For previous participants, see the Bio Archive.

Born in the Great State of New Jersey, Dean's comedy comes in large part from his unique background of being the son of a Palestinian father and a Sicilian mother. Dean, an award winning comedian who was at one time a practicing attorney... 

Maysoon Zayid is an actress and professional standup comedian, who received her BFA in acting from Arizona State University. She is the co-founder and co-executive producer of the New York Arab American Comedy Festival and can be...  

Ramy Youssef is serving in his first year as the Artistic Director of the festival. He is too young to drink, so his selection came as a surprise to no one, as he was the only person sober enough to direct ... 

Alexandra Ben Othman resides in Queens with her husband and two cats. She began attending the festival as a means of understanding her Tunisian husband’s culture. Four years later she became the festival company manager and is proud to be working ... 

Abbas is an Iraqi actor who left Iraq in 2004 and came to America in 2009. He has been acting in theater and TV for 14 years. In Iraq, Abbas was a rising star in Iraqi sketch comedy shows, "Huwar Il Toorshan,"... 

Adi Khalefa is a Palestinian Stand-Up Artist from Nazareth. He has been writing and performing for the last 6 years. One characteristic of his act is that it’s not funny. He has toured Palestine and the Middle East and... 

Al Nazemian graduated from Brown University with a B.A. in theatre. He recently starred in "Damages", "Law & Order", "Saturday Night Live", "Late Night with Conan O'Brien". On film, he played Farukh in "Tied to a Chair," Dr. Bea in ... 

Aftermath (Guggenheim Works and Process- with NYTW, Dir. Jessica Blank), Again and Against (Labyrinth Theatre Lab, Dir. John Gould Rubin), As Soon As Impossible (Second Stage New Works, Dir. Hal Brooks)... 

Amjad Hajyassin is an aspiring writer / comedian from Brooklyn, who lives and breathes for writing. After completing his first screenplay, "The Boys In Apt. 3B", he began writing about his passions. He is one of 4 children born to Palestinian... 

Aron grew up in Washington D.C.. He is a genius at impressions and tackles sensitive political subjects with humor. Aron is a founding member of “The Axis of Evil Comedy Tour.” He starred on Comedy Central’s “Premium Blend”, “The Shield,” F/X... 

My name is Audra Wahhab, my father is Palestinian and my mother is Irish/German. I grew up all over the place but mostly in Milwaukee, WI... 

Baha Khalil is a Palestinan-American who was born and raised in South Paterson (Little Palestine), NJ. His stand up stems from his experiences stuck between two worlds, Arab & American. By day he's works in IT in an Office Space like cubicle but at night breaks away from it all with his humour. 

Neil and Bethel have written and performed close to a dozen original shows across the country. Some of their favorites include: Legs Wide Shut at the Bank Street Theater (NYC), Insomnia at the West Bank Theatre (NYC)... 

Raised in Surrey, B.C, but born in Montreal, QC, Bilal Mammah has always loved to make others laugh. After returning to Montreal in 2007, he followed his passion and is now a regular in the Montreal comedy scene. Born to parents hailing... 

Cheroc is a native New Yorker born to Irish and Moroccan parents. Cheroc has performed stand-up at top comedy clubs around NYC including Carolines, and Gotham Comedy Club. She has also performed improv at Upright Citizens Brigade Theater. Cheroc has her...  

Made in Syria, born in NYC ;) Daniel has been passionate about acting since the age of 13, and is pleased to be taking part in his first NYAACF this year. College theater credits include Brighton Beach Memoirs and Parade... 

Film & TV: upcoming: Sex and the City 2, as well as You Don't Mess With the Zohan, Syriana, Habibi, "Guiding Light," "Tough Crowd" with Colin Quinn, "We are New York", "Law and Order"... 

Eddie Brill is a well-respected and very funny stand-up comedian in the USA and abroad. He has been a regular on the comedy scene in England since 1989. Eddie works regularly in Australia, Ireland, Scotland, Canada, France, Holland and... 

In 2006, Eman started standup in NYC and founded and produced BOOM (Best of Open Mic) in Montreal. She performed in NYAACF (2008-2010), Amman Comedy Festival and Just for Laughs Festival. Eman has toured U.S. and Canada... 

Eman Morgan, an Egyptian-American comedian that’s quickly becoming one of the hottest up & coming young comedians today. Born and raised in Los Angeles, he grew up around a diversified community, which helped him gain the comfort of performing in front... 

Dok Off Broadway: Eat the Taste by Greg Kotis at Barrow Street Theatre; Yeast Nation by Greg Kotis and Mark Hollman, workshop production at SoHo Playhouse. Grim by Jessica Litwak... 

Hend appeared this Spring in the Broadway play "Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo" starring Robin Williams and can be seen this season in three episodes of the TV show "Damages." She’s also the voice of Fendi perfume's new ad campaign... 

Joe DeRosa has appeared on HBO’s Bored To Death, FX’s Louie, had his own Comedy Central special, and is a regular on Sirius/XM’s The Opie and Anthony Show and Fox New's Redeye. His debut album "The Depression Auction" made Laughspin.com’s Top 

Kareem Omary is a comedian/story teller based out of Brooklyn, NY. Born in Kuwait to a Syrian Muslim father and South American Catholic mother, he grew up witnessing the crusades in his living room. Kareem garners attention for his storytelling style... 

