TDS Time Machine | Arab American Heritage Month

Summary

Summary of "The Daily Show: Ears Edition" – Episode: TDS Time Machine | Arab American Heritage Month
Release Date: April 27, 2025
Hosts: Trevor Noah, Bassem Youssef, Rami Youssef, Mo Amer, Reza Aslan
Produced by: iHeartPodcasts and Paramount Podcasts

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Introduction

In celebration of Arab American Heritage Month, The Daily Show: Ears Edition delves into the rich tapestry of Arab and Muslim American experiences through engaging conversations with prominent figures in comedy, television, and academia. Hosted by Trevor Noah, the episode features insightful dialogues with Bassem Youssef, Rami Youssef, Mo Amer, and Reza Aslan, exploring themes of representation, media influence, immigration, and geopolitical dynamics.

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1. Bassem Youssef: Pioneering Arab Political Satire

Timestamp Highlights:

• [01:07] Trevor Noah introduces Egyptian satirical comedian Bassem Youssef, renowned for his groundbreaking political satire in Egypt.
• [02:15] Bassem discusses the challenges of creating a comedy show in a politically unstable environment, including facing death threats.
• [04:23] The conversation shifts to the 18 Days of Revolution in Egypt, with Bassem highlighting the media's role in shaping public perception through conspiracy theories.
• [05:37] Bassem emphasizes the importance of authentic storytelling in challenging stereotypes, stating, "It's in our money." at [06:25].
• [07:32] Bassem lauds Rami Youssef's achievements, setting the stage for the next segment.

Key Insights: Bassem Youssef underscores the pivotal role of satire in advocating for political and social change, despite facing significant risks. He illustrates how media can both empower and hinder revolutions, often perpetuating harmful stereotypes through misinformation. His collaboration with Trevor Noah bridges international perspectives on media influence and the universal challenges of navigating political satire.

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2. Rami Youssef: Breaking Stereotypes in Muslim American Comedy

Timestamp Highlights:

• [07:32] Introduction of Rami Youssef, creator of the Emmy-nominated sitcom Ramy.
• [09:11] Rami shares his journey from creating a groundbreaking show that offers a nuanced portrayal of Muslim Americans to achieving widespread acceptance: "I'm not trying to make us look good... this is just the story of this family," at [12:07].
• [13:16] Bassem highlights the show's success in humanizing diverse Muslim experiences, particularly through characters like Steve, Rami's best friend in a wheelchair.
• [15:18] Rami discusses the creation of a spin-off focusing on Steve, aiming to provide fresh perspectives and challenge existing stereotypes about disability and ethnicity.

Key Insights: Rami Youssef articulates the delicate balance of authentic representation without pandering to external expectations. By focusing on individual narratives, Ramy dismantles monolithic views of Muslim communities, presenting multifaceted characters who grapple with universal human experiences. Rami's commitment to expanding the narrative through characters like Steve showcases his dedication to inclusivity and depth in storytelling.

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3. Mo Amer: From Refugee to Stand-Up Success

Timestamp Highlights:

• [16:45] Introduction of Mo Amer, a refugee from Kuwait who has carved a niche in the American stand-up scene.
• [18:08] Mo recounts his challenging journey to U.S. citizenship, stating, "It took me 20 years to get my citizenship," at [19:37].
• [20:20] He humorously describes traveling internationally without a passport, highlighting bureaucratic absurdities and personal resilience.
• [21:39] Mo reflects on the pressures of representing immigrant voices in comedy, emphasizing the therapeutic role of humor: "Stand-up comedy was the perfect outlet for me," at [22:35].
• [23:32] Discussing his encounter with Eric Trump, Mo illustrates the intersection of comedy and politics, using humor to navigate complex social dynamics.

Key Insights: Mo Amer's narrative embodies the immigrant struggle and triumph, leveraging comedy as a means to process and communicate his experiences. His ability to infuse humor into poignant topics like immigration challenges and cultural assimilation highlights the power of comedy in fostering understanding and empathy. Mo's international experiences and collaborations further emphasize the universal language of laughter in bridging diverse backgrounds.

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4. Reza Aslan: Religion, Politics, and Geopolitics

Timestamp Highlights:

• [31:57] Introduction of Reza Aslan, a renowned scholar of religions and author of Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth.
• [33:02] Trevor and Reza discuss the reception of his work across different cultural and religious communities, with light-hearted banter about potential controversies.
• [33:16] Reza addresses the complexities of the Iran nuclear deal, critiquing the U.S. Congressional stance: "If this sanctions law passes in Congress, then it is as clear a message to our allies that this is all a joke," at [37:00].
• [37:30] He emphasizes the futility of ongoing sanctions, advocating for productive engagement instead of punitive measures.
• [38:02] Reza warns of the consequences of undermining international agreements, asserting that persistent sanctions could derail diplomatic progress and escalate tensions.

Key Insights: Reza Aslan provides an incisive analysis of the geopolitical landscape surrounding Iran, highlighting the detrimental impact of U.S. Congressional actions on international diplomacy. His critique underscores the importance of cohesive foreign policy and the necessity for strategic alliances in fostering global stability. Reza's expertise bridges religious scholarship with contemporary political issues, offering listeners a nuanced perspective on global affairs.

