By Eva Rasciauskas

There’s no need to ask Bassem Youssef how he comes up with material for standup shows. 

“My kind of comedy is not really an hour of telling jokes, it’s an hour of storytelling. The story that I tell is my own story,” Youssef told the Straight in an interview. 

As a comedian, writer, producer, media critic, television host, and cardiothoracic surgeon, the 48-year-old “Egyptian Jon Stewart” spent 13 years of his life working as a doctor before becoming the host of the famous satirical news program El-Bernameg—a groundbreaking platform for many writers, artists, and politicians to speak freely about the social and political scene amid the 2010 Arab Spring and the Egyptian revolution in 2011. 

Youssef’s upcoming standup show in Vancouver will offer a glimpse into his tumultuous life, leaving behind a professional medical career to become one of the most prolific media critics and television hosts in a country where free speech is constantly threatened. 

“It’s the journey of a heart surgeon who was prompted to do a show on YouTube after seeing what was happening during the Arab revolution. I got a big show, El-Bernameg, which soon resulted in me being interrogated and arrested for my jokes while being loved and hated at the same time. I then slipped into America to find [Donald] Trump. You can imagine the arc of that story.”

Youssef’s own arc is one of self-discovery, bravery, and hard work.

In 2022, Jon Stewart was awarded the Mark Twain Prize for American Humour, arguably the most prestigious award for humour in the world. Youssef, as one of the presenters at the ceremony, commented on his relationship with the legendary American comedian—a figure that Youssef has always looked up to and admired. 

He shared how Stewart inspired him to go all the way with his comedy and the moment he decided to speak up amid the military seizing power in Egypt, despite fears of losing the show. 

“I said to Jon, ‘I’m scared. I don’t know what to do. The new authority is too popular, too loved. I’m scared people will turn against me,’” Youssef said in his speech.

“So [Jon Stewart] said ‘You need to ask yourself—do you want to do comedy, or do you want to do something that will last forever?’ So I went all the way, I pushed the envelope, I spoke up, and as expected, my show got cancelled. People turned against me and I faced lawsuits and defamation. I had to escape from Egypt… 

“So fuck you John!,” yelled Youssef, drawing laughter from the audience and Stewart himself. 

Inspired by comedy legends like George Carlin and Trevor Noah, Youssef’s jokes go far beyond the punchline. He touches on themes of terrorism, immigration, and the Arab experience in America, leaving behind a dark commentary about racism, politics, and authoritarian regimes. 

Humour, he says, is one of the most effective tools in keeping people in power accountable. 

“People who are in authoritarian regimes depend on one thing: fear. That’s how they get respect. But if you use humour, you cannot be afraid of something… you’re just laughing at it until it’s not scary anymore. And that’s why it’s very, very worrying for them,” he said. 

During the Arab Spring, in the middle of anti-government protests, uprisings, and armed rebellions, El-Bernameg became a lifeline for so many Egyptian citizens who were afraid to speak up against the injustice and corruption that was brought onto them. Youssef’s voice provided a sense of hope, a comedic relief that gave people the chance to laugh and connect in the face of tragedy. 

He shared a story with the Straight of a video he received from a friend in the middle of the conflict, of protesters and first responders who stopped what they were doing when his show came on TV and quickly gathered in the nearest coffee shop and watched it together. 

“The traffic in Cairo would clear out. Everyone would stay at home and watch the show—that actually scared the hell out of me, to start from nothing and blow up that big. It’s a big responsibility,” he said. 

Shortly after escaping to the US and having everything taken away from him, Youssef had the opportunity to continue working as a doctor. Instead, he was determined to find work as a standup comedian. He regularly attended open mic nights, often performing in an empty room of five to six audience members when he was first getting started. 

“It’s a very interesting psychological transformation where you have to humble yourself and start all over again, especially at a much older age. I'm almost 49 now and there are people who have been doing standup comedy for 25, 30 years. I was also competing with people who were in their 20s, thinking to myself, ‘This is all so late,’” he explained.

“All of this is on my shoulders every time I go up on stage.”

He is now touring all across Europe and North America, performing in famous comedy clubs and theaters for several hundreds of people at a time. 

Some of Youssef’s favourite standup performances are ones that have a diverse audience, seeing a mix of “Arabs and non-Arabs” and variations of laughter and energy throughout the show.

Youssef wants to invite people from as many different ethnic backgrounds as possible to his shows, confident that everyone can find something to relate to in his own story. 

“People feel that they can connect themselves to a story, instead of to someone who just tells jokes,” Youssef said. “I share a very personal experience and people find themselves in that story.” 

Bassem Youssef performs on February 23 at the Rio Theatre. Tickets are available here.