Funny first, provocative and memorable second. A close second.
The Axis of Evil comedy group will be showing the humorous underbelly of the Middle East in a performance at Duke Saturday.
Hosted by the Persian and Arab Student Associations and co-sponsored by a variety of campus groups including the Duke Friends of Israel, the comedy show aims to provoke a variety of reactions-but first it will make you laugh.
"Their humor is funny, cultural and to an extent political. To make it seem entirely political would be pushing for an agenda that's just not there," said senior Shadee Malaklou, event organizer, president of the Persian Student Association and a Chronicle columnist.
Nevertheless, the three-man comedy troupe said they are excited to spark debate with their humorous interpretation of cultural and political phenomena.
"My hope is that people leave thinking, 'Hey, that guy was Middle Eastern and he didn't throw a rock. They're not all like that,'" said Maz Jobrani, member of Axis of Evil and star of ABC's The Knights of Prosperity.
His two co-stars, Ahmed Ahmed, of MTV's PUNK'D, and Aron Kader, a regular at Los Angeles comedy club The Comedy Store, agree.
"I get mixed reactions but overall they are pretty good considering my name's Ahmed Ahmed. Funny is funny. doesn't matter what race, color or religion you are," Ahmed said.
After the show, which is free and open to the Duke community, there will be a reception with a panel discussion.
The comedians will be serving as panelists. Other panelists include Sahar Amer, professor of Arabic and Arabic studies at University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Carl Ernst, professor of Middle East and Muslim civilizations and of religious studies at UNC, and Maryam Molavi, head of the Orange County, Calif. Iranian Cultural Society.
The panel will provide a forum for discussion regarding representations of Middle Eastern culture and the role of humor in combating cultural and political prejudices. Out of respect for the show's many co-sponsors, religious topics will not be addressed directly, Malaklou said.
"There's more to Persian culture and Iran besides a fanatic president who advocates the destruction of Israel," she said. "There's an extreme wealth of identity and an even greater sense of Iranian-American identity. I want to show Duke students that other side."
The Axis of Evil comedy tour will be performing in Page Auditorium at 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 24. The reception and panel discussion will be held at 8:45 p.m in the Von Cannon Rooms. Please RSVP for the reception: axis@duke.edu.
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