Pathbreakers of Arab America--Ramy Youssef
By: John Mason / Arab America Contributing Writer
This is the twenty-seventh in Arab America’s series on American pathbreakers of Arab descent. The series includes personalities from entertainment, business, sports, science, academia, journalism, and politics, among other areas. Our twenty-seventh pathbreaker is Ramy Youssef, an American stand-up comedian, actor, screenwriter, and director known for his role as Ramy Hassan on the Hulu comedy series “Ramy.” Youssef was born in New York City to Muslim Egyptian parents and later raised in New Jersey. He has consistently highlighted his Arab cultural background, using it to create empathy and understanding of his audience. Youssef employs comedy to emphasize a balance between humor and sensitivity, thereby humanizing his often-politicized stories.
Ramy Youssef’s emergence into comedy and his unflinching portrayal of the Muslim-American experience
Ramy Youssef was born March 26, 1991, in Queens New York City to Egyptian parents and later grew up in New Jersey. He was raised in a Muslim household, observing Islamic holidays, and is a practicing Muslim. According to Wikipedia’s bio of Arab Americans, Youssef was raised in Rutherford, New Jersey, attended Rutherford High School, and then studied political science and economics at Rutgers University, Newark. Once he got the bug for acting, however, he left Rutgers before graduating to enroll at William Esper Studio to focus on theatre.
Youssef’s entry to comedy began during his teenage years, during which he performed stand-up routines at local clubs and open mic nights. He distinguished himself by developing a comedy that blended personal anecdotes with perceptive observations on social and attitudinal norms. Youssef excelled particularly at contrasting American and Arab habits and attitudes in humorous ways. He tackled such topics as faith, cultural clashes, relationships, and personal struggles. This merging of humor and introspection became a key to his comedic style.
Youssef expanded his acting interest into a multifaceted career as a stand-up comedian, actor, screenwriter, and director. He is perhaps best known for his role as Ramy Hassan on the Hulu comedy series “Ramy” (2019–present), for which he won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy and a Peabody Award in 2020. Ramy was also nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards: Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series.
Youssef’s television series “Ramy,” in which he plays the title character, “tells the story of a millennial Muslim who is a first-generation American born to immigrant parents in the United States. Soon after its first season debuted, Hulu renewed it for a second season with an expected premiere date in 2020. In June 2019, Youssef starred in his first HBO stand-up comedy special, “Ramy Youssef: Feelings.” With Mo Amer, Youssef is the co-creator of “Mo,” an American comedy-drama streaming television series that premiered on August 24, 2022, on Netflix.
Youssef’s “comedic talent soon gained attention, leading to appearances on various platforms, including Comedy Central and late-night talk shows. However, it was his groundbreaking Hulu series, “Ramy,” that catapulted him into the limelight. Premiering in 2019, the show revolved around a first-generation Egyptian American navigating his Muslim identity amidst the complexities of contemporary America. Youssef not only starred in the series but also served as its creator, co-writer, and executive producer.”
Youssef – a beacon of representation and empowerment for marginalized communities, especially Palestinians
One episode of the “Ramy” show in particular underscores Youssef’s support of marginalized people and Palestinians in particular. Titled “Egyptian Cigarettes,” debuting on Hulu on September 30, 2022, the episode took viewers on a journey like no other on American TV. It was filmed in several installments in Israel with a predominantly Palestinian crew and Palestinian guest actors. One of the main points of “Egyptian Cigarettes” is that “religion and nationalism are not the same thing.”
Vulture magazine describes the third-season installment, following “Ramy Youssef’s titular character as he attempts to navigate the checkpoints leading in and out of the Palestinian territories. In typical self-centered Ramy fashion, he is so obsessed with his pursuits — getting to a business meeting on time after a failed Tinder date with a Palestinian woman in East Jerusalem — that he can’t possibly predict the international incident that unravels when, in a dark comedy of errors, he aids in the arrest of a Palestinian child by the Israel Defense Forces. The frank depiction of the IDF as an occupying force with unparalleled power, coupled with the episode’s production in Israel, marked a radical approach to the way American television depicts the decades-long international conflict — which has, since the Israel-Hamas war began on October 7, divided opinions around the world.”
In an interview with Palestinian actress, Hiam Abbass, who plays Ramy’s mother, Maysa, in “Egyptian Cigarettes,” she depicts her family as being displaced by the 1948 Nakba. Meeting two weeks after the present Israel-Hamas war, which has so far resulted in the deaths of 1,200 Israelis and more than 18,000 Palestinians, they discussed what made “Egyptian Cigarettes” so powerful at the time and “how their former cast and crew are navigating a very different Israel and Palestine today.” Ramy suggested, “It’s because every time something happens and innocent people are killed, it does something to the soul, does something to the heart. It’s why we made “Egyptian Cigarettes.” It’s why we focused it on kids. I feel for all the people we worked with who were there. We have crew whose families are directly in Gaza.”
Youssef is especially bothered by the fact that speech in America that favors Palestinians is depicted as “anti-Semitic.” He uses the censuring of Rep. Rashida Tlaib, who makes statements that human-rights organizations agree with. He noted, “We’ve seen a lot of things that make us fear for our ability to speak freely. But I’m going to be optimistic and say it’s not going to stay that way. Maybe I’m delusional, but I’m going to say the open heart for sincere communication that Hollywood prides itself on will continue. That’s my hope. That’s my belief.”
On a slightly different note, there is a recent example of how Ramy puts his money where his mouth is. It is a report of Taylor Swift and her A-list friends’ attendance at “Ramy Youssef’s Comedy Show.” The report is not so important because of Swift’s attendance, but rather that all proceeds from the sold-out comedy show will go to support the humanitarian crisis in the Middle East. Specifically, 100% of the earnings will support the humanitarian crisis through the American Near East Refugee Aid Agency (ANERA).
Ramy is also one of many American artists who recently signed a letter to President Biden, titled “Compassion Must Prevail: An End to the Bombing of Gaza, & the Safe Release of Hostages.” Hundreds of Artists signed the letter, calling for “Ceasefire Now.”
Finally, Ramy Youssef is outspoken in using his platform to advocate for the Palestinian cause, shedding light on the struggles faced by Palestinians. He is fearless in using award acceptance speeches to express solidarity with Palestinians. Many of his speeches are unscripted, coming from his heart. His advocacy may be controversial, though he leverages the seriousness of his critiques with lots of humor. Youssef also goes beyond performative words, engaging with grassroots organizations, involving himself in fundraising events, and engaging in dialogue and education on the Palestinian issue.
Sources:
– “Youssef Ramy,” Wikipedia Biography of Arab Americans,” 2023
–“‘We’re Feeling This Whole Destruction of Spirit’ Amid the Israel-Hamas war, Ramy Youssef and Hiam Abbass reflect on a landmark ‘Ramy’ episode,” Vulture, 12/14/2023
–“See All the Photos of Taylor Swift and Her A-List Friends After Attending Ramy Youssef’s Comedy Show,” People, 12/10/2023
John Mason, Ph.D., focuses on Arab culture, society, and history, and is the author of LEFT-HANDED IN AN ISLAMIC WORLD: An Anthropologist’s Journey into the Middle East, New Academia Publishing, 2017. He has taught at the University of Libya, Benghazi, Rennselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York, and the American University in Cairo; John served with the United Nations in Tripoli, Libya, and consulted extensively on socioeconomic and political development for USAID and the World Bank in 65 countries.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of Arab America.
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