By Eva Trieger
SOLANA BEACH, California — One Arab, One Jew, One Stage, Two Humors….That was my takeaway from interviewing the upcoming headliners of the JCC’s unique program, featuring Rabbi Stand-Up Bob Alper and Actor/Stand-up Ahmed Ahmed.
The two men share a similar vision: They like to make people laugh and believe that laughter is a unifier, a great common thread shared by all humans regardless of religion or ethnicity.
The ninety- or-so minute show consists of each man doing his schtick for about 30-40 minutes and then a Q and A featuring the two comics on stage. Alper and Ahmed have done over 200 shows together. Touring the nation, they have performed in synagogues, churches, mosques, college campuses, theaters, and comedy clubs. They’ve not yet made it to the Middle East, but they’re both young men with time and Israeli-Egyptian relations on their side!
A phone call to Vermont connected me with Rabbi Bob Alper. He shared that he entertained his high school Jewish youth group with impressions of popular comic Bob Newhart. Alper recalled that his ability to win laughs got him elected to school office and won the attention of several young ladies. “Doing comedy is my rabbinate,” the reform rabbi revealed , “laughter contains facets of both the physical and spiritual.”
“How did you come up with the idea for One Arab. One Jew. One Stage.?” I queried. Alper told me that in September of 2001 he’d hired a publicist in Los Angeles, whom he hoped would raise his visibility. He soon felt through her efforts he had a better shot at getting into a witness relocation program. At this point he began to seek out better, more promising avenues for exposure. He revealed that he was leery about working with another comedian because “they’re neurotic.” It was shortly afterward that he became aquainted with Ahmed Ahmed, an Egyptian born Muslim. Alper reminded me that he and Ahmed are celebrating their bar mitzvah this year! They have been putting together shows for thirteen years. Mazal Tov!
Alper prides himself on clean humor that is accessible to all and offensive to none. He told me one of my most favorite jokes. I’m not giving away any punchlines. You’ll have to go see him for yourself. Playing to packed houses in London, the Chautauqua Institute, and Tornoto’s MuslimFest tells me he must be doing something right!
In addition to his stand up routines and high holy days services, Rabbi Alper has been busy writing books. He has penned three books,Thanks, I Needed That, A Rabbi Confesses,and Life Doesn’t Get Any Better Than This, a collection of short stories linked by uplifting and inspirational themes. The books are all available at bobalper.com, as well as bn.com, and Amazon.com
In attempting to interview Ahmed Ahmed, I discovered he was in Nashville. This was a bit surprising to me, as I know he is a Los Angeles native, and I couldn’t imagine his show receiving a large turnout in Tennessee. However, after learning that Nashville is home to the largest Muslim Kurdish population in the United States, it made more sense that this Arab-born Muslim would find a niche in that city.
Ahmed is a self described “class clown, but not a malicious clown.” He credits his dad for his humor and his ability to be a first rate storyteller. Ahmed expressed the extent of his dad’s craft by saying he could get “everyone laughing at a funeral.” However, when Ahmed made it known he wished to pursue acting as a career, his statement did not draw guffaws or chuckles. His mother admonished him, “It’ll be hard,” His father discouraged him. Ahmed elucidated that in the “middle eastern culture it is homosexuals who seek a career in the arts. A hobby is one thing, but the oldest son should become a doctor, lawyer or engineer. That is the right path,” Ahmed reiterated the maxim with which he’d grown up.
However, after meeting fellow actor Vince Vaughan in 1989, the two “starving actors” became friends and went on to star in Swingers together. This movie led to Iron Man for Ahmed, and eventually he caught a break starring in the TBS sitcom Sullivan and Son. This was a coup for Ahmed, who proudly told me the role was not the stereotypic “terrorist or cabbie with a bad accent.”
Though the acting bug had been gnawing at him for a while, Ahmed also found himself drawn to the stage as a stand-up comic, putting an Arab spin on his jokes and revelations. He has appeared at many diverse venues, and many more since joining forces with Bob Alper.
As mandatory for Muslims, Ahmed made the journey to Mecca at age 27, and the experience affected him profoundly. He wrote a screenplay about it, but shared that it may be too “bipolar” for some: too esoteric for the Western World, yet not religious enough for the Islamic viewer.
When I inquired about his dream show, Ahmed gleefully told me that he’d love to emcee a variety show in front of the pyramids, replete with comedy, music, and dancers. Stay tuned for information about tickets to that one! And why shouldn’t he dream big? Sometimes, surprising things happen…
Ahmed received an emailed invitation to attend a dinner at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. He was sure it was a hoax and replied, “LOL. Who is this, really?” When the evening arrived, the comedian entered the hall to find 150 well dressed Muslims gathered for the soiree. The event was televised and while sitting in the crowd, listening to the President, Ahmed received a text from a friend saying, “We’re watching TV right now and there’s some guy who looks just like you at the White House!” When he confirmed that he was indeed there, the friend replied, “Dude, you’re like Forrest Gump!”
When not on stage or film, Ahmed is busily working on projects for the new year. A book and comedy special “Ahmedica” are out, as well as a screenplay, “A Comedy of Arabs.” A sequel, “Just Like Us Too” follows on the heels of “Just Like Us” (justlikeusthemovie.com) ,winner of Best Director and Best Documentary in 2011.
Both Bob Alper and Ahmed Ahmed believe that humor, if done in the right environment and context, can repair tensions in the world and between people. In Rabbi Alper’s words “when you laugh together, you can’t hate each other.” They have both seen the cooperation of the president of Hillel House and the president of Muslim Students work together to promote shows on college campuses across the country.
Ahmed proves that Jews and Muslims have more in common than we realize: Neither of us eat pork, neither of us celebrate Christmas, and we both have that gutteral “chhh” sound in our language!
This program, “Laugh in Peace” featuring Rabbi Bob Alper and Ahmed Ahmed can only be seen on Tuesday, January 27th at 7:30 pm. The event is sponsored by the Leichtag Foundation and the Lawrence Family JCC, at the supremely intimate North Coast Repertory Theater in Solana Beach.
Tickets are available at the JCC Box Office (858) 362-1348 or http://tickets.lfjcc.org
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Trieger is a freelance writer specializing in coverage of the arts. Your comment may be posted in the box below this article or you may contact the author directly at eva.trieger@sdjewishworld.com
Eva,
Wonderful, interesting and well written review!
I’m very motivated to see it. What a pity it can only be seen one day and the first performance is sold out!