism simply because of his background: “You just lumped me into this shit… Nobody even asked me.” ([23:12])

5. Family, Loss, and Faith

• Mo shares deeply moving stories of his mother’s courage, his brother’s death, and practicing Islam through meaningful acts, not compulsion ([27:24]–[30:58]).
  • His wife’s conversion to Islam was influenced by personal conviction, not pressure ([28:45]).
  • “My way is the middle way... you always have to be balanced in everything you do.” ([30:27])
• Mo discusses survivor’s guilt and family trauma stemming from displacement and occupation in Palestine: “My heart is shattered. You think it can’t get worse, and it does, and you feel helpless.” ([75:23])

6. Pilgrimage to Mecca – Spiritual and Cultural Meaning

• Mo describes three Umrah pilgrimages, their spiritual weight, and healing power—especially after his brother’s sudden death ([61:07]-[66:22])
  • “It was deeply, deeply powerful. Easily one of the greatest things I've ever done in my life.” ([66:22])
  • Discusses the importance of intention, humility, and unity during pilgrimage ([63:32]–[68:49]).
  • Explains how Islam, at its best, transcends race and nationality, quoting the Prophet’s last sermon ([59:12]–[59:50]).
• On the transformative nature of Mecca and Jerusalem: “It’s a real thing... Many people coming together for this sole purpose of just being faithful and their belief in God is just a beautiful thing.” — Mo Amer ([74:04])

7. American Identity, Gratitude, & Grievance

• Navigating pride and frustration as a Palestinian-American:
  • “I'm American and I'm also Palestinian, so those are a balance that needs to happen inside, both internally.” ([80:45])
  • Mo recalls performing for U.S. troops in Iraq and reconciling fraught feelings about America’s role in his family’s displacement ([82:48]–[84:56]).
  • Comedy is his method for healing and connecting with others; performing in Arabic and English to both soldiers and locals was uniquely cathartic ([83:40]–[84:56]).

8. Representation and Legacy

• Mo’s show “Mo” breaks ground as the only Palestinian narrative sitcom in American TV:
  • “I feel like it’s my life’s work… a life purpose.” ([26:33])
  • Expresses pride in impacting his community: “The numbers on the road and the people that have come up to me, no matter where I am on planet Earth, that's my award.” ([25:35])
  • On his mother finding out about his fame through WhatsApp: “When my mom gets a WhatsApp video of me, you know you made it.” ([77:03])
  • On authenticity and giving back: “All I've done is give up so much… You think it was easy to film in Houston?” ([20:54])

9. Humorous Cultural Critique and Banter

• The crew dives into playful but pointed riffs:
  • On food origins, colonization, and diaspora—white people “perfecting food,” Middle Eastern/Asian vs. European rivalries ([34:09]–[35:13]).
  • Butter chicken as “cultural exchange,” French fries as "the only white food" ([43:28]–[43:50]).
  • The crew jokes about the global immigrant experience—Houston as “the first level of the video game of America” ([14:51]).
  • Joking about conversions, cultural appropriation, and intermarriage ([32:00]–[33:03], [49:01]–[49:28]).
• Hilarious, affectionate teasing about Mo’s (not white) wife, “compulsory” religious behaviors, and the white crew’s attempts at cross-cultural understanding.

10. Hummus Taste Test Finale

• The gang closes with an on-air blind hummus taste test, with Mo ruthlessly judging:
  • “Whoever made this deserves to be whipped… you should all be disgusted with yourself.” — Mo Amer ([88:32])
  • Ultimate verdict: Lebanese-style from a local restaurant wins; Mo is vindicated in his expertise ([92:23]).
  • “I do this for my history, my lineage, my culture.” ([92:51])

Notable Quotes

• On resisting assimilation:
  “The essence of standup is being yourself on stage. And it takes years of practice to be yourself on stage.” — Mo Amer ([10:05])

• On criticism of Middle East gigs:
  “Fuck you for your casual racism. Fuck you for not wanting to push the needle forward. … You wanna pick on comics, the most freest art form on planet Earth?” — Mo Amer ([17:23])

• On grief and pilgrimage:
  “It was deeply, deeply powerful. Easily, one of the greatest things I’ve ever done in my life.” — Mo Amer ([66:22])

• On bridging cultures:
  “Being generationally displaced has allowed me to rekindle all my family across the world. … Comedy saved my life.” — Mo Amer ([79:30])

• On authenticity & representation:
  “I'm American and I'm also Palestinian… those are a balance that needs to happen inside, both internally.” — Mo Amer ([80:45])

• On WhatsApp fame:
  “My mom got a WhatsApp video of me, and they didn’t know they were forwarding it to my mom. … If my mom is getting WhatsApp, have you seen this guy? Incredible.” — Mo Amer ([77:03])

Key Timestamps

• 04:42–07:04: Mo’s family’s escape from Kuwait & mother’s heroics
• 09:44–10:25: Industry pressure to hide Palestinian identity; stand-up as pure self-expression
• 17:22–24:30: Saudi festival backlash, authenticity, and double standards about comedy in the Middle East
• 27:24–30:58: Mo's wife’s conversion, faith, and family/religion balance
• 59:12–68:49: Meaning and experience of pilgrimage (Umrah); Islam and ethnic unity
• 75:23–76:21: Survivor's guilt, family trauma, desire for hopefulness in art
• 80:45–84:56: Navigating American identity, trauma, healing through comedy
• 87:01–92:51: Hummus taste test—a riot of culinary judgment and pride

Conclusion

Mo Amer’s presence on Flagrant brings comic fire, honest cultural critique, and moving personal narrative. The episode walks a line between raucous laughter and genuine depth, offering both a crash course in Arab-American complexity and a showcase for the healing—and dividing—power of comedy.
The episode ends with Andrew plugging Mo’s third Netflix special “Wild World” and the second season of his sitcom “Mo,” highlighting his role as both a trailblazer for Palestinian stories and a keen observer of the absurdity of crossing worlds.

[End of Summary]