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Conclusion

Throughout this episode, The Daily Show: Ears Edition spotlighted influential Arab and Muslim American voices, each contributing uniquely to discussions on media representation, cultural identity, and international politics. From Bassem Youssef's fearless satire in Egypt to Rami Youssef's trailblazing sitcom, Mo Amer's resilient humor as a refugee, and Reza Aslan's scholarly insights on religion and geopolitics, the conversations paint a comprehensive picture of the Arab American experience. The episode not only celebrates heritage but also fosters a deeper understanding of the challenges and triumphs within these communities.

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Notable Quotes:

• Rami Youssef [12:07]: "I'm not trying to make something that's some sort of PR hit to make us look good; this is just the story of this family."
• Mo Amer [19:37]: "It took me 20 years to get my citizenship."
• Reza Aslan [37:00]: "If this sanctions law passes in Congress, then it is as clear a message to our allies that this is all a joke."

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For more insightful discussions and diverse perspectives, tune in to The Daily Show: Ears Edition available on ParamountShop.com, Comedy Central, and streaming on Paramount+.

Transcript

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[Comedy Central]

You're listening to Comedy Central.

[Trevor Noah]

Please welcome Bassem Youssef.

[Bassem Youssef]

Hello.

[Trevor Noah]

Hey. Oh, my God.

[Bassem Youssef]

Yay.

Wow, you've got live audience.

[Trevor Noah]

Yes. You don't have an audience?

[Bassem Youssef]

Yeah, that's why I use puppets.

[Trevor Noah]

You use puppets because you don't have an audience. Are there any shows in Egypt that have an audience? Do they do live studio audience?

[Bassem Youssef]

No, we are actually trying to do that next year. We're going to be the first Arab satirical political show with live audience, which is huge because we don't actually have.

[Trevor Noah]

This kind of industry, the television industry, the live audiences and things like that. How difficult is it to do a show like you're doing a comedy show when the stability of the country is still in question? Because it's difficult for me and we're pretty stable, but I still get the hate with the people, they don't like me. What happens with you?

[Bassem Youssef]

Death threats. Check, check.

[Trevor Noah]

We're not so different, you and I.

[Bassem Youssef]

Sometimes I get beaten. No, they're just kidding. It's actually, it's been quite a ride. And what we do is has actually we broke ground in the television programming because now people say, wow, he actually says what we want to say and we're trying to be funny. We fail most of the time, but we try.

[Trevor Noah]

Check, check.

[Bassem Youssef]

Yes. By the way, can I ask a question? Can I ask a question? Last week, did you have Kat and.

[Trevor Noah]

Zeta Jones Catherine Zeta Jones was in your seat, sir.

[Bassem Youssef]

In this seat.

[Trevor Noah]

Your very seat. Nice. Yeah, yeah.

[Bassem Youssef]

Is death and aspirin.

[Comedy Central]

You know what?

[Trevor Noah]

You take the bag with you, take it to Cairo. We don't care. Ooh, nice, right?

[Bassem Youssef]

Yes.

[Trevor Noah]

Yeah.

[Bassem Youssef]

She's so.

[Rami Youssef]

Okay.

[Trevor Noah]

She's very sweet.

[Bassem Youssef]

Yes.

Yeah.

[Trevor Noah]

That's nice. You're gonna like tv. You're gonna like it. Here's the thing that is very unusual to me. You are a very accomplished heart surgeon as well, before you got into this. Now, obviously, Jews and Muslims, there is tension amongst the cultures at times 2000 years for. But one thing we probably share is that going to your mother as a heart surgeon and saying, yeah, I think I'm gonna be a comedian would be a problem.

[Bassem Youssef]

It was a problem until actually she showed. She showed the. And she saw my new big TV and living room, so she was okay with that.

[Trevor Noah]

So comedy a little more lucrative than the heart surgery business.

[Bassem Youssef]

A lot.

[Trevor Noah]

I knew I was smart.

[Bassem Youssef]

And you don't get that many. You don't get sued, like, every five seconds.

[Trevor Noah]

I think that's probably smart too. How did this all begin? What? During the revolution, Tarzan, did you just decide this is the time to try and express this thought? This is the time to do something? I've wanted to try for a while.

[Bassem Youssef]

Well, the 18 days of the revolution was incredible because you would go to Tahrir, you see what's happening, you come back, you open the tv, and it's a totally different world. It's amazing. And you know what? It's happening again now. It's like all these rumors about, like, aliens coming down and trying. They are the people who are driving the revolution and the Freemasons. Yes.

[Trevor Noah]

Is it really this type of conspiracy stuff? Because that's. We have a gentleman here. Does Glenn Beck have a show in Egypt or.

[Bassem Youssef]

No, it's his evil twin, really.

[Trevor Noah]

He's a guy who's spreading sort of conspiracy stuff.

[Bassem Youssef]

He's a little bit kind of cloned everywhere.

[Trevor Noah]

Oh, really?

[Rami Youssef]

Yes.

[Bassem Youssef]

Even in sports programs. Imagine Glenn Beck actually doing a sports show, and that's what you'll get. That was a foul because some Blu Ray came from the eyes of Derek.

[Trevor Noah]

So basically it's Freemason. And the Americans and Israel have. Have gathered together to hypnotize the Egyptian people to go to Tahrir Square to complain.

