What makes an Arab laugh? Report from Jordan's comedy festival.
| Amman, Jordan
鈥� A local, slice-of-life story from a Monitor correspondent.
鈥淚n my country, just like Jordan, we aren鈥檛 tortured by our government,鈥� said Pakastani-Canadian Ali Hassan, pausing awkwardly. Laughter filled the Amman theater before he could finish: 鈥�Inshallah (God willing).鈥�
In a region known for conflict and religious conservatism, the Middle East鈥檚 only stand-up comedy festival is determined to prove Arabs can laugh 鈥� and laugh hard.
Arab humor is being showcased in the unlikeliest of places: Jordan, a country where residents have long embodied the image of the stoic Bedouin as immortalized in films such as 鈥淟awrence of Arabia.鈥� Although religion, politics, and sexuality tend to be off limits, comedians still have plenty of room to push the boundaries, according to Arab-American comedian and Amman Comedy Festival organizer Dean Obeidallah.
During the November festival, comedian Maysoon Ziyad poked fun at the pressures to get married, while Persian-American comic Maz Jobrani mused how Iranian opposition protesters were forced to shorten Mahmoud Ahmadinejad鈥檚 name for rally chants.
Joke-telling in Arabic is a much more drawn-out process than in English, hinging on details rather than timing, according to Korean-Jordanian comic Wonho Chung. At times, the buildup to a punch line is closer to storytelling.
Even within stand-up, much of Arab humor remains regional; referring to well-manicured Lebanese men as 鈥渢he most beautiful Arab women,鈥� or poking fun at Saudis鈥� 鈥渄isappointment鈥� at the grand opening of the Virgin Megastore in Jeddah.
Although far from daring, the medium is slowly breaking a major taboo in Arab culture: discussing personal lives in public.
Not all are ready. The mention of family members or spouses on stage still attracts shouts of 鈥渟hame on you!鈥� as well as laughter, American comic Amer Zahr noted.
No matter which direction it takes, the popularity of stand-up proves that 鈥渉umorless Arabs鈥� are eager to laugh at themselves, stresses veteran Jordanian satirist Nabil Sawalha.
鈥淲hy not? We came up with the greatest joke of all time,鈥� Mr. Sawalha said. 鈥淎rab politics.鈥�
