One of the most welcome suprises and positive sidce-effect suprises of the Arab Spring was the emergence of Bassem Youssef and his show Albernameg . The former heart surgeon started recording youtube videos with a political thematology during the first days of the Arab Spring in Egypt . Although with no prior stand up comedy or acting experience , Youssef proved to be a natural comedian in front of the stage , goofy , geeky and adorable and soon was the host of the most popular political satire show on Arab tv . Most importantly though , Youssef is opinionated , politiacal creature with well rounded thoughts and low tolerance on political manipulation and he didn't shy away from that on his show .
The book chronicles his rise to fame in a time of great turmoil but also great hope for Egypt to the persecution and hassling that eventually followed first by the islamists and then by the army status quo , to the inevitable exile first in Dubai and then in the US . The mood of the book also changes as the pages turn , displaying initially lots of self-sarcasm and awe of the new possibilities for Youssef , to the despair and anger that followed . The cheeky emoji on the cover and the funny tittle prepare you for some harmless biopic with ,aybe some light policial commentary but the final product is something much darker . The chapter where the egyptian army claims to have discovered a devide that cures AIDS in order to fire up nationalism among the population is especially blood-chilling .
Youssef has become a good friend of his idol Jon Stewart and Stewart has repeatedly pointed out the remarkable bravery of Youssef to pull the show off for as long as it went in a climate that made that extremelly dangerous . In an interview available for youtube organized by Chicago Ideas , an arab spectator asks Youssef during a Q&A "if there's any reason to give back where you came from ? " , The question felt more like an accusation and one can see Yousseff answering calmly that the place needs you to give you the conditions to allow you to offer . Saddly today's Egypt doesn't . Youssef though with his presence and career has already given back so much and helped also challenge many racist stereotypes that have prevailed in many people's minds ( including mine i'm ashamed to admit ) about the arab world of being something monolithic , made up of mostly apolitical , conspirancy loving and ultra conservative individuals . Its voices like Youssef's and femisist writer Mona Elthahawy's that display wit and brilliant intelligence that leaves you eager to hear , listen and learn more about this region of the world .
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Amazon Customer
Fantastic, Arrived before time
Reviewed in Canada on 31 August 2023
Edmund Lee
Phenomenal perspective of Egypt's two revolutions, and an interesting parallels to what's happening here in the US
Reviewed in the United States on 12 April 2017