[Bassem Youssef]

Yes.

[Trevor Noah]

Okay.

[Bassem Youssef]

And Hamas.

[Trevor Noah]

Oh, really? And them too.

[Bassem Youssef]

And Iran.

[Comedy Central]

Ah.

[Bassem Youssef]

All these people. Can you imagine? Israel, Hamas, Iran, Israel and America are actually all, like, unified, working together. Yes. Against Egypt.

[Mo Amer]

Wow.

[Trevor Noah]

How do they decide what to eat at the meeting. That would be kosher. Gotta be kosher, I would think.

[Reza Aslan]

Yeah.

[Trevor Noah]

So are the people resentful that the powers that be don't believe that they would have the wherewithal to stand up on their own?

[Bassem Youssef]

The problem is that, like, people want to believe. They want to believe. But, like, when you have the media kind of pounding on them with all these conspiracies, you will find people that will fall for that. I mean, for example, you have what's his name, Kramer? Like mad money.

[Trevor Noah]

Yes, yes, yes.

[Bassem Youssef]

And people still watch him. I mean, the guy kind of like bankrupted the whole country, and then still people watch his show.

[Comedy Central]

It's the same.

[Trevor Noah]

Well, it's very interesting that the medias in our country are not that there's sort of an establishment media and then there's what's going on in the street and the twain don't really meet.

[Bassem Youssef]

Yes.

[Trevor Noah]

And you try and occupy that space in the middle of that.

[Bassem Youssef]

Yes. Because it has been extremely funny and hilarious to watch the media right now. I mean, back in Egypt, it's the same. We're not very much different.

[Trevor Noah]

No. I think you look better in a suit. But other than that, I think we're the same.

[Bassem Youssef]

It's in our money.

Look at you. Very sure.

I had to pay for it. He gets his for free.

[Trevor Noah]

Give it 14 years, my friend. It'll count. It'll count. Basim, I can't tell you. Here's the thing. I watch your program. I had it translated. I don't know a tremendous amount about Egyptian politics because obviously, as an American, we prefer not to know that much about countries we meddle in, so. But I do know a little something about the humor business. Your show is sharp. You're really good on it. It's smart, it's well executed. I just. I think the world of what you're doing down there, and I couldn't be more pleased that you're here. Can you stick around? We'll throw a little bit more up on the web and have a nice talk. Thank you.

[Bassem Youssef]

Yes.

[Trevor Noah]

Basa Youssef, Ladies and gentlemen.

[Bassem Youssef]

Welcome back to the Daily Social Distancing Show. So earlier today I spoke with actor and comedian Rami Youssef. His Hulu series, Rami is the first Muslim American sitcom to receive an EMMY nomination.

[Comedy Central]

It's 2020. They don't want a man like me anymore. Trump it up. Too much. He's too much a man. You know, the people are afraid. They want a man like you.

[Bassem Youssef]

A man who feels a little Bit.

[Comedy Central]

Like a woman, but is still officially a man.

[Bassem Youssef]

Maybe transsexual.

[Comedy Central]

You know, this is good. Which is why I want you to join me and become a small little partner in this door. It's your future.

[Bassem Youssef]

Ramy Youssef. Welcome to the daily social distancing show.

[Rami Youssef]

Dude, it's too much distance, but I feel like we should have been closer. But what are we going to do?

[Bassem Youssef]

I think you're actually lucky that we're not closer, because I'm such a big fan of the show that I would have been one of those nauseating fans who would have been asking you too many questions. I would have been all over you. Cause, like, I remember when Rami first came out, first came out, few people were talking about here, but I, I, I just stumbled across the show and I was like, I was running around preaching to people, you gotta watch Rami. You gotta watch Rami. You gotta watch Rami. And now, I mean, it's widely accepted. Yeah, Rami is much must watch viewing. What has that journey been like for you from going, you know, creating a show about a Muslim millennial in New Jersey and the Muslim world as a comedy, you know, to now being a show that people just go, like, yeah, yeah, this is normal. Because it, let's be honest, it wasn't normal, like, a few years ago when you decided to do this.

[Rami Youssef]

No. And it still really shocks me. Like, there are definitely moments where people are talking about the show a lot. It's getting a lot of recognition. People are excited about it. And I'm like, guys, this is a show about, like, an Arab Muslim dude that watches too much porn. Like, I can't believe that this many people are looking at it. The thing that's probably most overwhelming is the international love. Because I think, like, here it's like, awesome, you know, whatever. We got publicists and all this. But for me, when my aunt calls me and she's like, egypt's watching the show. And I'm like, have you seen it? And she's like, not yet. And I'm like, thank God. But she's like, I hear the kids are watching. And I'm like, good, just let them watch it. That's really special.

[Bassem Youssef]

I think what I found special about the show, and this is probably what connects to so many people, is it's not just the story of an Arab Muslim kid growing up in New Jersey. It's also the story of a community that for so long has been seen through one lens, man. You take us into a world where we see human beings we see the complexities of Islam. You know, we see the complexities of different generations and how they relate to the religion. And then the cultures that come. Like, that's not an easy thing to do. Was there ever a part of you that was afraid to either tell the story incorrectly to an outside audience or piss off the inside audience?

