On Thursday, April 14, at 7:30 p.m., five comedians will perform at the Arlington Drafthouse. Their show, “Funatical,” will dispel “stereotypes about ‘brown people’ of various cultures and religions,” according to a press release. Comedian Ahmed Ahmed, who has been featured on Comedy Central, Showtime and the “Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” will headline the show. Matt Kazam, Maria Shehata, Omar Regan and Paul Singh will also perform.
The show’s intercultural, interfaith theme is particularly appropriate today, when the Arab world features so prominently in the news. The comedians will take different approaches to breaking down stereotypes. “It’s about the comedy first and the message second,” Kazam said. Excited to perform for a crowd made up of Middle Easterners, Kazam expects them to be able to relate to many of his jokes, as well as a broader audience who will also find humor and may gain a new perspective.
Kazam’s perspective reflects his 21-year background in comedy. He developed his passion for the craft from a young age. Growing up in New York City in an Iranian-American family, before the Iranian Revolution and thus before there were as many Iranian-Americans as there are now, Kazam often visited casinos and admired the comedy performances. However, he never saw comedy as a viable career path, so he studied finance at George Mason University. At age 21, Kazam decided that if he didn’t try comedy then, he never would and he has been at it ever since.
Singh will take a different approach. “I use comedy to make the serious message stick,” he said. As a motivational humorist for several corporations, Singh has had plenty of practice using his jokes to make his audiences think. As a Sikh who occasionally wears a turban, Singh finds it fascinating to see how Americans respond to the headpiece. One of his goals for “Funatical” is to break down stereotypes such as those about men who wear turbans. “At this time, some of the minorities are paying the price for some of the things that they never did or would do,” he said.
He hopes to change this situation.
Both Kazam and Singh have mentioned the “Axis of Evil” comedy tour, in which Ahmed performed, as an inspiration for the “Funatical” show. Kazam emphasized his excitement about a Middle Eastern comedy show in Washington, D.C., as they are more common in New York and Los Angeles.
In addition to the April 14 comedy show, the “Funatical” team will host a panel at Georgetown University the next day, from 12-2 p.m. According to Umbreen Shaikh, one of the organizers of the comedy show, the panel will provide “a more academic look at how comedy can be used for social commentary and cultural diplomacy.” Professors Adel Iskander and ambassador Cynthia Schneider will speak, along with Ahmed and several of the other “Funatical” comedians.
Tickets are available for $25 at funaticalcomedy.com. Through April 11, Georgetown students will receive a $5 discount if they use the code FUN-GTU-11 when purchasing tickets. The Drafthouse is located at 2903 Columbia Pike in Arlington, Va.
