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EMERGING MUSLIM COMICS USE LAUGHTER TO TACKLE DISCRIMINATION, FEAR
By Anna Johnson, Associated Press
Jan 21, 2006
TINLEY PARK, Ill. - When Azhar Usman walks down the street, he gets dirty looks.
"People are looking like I was responsible for 9-11," the comedian tells the crowd recently in this Chicago suburb. "Me 9-11? 7-Eleven, maybe.
"It's gotten so bad," he continues in an act full of comic pauses, "that I want to stop people in the street and say look, relax, John, Bob. I'm a Muslim, but I'm an American Muslim. That's right, I consider myself a very patriotic American Muslim, which means I would die for my country. By blowing myself up. Inside a Dunkin' Donuts."
Usman, 30, is one of several emerging Muslim comics who are touring the United States and the world trying to break down stereotypes, encourage critical thinking, create an identity and most importantly - get people to laugh.
"The stand up is quintessentially an American art form and is a form of political protest," said Usman, who grew up north of Chicago in the suburb of Skokie. "There's a history of the underdog using standup comedy to speak truth to power. People take notice and are transformed by the experience."
Not many subjects are off limits for Usman - a former attorney who became a full-time comic about two years ago. He jokes about terrorism, the war in Iraq, President Bush, airport security and the Patriot Act. Even his own religion and fellow Muslims are not exempt as he performs skits on Palestinians, Egyptians, Bollywood, mosques and Friday prayers.
"Just about anything is fair game, just as long as it's done tastefully and artfully," he said. "I have some boundaries, based on religion. I won't do any sacrilegious material, make fun of God or the prophet." Usman seeks the advice of a small group of Muslim scholars when he has doubts over subject material.
Though most of the response is positive, Usman knows some Muslims disapprove of his mixture of comedy and religion. He tackles tough issues, not just about how Americans see Muslims but how Muslims in America see themselves.
"It's equally my obligation as a comedian to point out what is wrong with us and get us talking about our problems as it is pointing out what's wrong the way, for example, the government is treating us," Usman said.
Though he performs solo, Usman also travels as part of the "Allah Made Me Funny" tour with two fellow Muslim comedians.
They debuted the tour in 2004, thinking they'd be a success if they played 30 cities in three years. Instead, they toured 50 cities in one year, performing not just at Muslim community centers but comedy clubs across the United States and internationally.
The tour's creator Preacher Moss, a longtime comic who has written for popular comedians including George Lopez and Damon Wayans, says the tour has a twofold message.
"On the outside our goal is trying to build bridges with non-Muslims, but on the inside it's to build bridges between ourselves," said Moss, 39.
"When you get people to smile about what they're fearful about, it's powerful. And when you finish laughing, you think about what you're laughing about," he said.
Using laughter to tackle discrimination and fear is not new. Minorities in America have often used the standup stage to open people's eyes.
"Humor is a good way, as it always has been, of drawing people in, exploiting the stereotype and finding a common ground," said John Lowe, a professor of English at Louisiana State University who is working on a book about humor in American ethnic communities.
Maysoon Zayid, a New York-based standup comic, helped create the [New York] Arab American Comedy Festival with breaking down stereotypes in mind.
But she also wanted to showcase Arab talent and get casting directors to notice that Arabs can play roles other than the terrorist. Thus far the show has been a success, taking place the past three years in New York and debuting in Los Angeles for a three-day run starting Tuesday.
"This is an effort to really change the image of Arabs in America, which are often considered religious, zealot terrorists," Zayid, 30, said. "And we want to show the amazing talent in our community."
Along with comedy clubs and Muslim community events, these comics also are using technology as a platform to bring their messages to a bigger audience.
Usman, for example, is developing a podcast about a fictional character named Tinku Patel - an Indian Muslim who comes to America to make a movie. "Patel" interviews celebrities and average Americans, asking them their thoughts on race and politics.
Matt Suneulli, the podcast's co-creator who also works as a producer for MTV, said he's hoping the podcast becomes popular enough to parlay into a television show.
"The sell is the character - if we can prove he's endearing and public likes him," Suneulli said. "Of course, there's obstacles to this. There's never been a lead character that looks like him."
But for Usman and his colleagues, being a comic isn't just a way to make money or gain fame. They've become role models for other Muslims in the United States who are looking for ways to merge their Muslim and American identities.
"To me this is not just about standing on stage telling jokes," Usman said. "There's a lot riding on this."
ON THE NET
Allah Made Me Funny: http://www.allahmademefunny.com
Arab American Comedy Festival: http://www.arabcomedy.org
Azhar Usman: http://www.azhar.com
Preacher Moss: http://www.preachermoss.com
Maysoon Zayid: http://www.maysoon.com
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