[Rami Youssef]

Yeah, I mean, that's kind of the tightrope walk that we're constantly walking with this show, because we haven't really had any chance at seeing ourselves on screen in a story that doesn't involve explosives or national security. To your question about was I nervous? Where I'm really nervous because I know that Muslims are such a vast group of people.

[Bassem Youssef]

There are many communities.

[Rami Youssef]

People even say, like, what does the Muslim community think about your show? And I'm like, it's not a pop band. Like, there are a lot of different Muslim communities. Like, it's not just this one thing. And so we kind of made the choice pretty early on that we're not going to try and check all the boxes. This isn't a census. This isn't a totality of something that can't be encompassed, really. This is just the story of this family, and we're really gonna kind of humanize them by watching them deal with their problems in the way that everyone does.

[Bassem Youssef]

What makes the show successful for me is that it follows the golden rule of telling a story, and that is showing the human beings who exist within the story. What I loved was how even in your story, you know, the rummy that you play. When he went to Egypt, he himself realized that he had stereotypes and connotations of his own family in Egypt in a way that he didn't even realize to take it to Egypt and then have, like, an Egyptian family who are fans of Donald Trump. And all of America's going, donald Trump's the worst president. And here you have Arabs somewhere in the world saying, this guy's the best guy, even though he wants to ban all Muslims. Why was that so important for you to do?

[Rami Youssef]

I remember being in the back of a cab in Cairo in 2015, and this guy just being like, he's a strong man. And I was like, whoa, all right. I think we're just used to dictators, and he just kind of matches the vibe. But he's not what we need. We know he's not. And I think most of us feel that on a certain, you know, with a certain clarity. And I think something that I really wanted to do in making a story about a family we hadn't seen before was I wanted to be clear that I'm not trying to make something that's some sort of, like, PR hit to make us look good and make it seem like, hey, we deserve to be in this country. Give us a shot like, look how cute we are on Rami, on Hulu. That's not a real portrayal. That's like propaganda in and of itself. You know, for me, it's how do I make something that is challenging my character, that is putting him in situations where he's seeing his own biases, he's seeing his flaws, and that really gets highlighted when he goes to Cairo. Because I think the show is more about someone trying to fill the gap between who they want to be and who they actually are than it is a show about Muslims.

[Bassem Youssef]

I would be remiss if I didn't mention some of the breakout stars of your shows, of the show. And one of those characters has to be Steve. You know, we meet your best friend in the show who's in a wheelchair, and already, you know, from TV and movies we've watched, we think we have an idea of who this person should be, but he's like a full fledged character in that. Like, there's times when he's an asshole, there's times when we like him, times when we don't like him, times when we feel sorry for him, times when we forget that he has a disability. Tell me a little bit about how he came to be on the show and why you felt it was so important for him to get his own show.

[Rami Youssef]

Well, in terms of him getting his own show, that was just straight up, him bullying me into it. He was like, you have the power to produce something now, and this is gonna be the first thing you do. And so there's not really. There's no option there for me. But, you know, I've known Steve since we in third grade. You know, we grew up five minutes from each other. We went to school together. We actually learned how to make things together in high school. And I think what was really exciting for us in the show is so many times in sitcoms you see an ethnic best friend. And in this show, we're predominantly with an Arab cast that's speaking Arabic. And we're like, all right, I guess we're gonna have to have the white best friend. But it was really funny to kind of pitch him as the white best friend. And he also has muscular dystrophy. But really what he is, is he's the white best friend. And also in where the lead character believes in God. It's really interesting to have someone who doesn't. And his reasoning is very rooted in something where he's like, well, why would I believe that if this is how I am? And then in making something for him, what's really cool is again flipping this idea where okay, now we have in my show. I think he's disserviced. I love my show and I'm also like, we don't do enough for him. He's just the disabled best friend. I want to make a show where what would it look like where able bodied people are the side characters. And now we get to flip this again and we get to see a totally wholly new perspective. And so we're putting together, we're developing the show with Apple and so yeah, it's a world that we're really excited to crack open.

[Bassem Youssef]

Well, I'll say I've thoroughly enjoyed your journey, man. From being a comedian that some people spoke about like in word of mouth to being a Golden Globe winner. And now stepping into it once again, three time Emmy nominee, best director, best acting and then obviously with Mahershala Aliz makes it three for Rami. Congratulations on everything and thank you so much for joining us on the show.

[Rami Youssef]

Thanks, man. So it's so good to see you.

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[Bassem Youssef]

Welcome back to the Daily Show. My guest tonight is a comedian whose Netflix stand up special is called the Vagabond.

[Comedy Central]

My first name is Muhammad. Oh, quit Playing baby. No, really, what's your first name? I'm like, that is my first name. She's like, oh, you ain't gonna get your citizenship, baby. Please hold. I was like, what the just happened to me? This lady puts me on hold, and the hold music was never gonna get it. Never gonna get it. And then she picked up the phone real quick and goes, woo, woo, woo. And hangs up on the.

[Bassem Youssef]

Please welcome Mo Amer. Welcome to the show.

[Comedy Central]

Oh, thank you for having me.

