Laughing Through the Arab Spring with Bassem Youssef
Chicago Ideas presented Bassem Youssef in conversation with Gigi Pritzker, seeing the pair parse Youssef's process, both then and now, with Youssef detailing a comedian's role in social and political activism.
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Laughing Through the Arab Spring with Bassem YoussefBassem Youssef, Gigi Pritzker
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Laughing Through the Arab Spring with Bassem Youssef
Dubbed the "Jon Stewart of the Middle East," Bassem Youssef will discuss how he created the first Middle Eastern political satire show with 30 million viewers each week and his experience moving to the United States.
Bassem Youssef is a satirist, writer and TV host who has been dubbed “the Jon Stewart of Egypt.” His TV satirical news program “Al Bernameg” ran from 2011 to 2014 following the ouster of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, and was directly inspired by “The Daily Show.” Youssef’s comedy has shined a light on issues within the Arab world, and worked to fight the stigma that’s placed on Muslims in the Western world.
At this onstage program, Youssef will examine the current state of politics in the Middle East, the United States and the rest of the world through his unique comedic lens, and look into the topics he addresses in his latest book, Revolution for Dummies: Laughing through the Arab Spring. He’ll dig into the power of propaganda when it comes to social movements and political regimes, providing attendees with a strong sense of how humor can spark change in communities everywhere.
