Maz Jobrani
Maz Jobrani is an actor and comedian who starred on the Axis of Evil Middle East Comedy Tour, a groundbreaking tour of the US and Middle Eastern countries, where it sold out 27 shows in Dubai, Beirut, Cairo, Kuwait and Amman. The Axis of Evil Comedy Central Special premiered in 2007 as, arguably, the first show on American TV with an all-Middle Eastern/American cast. In 2009 Jobrani performed in his first solo world tour, called Maz Jobrani: Brown and Friendly, and is currently following up this tour with a second, titled Browner and Friendlier.
Jobrani's comedy pulls from his background as an Iran-born kid raised in Northern California. He pokes fun at cultural stereotypes of all kinds -- starting with the stereotype that Middle Eastern actors can only play a few kinds of roles in Hollywood. He's been working to develop rich characters in a variety of TV shows and films. His next project: Jimmy Vestvood: Amerikan Hero, described as a cross between a Middle Eastern Pink Panther and Bend It Like Beckham.
-From TED Speaker bio
Twitter: @mazjobrani
Recent News, Talks and Interviews:
- Superior Donuts Star Maz Jobrani Says He'll Never Play Another Terrorist in Hollywood. People Magazine. November 6, 2017.
- Iranian Comic Maz Jobrani on Embracing His Identity and Political Humor in the Trump Era. Vox. June 28, 2017.
- Q&A with Maz Jobrani. Las Vegas Magazine. June 29, 2018.
Did You Hear the One About the Iranian-American? TEDTalk. Published July 2010.