Chicago-based touring comedian Khaled TheComic was born in Texas to (mostly) Palestinian parents and raised in Indiana next door to his Lebanese grandmother. He brings a fresh... 

Laith just made his debut at the Denver Center. Off Broadway credits: Sinan Unel's 'CRY OF THE REED' at the Huntington Theater, Lars Noren's 'WAR' at the Rattlestick. TV credits include: THIRD WATCH, LAW AND ORDER CI, SOPRANOS... 

The Black Eyed, New York Theatre Workshop; Girl Blog From Iraq: Baghdad Burning, Barrow Street Theater/Edinburgh Fringe Festival (Stage Theater Award Nomination, Outstanding Ensemble); Dinner Game, New York Arab-American Comedy Festival; Stuff Happens, Public Theater (Drama Desk Award, Outstanding... 

Larisa Shaterian is thrilled to be making her debut at the New York Arab American Comedy Festival. She trained at Michael Howard Studios’ Conservatory the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (London). She has done much student and regional theater and is... 

Leila Ben-Abdallah is excited to return for her third NYAACF! A graduate of the William Esper Studio Two-Year Meisner Training Program, she has appeared on stage in Life Ellipsis (LOM Productions), Let That Sh*t Go (Live Blaggard Theatre Co.), and NYAAF... 

Raised in Sudbury, Massachusetts, James Sayess left the States for Dubai to pursue a college education in Middle Eastern language and culture. He holds a degree in Political Science from American University in Washington, DC. An audition and acceptance to... 

Egyptian-American comedian Maria Shehata's quick-wit and conversational delivery has brought her appearances in NY's Arab-American Comedy Festival, NY Underground Comedy Festival, LA Middle Eastern Comedy Festival... 

Actor, producer, vintage fashion aficionado Michele Rafic joins the NYAACF for the 5th year. NY Credits: Research with The Claque; Altared Saints with the Public's Emerging Writers Group; Reconstruction with WOW International; W.M.D. (just the low points) with Sponsored by... 

Mike Batayeh is a native of Detroit, Michigan who is of Jordanian descent. He currently resides in Los Angeles, CA where is a working Comedian/Actor/Writer. As a writer he has two screenplays, one of which is in process to be produced... 

Mike Easmeil, a comedian/writer of Palestinian heritage, is excited to once again be a part of the NYAACF. A veteran of stand-up comedy, Mike first performed 16 years ago at Groucho's Comedy Club in Virginia, while completing his... 

Mohamed Masoud is an Egyptian comic born and raised in NJ. He is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and received his doctorate from UMDNJ. He made his debut as a comedian at the age of 18 and has since then performed... 

Murad Saleh grew up in Newark, NJ to Palestinians and loves geotechnical engineering... 

Nader is from Brooklyn, but has nothing against the letter R. Nader has been a denizen of the stage since he lost the District 24 Spelling Bee in 1987. Since then, his appearances include the Big Brown Comedy Hour and... 

Noel Elgrably grew up in the nation's capital but left his day-job selling insurance to pursue his calling as a stand-up comedian in Los Angeles. The son of a French-Moroccan father and Moroccan-Israeli mother, he offers an original comedic...  

Omar Elba is an Egyptian-born actor/comic/writer living in Los Angeles. He was recently on CNN regarding... 

Rasha Zamamiri is ecstatic to be returning to NYAACF for her fourth year. Previous credits include: Aftermath ( NYTW and World Tour); Living In Exile (LaMama); L(y)re (Ontological Hysteric); Egyptian Products (Royal Court Project); Church (Public Theatre); Hijab (Gene Frankel)... 

Remy Munasifi ("GoRemy") is a YouTube partner and comedian from Arlington, Virginia. His works include "Hey There Khalilah," "Saudis in Audis," and... 

Originally born in Detroit Michigan, Said Durrah (Palestinian-Jordanian American) is from the Washington DC area and has performed his comedy... 

Born in Oakland, California, Sammy K Obeid graduated UC Berkeley with a 3.9 G.P.A. double major in Applied Mathematics and Business... 

Sarah Siadat is a graduate from Marymount Manhattan College with a BA in Theater Performance, She is from Oregon but holds dear her half-Saudi half-Persian roots. She was recently seen in: CBSsports The Stay At Home Dad, NYC Fringe, Meanwhile in... 

Lortel Award‐Winning Betrayed (Culture Project, LATW, Kennedy Center, PBS), Aftermath, Mapquest, FringeNYC’s Perez Hilton Saves the Universe. TV/Film: The Dictator, “Blue Bloods,” “Damages,” The Stoop, If the Lie Succeeds, Language Rooms, Into the Woods, Evita, Lend Me A Tenor, City of... 

Ted Sod toured internationally in Aftermath; acted in plays at The Public, The Culture Project, Second Stage, Playwrights' Horizons, American Place, and BAM. He’s appeared on Bored To Death, Nurse Jackie, Ugly Betty, Law&Order: SVU, and Law&Order: Criminal Intent. He directed...