[Bassem Youssef]

Uh, you know, a lot of the time they say that the best comedy comes from the biggest tragedies. And in many ways, your life could be considered by some as being a rolling series of tragedies that you've turned into comedy and you've turned into success. A little bit of your story would shock most people out there. You are someone who came to America as a refugee.

[Comedy Central]

Correct.

[Bassem Youssef]

From Kuwait.

[Comedy Central]

Correct. I was born in Kuwait. I left Kuwait after the first Gulf War.

[Bassem Youssef]

Right.

[Comedy Central]

Which I like to call the prequel. Uh, I. I went to a really nice private British English school in Kuwait, and then we migrated to Houston, Texas. And that's a culture shock. It's a culture shock. And they put me in ESL class, which is English as a Second Language class, and I was the only guy that spoke English in the class. I walk in, all the kids are like, hola, tuen de nuevo aqui, and a hint of a British accent. I'm like, sorry, what language are you speaking? All of a sudden, this other dude just rolls up out of nowhere. He's like, you're weird, dude. Why do you talk like that, Eh? And that was my teacher. You know, it was a very weird situation.

[Bassem Youssef]

This is like, here, here's the thing. A lot of the time when, you know, when we have these conversations in America about, like, immigrant, refugee, et cetera, it's always like. Like a sad story. It's always like, you know, these people who need this place as refuge. But, but you. You really have an interesting story about how your mom was the driving force behind getting your family to the US and starting up a new life. Just from your perspective, like, how would you try to explain to somebody what it is like to be a refugee and how hard it is to come into the United States.

[Comedy Central]

Um, it's really difficult to explain or put into words the excruciating process of getting your citizenship.

[Bassem Youssef]

Right.

[Comedy Central]

It took me 20 years.

[Bassem Youssef]

Wow.

[Comedy Central]

To get my citizenship. I traveled all over the world doing stand up comedy without a passport.

[Bassem Youssef]

Wait, how do you travel without a passport?

[Comedy Central]

They give you A United States travel document that it's only good for like a year. And then you have to. You know, most countries need more of a year validity on your passport to even enter the country. Right. It's incredibly complicated. In most cases, I'm not even allowed to go. But I just would go and see what would happen anyway. I would get questioned in a lot of different countries.

[Bassem Youssef]

So let me understand this. You are a Palestinian, Kuwaiti Muslim, traveling the world with no passport. And you were like, yeah, I wanna try to do this in more countries.

[Comedy Central]

Yeah, well, the thing I'm born in Palestinian.

[Bassem Youssef]

How many times did you get. How many times did you get stopped? Like, how many times were you.

[Comedy Central]

Every time. No, it was every time to the point to when I became a citizen and I was re entering America. And he was like, okay, go ahead. And I was like, no. Are you sure? I think there's another. There's something else that needs to happen here. I feel awkward. Can we just talk for a little while? I'm serious. It did. I was like, what's going on? I was like, no. I was like, no, we need to chat a little bit. Like, Japan was my favorite interrogation I ever had. It was just an hour of them trying to figure out what I did for a living. The entire hour for real consisted of, so what is your occupation? I was like, oh, I'm a comedian. He's like, comedian. I'm like, yeah, yeah, I do stand up comedy. Stand up. A commodore. I'm like, yeah, I'm a. I do comedy Kumada. Yeah, I do. I'm a comedian comedian. I'm like, am I being roasted right now? What's happening? Finally, his buddy walks in, his partner, he's like. And he goes, oh, yeah. He's like a beer Cosby. And that's what got me off was Bill Cosby. I mean, not literally. Not literally. Figured that's what got.

[Bassem Youssef]

Um, you. You. You have this really interesting journey growing up in America. Takes 20 years to become a resident citizen.

[Comedy Central]

A citizen. A citizen.

[Bassem Youssef]

Yeah, sorry, Citizen. Right. And. And here, here's the thing that I, that I've always wondered from your. Your perspective, you know, do. Do you ever find yourself in a space where, because you speak about things that are happening in the U.S. people are like, hey, you should just be grateful to be in the US don't talk about anything that might be going wrong in the US because the US has welcomed you in.

[Comedy Central]

Yeah. Um, nah. I mean, look, as an Arab, American, Muslim, Palestinian, on top of it, you know, someone who's fled war. I was nine years old, so I didn't really know much. It's not like, hey, mom, are you sure about Houston? You just had to go, right? You know what I mean? And I'm very proud Houstonian. And I grew up in Ailey, which is a really multicultural neighborhood. But the thing is, is that growing up that way, I was always, you know, told to not talk about politics, not say anything. Cause they're gonna send us back. Wow. That was the whole thing.

[Bassem Youssef]

Shh.

[Comedy Central]

Don't say anything. They're gonna send you back. You know, make sure you don't talk about. I was like, you know, all this stuff that's been festering inside for so many years. That's why when I started standup comedy, it was the perfect outlet for me to allow me to express everything that was happening to me. And also, you know, releasing the special and seeing the reaction from so many different people that can relate to the same story, that have refugees that are refugees, that went through a similar process, that are, you know, dealing with the immigration system right now. They talk about extreme vetting. I mean, my God, it took us 20 years. How much more extreme can it be?

[Bassem Youssef]

Well, you want it to take forever?

