Is-Comic Relief? by Kareema
Everyone’s heard of Muslim fundamentalists, but Muslim Funnymentalists?
A band of three American-Muslims, consisting of the (unrelated) Baba Ali, Asif Ali, Aman Ali, The Muslim Funnymentalists are on a mission to break Muslim stereotypes today using comedy.
Baba Ali, 33, from Los Angeles, is a YouTube sensation with 3.8 million hits and 250,000 viewers each month. He is one of the biggest Muslim comic acts today and it all happened by accident.
“I was asked to speak at an event so I looked up some speech class on Craigslist, and the next day I’m learning comedy from a stand-up comedian.”
Asif Ali, 20, is a Chicago-based comic who has been a finalist at NBC Universal’s showcase, Punchline Comedy Club, and HBO’s Lucky 21 Comedy Festival in Las Vegas. He’s recognized for his art of storytelling and unforgettable stage personality.
And finally, there’s Aman Ali, 22, a regular at some of New York’s best comic hot spots. Formerly a Capitol Hill journalist, he is now one of a number of Muslim and Arab-American comics who have sprung up on the stand-up scene in recent years. He capitalizes on the public’s awareness of Islam, the media, and culture since 9/11.
“My goal is to shed light on the negative perceptions and stereotypes surrounding Islam and Muslims,” he says. He’s shared a stage with some of America’s greatest comics, such as Lewis Black, D.L. Hughley, and Dave Attell.
According to John Lowe, author of American Humor: A Study of the National Character, marginalized groups have been successful at diffusing racial and ethnic tensions through the means of comedy and entertainment. He explains the emergence of minority comics in a recent interview with the New York Times, where he says: “Vaudeville allowed immigrants, especially Italians, to make fun of their own accents and awkward assimilation. African-American and Jewish comics, for generations, have responded to struggles with giggles.” In the same way, Muslims are taking the stage in order to bring light to the American-Muslim experience.
“The media has instilled fear in the public, but people just need to relax and know it’s OK to laugh,” says Mohammad Ali, Talent Manager of the Funnymentalists.
“We’re responding to ignorance with comedy and just trying to humanize the Muslim people.” Baba Ali adds. He says one of his more popular acts is called ‘How not to get kicked off a plane.’ He jokes about not carrying a stopwatch in your bag, or refraining from using slang such as, “That’s da bomb!” when you’re at an airport.
“People love it because it’s funny. I love it because it sends a message that we’re not all bad.''
However, the Funnymentalists have their boundaries, and it’s what keeps their G-rated humor relatable to all ages: “No vulgarity and no sexuality,” says Mohammad Ali. Together, they’re traveling the globe and delivering gut-wrenching jokes for crowds of all races and religions by using their unique backgrounds and insight into the world of Islam. On May 1st the trio hits New York with their headlining act, “The Muslim Funnymentalists Live with The Sound of Reason.”
“People can’t hate when everyone is laughing!” Mohammad Ali says.
www.funnymentalists.com
by Kareema Bahamou