Bassem Youssef on Humor, Politics and Egypt

posted on: Mar 16, 2015

With his groundbreaking satirical TV show now off the air in his home country of Egypt, Bassem Youssef has lately taken up residence near Boston. He has just one small produce-related complaint. “I pity Americans for their very bad fruits,” he says. “Your ‘mango’ is cucumber. The only thing I really miss about Egypt is mangoes.”

Often called “the Jon Stewart of Egypt,” the 40-year-old Mr. Youssef used to host “Al Bernameg” (“The Program”). His show, which took on everything from politicians to the military to the Muslim Brotherhood, attracted millions of viewers during its run from 2011 to 2014. It has been credited with starting a “humor assault” that helped to turn public opinion against former President Mohammed Morsi, who was ousted by the military in July 2013.

Mr. Youssef’s show was suspended by its network last June, and he left Egypt in November. He is now a resident fellow at Harvard University’s Institute of Politics, where he runs a seminar on how humor can break political, social and religious taboos. He is not officially banned from entering and leaving Egypt, but he says that he would not be surprised if his passport were denied. His life in Egypt became “an unpredictable roller coaster,” he says. “And I’m getting old for amusement parks.”

Source: www.wsj.com