[Comedy Central]

Yeah. That's the point. And so it's very, very frustrating. But at this point in time, I'm an American citizen, so in your face, bitch. I say whatever I want. You become really confident once you get that passport. Once I have the passport, like, what you gonna do now?

[Bassem Youssef]

Like, they can take it away from you, can they?

[Comedy Central]

Oh, shit.

[Bassem Youssef]

That's what. That's.

[Mo Amer]

That.

[Bassem Youssef]

That was one of the things that, like, you know, people were talking about with Trump. They said, like, oh, you never know what he's gonna do. You never know. You know, Trump was floating ideas like, are citizenships real? Have people lied about things, et cetera, et cetera. And a lot of people who are refugees or maybe came to the US as immigrants had this connection with Trump where they were worried you had a different connection with Trump, which is one of the reasons you.

You.

You came into prominence. Really insane story, right? Where you found yourself on a plane seated next to Eric Trump.

[Comedy Central]

That's. Yeah. Um, you know, being a frequent flyer helps sometimes. I didn't know this was gonna happen. Like, I. I was upgrading to first class, right? And I ended up sitting next to Eric Trump. I didn't even know I was gonna get upgraded. Cause I put my name on the list way too late. You know, comedians are, you know, the best procrastinators and the best. Yep, yep, yep. And I didn't know I was gonna get upgraded, much less sit next to Eric. But I do know one thing. The lady that upgraded me is probably a Clinton supporter. You know, let's be real. She was probably sitting there like, oh, Eric Trump is on my flight. Okay. Uh huh, uh huh, uh huh. I don't know why she has a mustache, but okay. Mm, mm. Oh, there's an empty seat next to Eric. Let me take a look at this upgrade list. See who's standing by patiently here. Oh, Muhammad Mustafa, Amber Upgr.

[Bassem Youssef]

Oh, dude. Can I tell you, man, I've seen your stand up on the road. You were amazing opening for Dave Chappelle. The special is truly phenomenal. I tell everyone to go out and watch it. Thanks so much for coming on the show.

[Comedy Central]

Thank you so much for having me.

[Bassem Youssef]

I hope to see you again. The Vagabond is currently available on Netflix. Please go and watch it more. Amar, everybody.

[Mo Amer]

We'll be right back.

[Bassem Youssef]

My guest tonight is a Grammy nominated hip hop artist whose new album is called Jungle Rules. Please welcome French Montana. Welcome to the show.

[Mo Amer]

How y'all doing tonight?

[Bassem Youssef]

We're doing good, man. We're doing real good. You're doing real good, but not as good as you are doing. Congratulations. You're single Unforgettable, currently number five on the Billboard charts. It's going up.

[Mo Amer]

Thank you.

[Bassem Youssef]

Thank you. Congratulations on that.

[Mo Amer]

Thank you. Just got that news today.

[Bassem Youssef]

You have. You have a story that's more interesting than most. Not just because of what you do and how successful you become, but because of where you came from. You were born and raised in Morocco.

[Mo Amer]

Mm.

[Bassem Youssef]

Right. You moved to the US when you were 13 years old.

[Mo Amer]

Yes.

[Bassem Youssef]

And then got into hip hop. Like how? Like, is it just a universal language?

[Mo Amer]

No, honestly. Honestly, I tell everybody this. You know, I feel like music is. Is the only language that people speak in the whole world. Not even knowing English before I came here. Just loving music, loving the rush I get when I hear it. It's totally different from making it. If I just knew English and knew, like, you know, I hear what you're saying.

[Bassem Youssef]

What were you listening to when you were a kid before you could speak English?

[Mo Amer]

I was listening to Shep Husney and I was listening to Moroccan music.

[Bassem Youssef]

Right. Was there any American hip hop you were listening to? Cause I know, like, my cousin was.

[Mo Amer]

Yeah, I was, of course, like, my.

[Bassem Youssef]

Cousin was a huge Tupac fan, but he couldn't speak English, so then my cousin would walk around in one of the places In South Africa, a place called Zanin. Right. And he was like. He was a gangster in his mind.

[Mo Amer]

Yeah.

[Bassem Youssef]

And so we'd be like, pushing a wheelbarrow, going to the river. This is no joke. So we'd be pushing a wheelbarrow to the river. And the whole way he'd be walking and be like, I know my enemies and Tennessee Trees and the phenomy Nana.

[Mo Amer]

Gunna G, you're on the.

[Comedy Central]

And I.

[Bassem Youssef]

And then I would say to him and be like, wow, your English got really good, Norman.

[Comedy Central]

And he'd be like, eh, mirne.

[Bassem Youssef]

But mirrene. And it's the weirdest thing. Do you, like, was there, like, an American artist that you listened to even though you didn't understand?

[Mo Amer]

Tupac had a gift of speaking. He did, right? He spoke to everybody that was like, I don't speak English.

[Bassem Youssef]

Tupac had a gift of speaking to Africans. I don't think anyone has ever said that in the history of language. Uh, let's, let's talk about what you've been doing with this album. You know, we saw you performing at the BET Awards, and you had on stage with you, uh, troupe A Dancer troop.

[Mo Amer]

Yeah. Triple A, Yellow Kids, right?

[Bassem Youssef]

From Uganda.

[Mo Amer]

Yeah.

