I never thought of myself as a comedian. That is a label – make me laugh. I want to make you think. Bassem Youssef Read Quote
We have dealt with the Arab/Muslim problem in the American media in every single way but through comedy. Hollywood has always been lagging behind comedy… We can make fun of ourselves, too, and I’m inviting us to laugh with us – and all the misconceptions. Bassem Youssef Read Quote
I chose the Egyptian dream: the dream to make a TV show, and then be called an infidel by the end. Bassem Youssef Read Quote
Part of the reason why people get radicalized is because they feel they are disenfranchised; that they not there; that they are bullied. But if they are represented, they can’t go and say to themselves: ‘Oh, this society hates us!’ Bassem Youssef Read Quote
This is the conundrum of the present regimes in the Arab world. They still want to control youth; they want to be in control as they did in the 1950s and ’60s. But that doesn’t work anymore. Now with just a Wi-Fi link, you can understand what’s happening in the world. Bassem Youssef Read Quote
The bigger you become of a celebrity, the bigger the expectations, the pressure on you – to make change, to say what people want, to target the people they want to target. Fame is toxic; it is quite toxic. Bassem Youssef Read Quote
The importance of satire is bringing more people to the table. There are a lot of average citizens who aren’t interested in politics and would be more interested if it’s brought to them in a comedic, funny, satirical way. Bassem Youssef Read Quote
A lot of people tend to glorify the role of satire and comedians. They put them up as role models, as fighters for the truth and against tyranny, and I think that’s overrated. Bassem Youssef Read Quote