Arab-American Comics Find Laughs in Culture

posted on: Aug 13, 2009

Now in its third year, the Arab American Comedy Showcase features a variety of local talent performing sketch and standup comedy. The production aims to focus on the humorous side of American life from an Arab-American point of view.

The show is “a wonderful way of building bridges with other community groups and other ethic groups,” says Mike Mosallam, artistic director and co-producer. “We are much more similar than not, and I think this is a good way to have a dialogue about Arab culture being like any other culture and having its own nuances and hilarities.”

The showcase features mostly sketch comedy, a la “Saturday Night Live.” The sketches are like mini plays that are spoofs of pop culture-related topics such as MTV, dating shows and the local news. Some skits put a comedic spin on more heated issues, such as interracial dating.

Besides the sketches, the show includes a few prerecorded videos and a host that will do some stand-up material.

Actors from all over Metro Detroit were chosen in June to be a part of the cast. Mosallam says the showcase grows bigger every year, which is why the producers expanded it to two nights.

“We had one show last year (which was) sold out with 1,200 people,” he says. “The first year we had 800 people.”

The Arab American Comedy Showcase is an entertaining event for fans of comedy, or for Arab Americans who want to support and celebrate their culture in a fun way.

“After 9/11 there were only a handful of (Arab) comedians that had started doing comedy and were laughing at Arabs and themselves, but they were actually making a statement,” says Warren David, spokesman for the event. “Now this show is in the third year … and it’s really exciting to see how this has developed.”

Melody Baetens
The Detroit News