[Bassem Youssef]

Now you. You went out to Uganda, but I, I still struggle to understand the full story. How on earth do you end up on stage performing with Ugandan kids in the United States?

[Mo Amer]

Um, it goes back to African music. And I was like, you know, I usually just go and like, listen, keep up to date, right? I just saw this video of these kids, you know, and when I seen it, I just fell in love with it. I never seen nobody dance like that, you know? So when I'm watching, I'm like, why these kids dancing like this? Then I found out they don't have no TVs.

[Bassem Youssef]

That's amazing.

[Mo Amer]

So all they Moves was original. Like, they created they moves and they all live together. There's 20 of them. They all lost their parents. So let me tell you something. I don't know why I did it, but I did it.

[Bassem Youssef]

And you went. You went on to fall in love with Uganda. Like, you didn't just know.

[Mo Amer]

It was the best decision I ever made in my career.

[Comedy Central]

Yeah.

[Bassem Youssef]

Because I, I, I know many people will go to Africa and be like, oh, I loved it so much. And then it's done. But you have now stayed in touch with Uganda, with the people you, you're involved in a, In a project now with Mama Hope, I think.

[Mo Amer]

Yeah. Mama Hope. Shout out to Mama Hope.

[Bassem Youssef]

Yeah.

[Mo Amer]

What is Mama Hope about not a private organization. Shout out to global citizen. These are people that help people around the world, you know, to make a better place for children and mothers. You know, I feel like every mother and every child should have, you know, the right care, you know, and ever since I've been involved with it, man, it feels really great. So when I got there, I saw a bunch of beautiful kids just standing outside smiling in that clinic, you know. So when I came out, I said, I gotta come back here and just do something, you know. But honestly, me building that with and shots of the. I can't take all the credit. Shots of the weeknd. He helped.

[Bassem Youssef]

Oh, yeah, yeah. Because this is, this is honestly. This is honestly one of my. One of my favorite stories because you said, I'm going to help build up this medical facility, get more people to be treated. I think it went up from treating, having the capacity to treat 50 to now going to two.

[Mo Amer]

It was like 300,000. 300,000 mothers. Yeah.

[Bassem Youssef]

And what I found amazing was you were like, I'm gonna donate the money. And then the weekend was like, oh, I'm also gonna drop 100 grand on this. And I was like, is this gonna be like the new, like, thing in hip hop?

[Mo Amer]

Yes.

[Bassem Youssef]

Where it's like, guys, guys are gonna be bragging instead of bottles in the club.

[Mo Amer]

I got a hospital in Africa.

[Bassem Youssef]

A hospital in Africa. I gotta. You could make it a thing. You could make it a thing.

[Mo Amer]

Yeah, I hope so. I hope so. Yeah, definitely. Definitely. Shout out to the weekend. And ever since then, you know, we almost. It went from two rooms. Now it's almost 50 rooms.

[Bassem Youssef]

Wow.

[Comedy Central]

Wow.

[Mo Amer]

Thank God for that.

[Bassem Youssef]

Yo, man, thank you. Thank you so much for what you're doing. Congratulations on the music. We wish you the best, mama. Hope. Check it out. Jungle rules is available now. And for more information about the unforgettable movement, go to mamahope.org French Montana, everybody. We'll be right back.

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[Trevor Noah]

Welcome back. My guest tonight, a scholar of religions and author. His latest book is the bestseller Zealot, the Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth. Please welcome back to the program, Reza Aslan.

[Comedy Central]

Thank you.

[Trevor Noah]

Congrats on. All right. All right, Reza, I just. I just want to be clear. You're a Muslim. Why would you write a book on the founder of Christianity?

[Reza Aslan]

This is my secret Muslim plan to destroy Christianity.

[Trevor Noah]

I was just reading that. Do you remember? I don't know if you remember this. You went on Fox and lady was asking me those questions, and I was just watching that, like, oh, my God, Rez is going to strangle this part.

[Reza Aslan]

I did okay.

[Trevor Noah]

You did wonderful. You did. It was incredible. And the book is so good.

[Reza Aslan]

Thank you.

[Bassem Youssef]

Yeah.

[Reza Aslan]

The perfect Christmas gift for your Jewish friends.

[Trevor Noah]

Yes. There's nothing we like better around this time of year. Nice picture of him looking judgmentally at us.

[Reza Aslan]

Yeah, yeah.

[Mo Amer]

Right, Right.

[Trevor Noah]

Yeah. Nice menorah.

[Bassem Youssef]

Yeah.

[Trevor Noah]

Hey, enjoy your potato latkes. How are you doing otherwise? These are very exciting times for Iran.

[Reza Aslan]

Absolutely. I mean, this nuclear deal has really changed the atmosphere in Iran. So much excitement over it. Frankly, a little too much excitement over it because it's not really that big of a deal insofar as sanctions relief or helping the economy.

[Trevor Noah]

Right.

[Reza Aslan]

But whereas here in the United States, nobody talks about this deal as possibly laying the groundwork for some kind of future normalization. That's all they talk about in Iran. In fact, it's created these two camps, like a reconciliation camp and an isolationist camp. And right now, the reconciliation camp has all the momentum. The isolationists, particularly in the military, are still there. They're a little bit muted. They're waiting for this thing to collapse so that they can attack the Rouhani administration. And listen, frankly, the Congress might give them that opportunity.

