One could say that Moe Amer and Ramy Youssef are the current generation’s answer to iconic comedians such as Jerry Seinfeld or Don Rickles. Even though I had never seen them perform live before this past year, it became clear why these two comedians were quickly establishing themselves on American soil: They make you laugh until your gut hurts!
Mo and Ramy are, for all intent and purposes, comedians. My introduction to the two was through their stand-up comedy careers. I saw YouTube videos here and there.
The Year of Ramys!
Ramy Youssef’s debuted on Hulu right around the time Ramy Malek won his Oscar, two Egyptian American storytellers are in the forefront of Hollywood. I wasn’t surprised by Malek’s win; he was amazing in Mr. Robot, another Egyptian American production. It was Youssef’s show that came as a surprise. There weren’t many talks of its making; I heard no whispers of it in the community. However, I processed all the above as great omens—they were preparing the scene for Osama and his struggles.
The Ramy Show
Ramy released his third season about a month ago, and I watched it right away. I watched all three seasons upon their release. I am a fan. I loved the ways the show highlight issues, which plague Arabs, Egyptians, and Muslims in North America, at least the eastern coast. It was an accurate portrayal of the communities; it was neither positive nor negative; it was realistic.
I loved the fact that the show addressed the communities’ confusion and diverse attitudes towards sex; I loved the cultural and identity questions in all their forms, which can be cruel for a first-generation kid in a foreign land.
In the show, Ramy is the offspring of a mix marriage—an Egyptian father and a Palestinian mother—adding a deeper layer to the clashing identities for the main character. We witness that clash with the uncle more than Ramy himself, at least not until season three.
The uncle is one hell of a character.
Women have a strong presence in the show, considering that it is centered around Ramy. Yet, the show brilliantly hoovers over issues related to the abandoned and often overlooked female sexuality.
The show is entertaining, funny, and thought provoking. However, it falls a bit short when it comes to doing more than highlighting issues, too many of them for one show. Instead, we are always presented with Ramy’s gullible and clueless point of view. I would love to see the show dig deeper into some of the issues and provide possible solutions.
Mo on Netflix
Mo is the fruit of Ramy and Mohammed Amer’s labor and second collaboration. Yes, they created Ramy, and Mo is a prominent character in it.
Netflix released Mo late summer 2022, and it was a hit. The two creators matured, and it showed. The show follows Mo’s present-day life while he deals with PTSD and its unknown roots in his story, at least to him.
Mo’s survival techniques get him so far, but they can’t save him forever. He must face his demons, support the family, and meet unrealistic expectations. The fusion creates comical situations that can only happen in Texas to Mo.
It is my opinion that what Mo, as a show, has done for the Palestinian people and their cause than anything else in recent memory. It has highlighted a Palestinian family’s struggle and its consequences as they searched for a new home, not in one country but two.
There is so much more that I love about the show, and I highly recommend it. I can’t wait for future seasons.
Inclusiveness
The brilliance of the two shows stood out once I noticed a pattern, an inclusive one. Given the fact that we belong, me included, to a global community that often overlooks persons with disabilities and their needs. I absolutely loved the inclusion factors on all fronts—cast, crew, and characters.
Check out Stevie and Sameer; they are the perfect icing to a delicious cake.