[Trevor Noah]

How much power does Rouhani. You know, we saw the eight years of Ahmadinejad. We saw the Green Revolution, where Mousavi appeared to have defeated Ahmadinejad. Electorally, it seemed like There was shenanigans. That's a Yiddish word for manipulated election. There were tremendous protests in the streets, tremendous violence. This movement is sort of driven underground. Rouhani is considered in that sort of Mousavi camp. Yes, more of a reformist.

[Reza Aslan]

Yeah, he's a bit of a moderate. He's got some reformist tendencies.

[Trevor Noah]

But does he have any real power, or does it all still rest with the Supreme Leader? And if Khamenei says that he's in the isolationist camp, are they in the isolationist camp?

[Reza Aslan]

Yes. I mean, the simple answer is that all the power and the only voice that really matters is the Supreme Leader's voice. But it's much more complex than that. There's a very robust civic infrastructure in Iran, and the president has the opportunity to actually make fundamental changes. What Rouhani has going for him is that so far, Khamenei, the Supreme Leader, is supporting this. I think that's why the reconciliation camp has, you know, this great momentum on its side and why the isolationists are keeping, for the most part, quiet. Because if you disagree with this deal, then you're disagreeing with the Supreme Leader. But really, the issue, again, and I hate to just bring this up, rests with the U.S. congress.

[Trevor Noah]

Oh, I thought you were gonna. It was gonna go to Jews again. I thought that. Yeah, I thought that's where we were going here. And then I was gonna have to again, once again, say we're actually quite pleasant when you get to know us.

[Reza Aslan]

No, what I was gonna say was this is the problem, is that, you know, everybody in the US Keeps talking about how well. Well, can we trust Iran to hold up its end of the bargain? That's not the problem.

[Trevor Noah]

Well, because in this country, we have an isolationist camp, and we have a camp. I mean, it's similar. You're playing to a very particular, much more rigid base here that won't allow. You know, you saw the kerfuffle that occurred when Obama just shook Raul Castro's hand, let alone trying to forge some kind of way forward with Iran.

[Reza Aslan]

Look, far be it from me to suggest that Congress is full of petty children presiding over a cesspool of wasted space.

[Trevor Noah]

So you do watch our show. Yeah, you do watch.

[Reza Aslan]

But, yes, you can't help but feel that they are actively trying to scuttle this deal. I mean, the negotiation is pretty clear. In exchange for Iran freezing and rolling back its nuclear program, which they've done, we will release a little bit of their frozen assets and also promise not to engage in any new Sanctions. This bill that Congress is trying to pass to create new sanctions is a violation of the agreement. In fact, the foreign minister of Iran, a pretty Western friendly, you know, moderate guy, has said if this thing passes, that's the end of the deal. It's a deal breaker.

[Mo Amer]

Right.

[Reza Aslan]

And it just, you can't help but feel that this Congress is full of people who are less interested in sort of the good of the country than in their own political good. They want to go back to Missoula, Montana, and, you know, tell the 3,000 people who voted them into office that they were tough on Iran and a friend to Israel. And it might, you know, it's a good, it'll get them reelected for two more years of a fairly cushy job. I mean, you get paid to do nothing.

[Trevor Noah]

Yes.

[Reza Aslan]

You know, but it's a danger to the country.

[Trevor Noah]

No. And I think. But when you look at it, there are certain absolute boogeymen that are out there, the United Nations, Iran, and not for no reason. There are certain things that Iran is doing. They are bad actors in certain fields of play and all that.

[Reza Aslan]

Absolutely.

[Trevor Noah]

But if we don't engage these countries and try and build more productive relationships, I think we're beginning to learn that pure sanctions driven consequences or invading them and trying to hold the territory until a government arises that likes us, doesn't want to is not maybe the answer.

[Reza Aslan]

No. And in fact, what cracks me up is that the entire purpose of these sanctions was to get Iran to the negotiating table.

[Trevor Noah]

Yes.

[Reza Aslan]

Well, guess what? It worked. They're at the negotiating table. So what are we doing now? Sanctioning them as a punishment for coming to the negotiating table. And in any case, these sanctions worked because they were international sanctions.

[Trevor Noah]

Correct.

[Reza Aslan]

They worked because we got the Europeans and Russia and even China to go along with them. If this sanctions law passes in Congress, then it is as clear a message to our allies that this is all a joke for us, that we're not really serious about this and the entire sanctions regime will fall apart. And guess what? Iran will continue to enrich uranium to.

[Trevor Noah]

Its heart's content and they will erode it anyway.

[Bassem Youssef]

Yeah.

[Reza Aslan]

Absolutely.

[Trevor Noah]

Unbelievable. Stick around for a little bit.

[Reza Aslan]

Yeah.

[Trevor Noah]

Want to talk about a couple other things? Zealot is on the bookshelves now. Reza Aslan, ladies and gentlemen.

[Bassem Youssef]

Explore more shows from the Daily show podcast universe by searching the Daily Show. Wherever you get your podcasts, watch the Daily show weeknights at 1110 Central on Comedy Central and stream full episodes anytime.

[Mo Amer]

On Paris, Paramount plus.

[Comedy Central]

Paramount podcasts.

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