Ahmed Ahmed on Stand up, Trump, and Monica Lewinsky - Augustman
Augustman Logo
Style
Culture
Gear
Food & Drink
Travel
Wellness
AM Select
E-Magazine
Most Trending
Ahmed Ahmed on Stand up, Trump, and Monica Lewinsky
Most Recent
Ahmed Ahmed on Stand up, Trump, and Monica Lewinsky
Most Trending
Livestream The Burberry Fall/Winter 2021 Menswear Presentation
Most Recent
“Escape” Into The Animal Kingdom Digitally With The Burberry Fall/Winter 2021 Collection
  • Fashion
  • Watches
  • Grooming
Most Trending
Want To Build The Perfect Home Office? This Is What You Will Need
Most Recent
After 28 Years Together, Daft Punk Are Calling It Quits
  • Design
  • Events
  • Art
  • Music
  • Film & TV
Most Trending
A Peek Into Kanye West And Kim Kardashian’s Luxurious Car Collection
Most Recent
Overflowing With Cool: Xiaomi Reveals A Smartphone With A Waterfall Display
  • Tech
  • Motoring
Most Trending
The Best Vintages Of Brunello di Montalcino To Add To Your Cellar
Most Recent
Could This Be The World’s Oldest Mass Production Brewery? Egypt Thinks So
  • Dining
  • Drinks
Most Trending
Not For The Faint Hearted: The Most Extreme Roller Coasters In The World
Most Recent
Consider These Ecotourism Destinations For Your Next Post-Pandemic Adventure
  • Travel Guides
  • Hotels & Resorts
Most Trending
Nourishing Superfoods To Add To Your Diet This 2021
Most Recent
Amp Up Your Home Gym With These Designer Fitness Equipment
  • Fitness
  • Health
Most Trending
Uncover Mindful Living with AUGUSTMAN x LIFESTYLEASIA
Most Recent
Social Entrepreneur Josh Tetrick of Eat Just Talks Sustainability And The Future of Food
  • Men of the Year
  • MVMT
  • August Mentors
  • A-Listers
  • Hit List
  • sg
    • MY
    • SG
  • Search
Ahmed Ahmed on Stand up, Trump, and Monica Lewinsky
Sort & Filter
Close Filter
Sort By
Date
Relevance
Filter By Category
All Categories
All
Style
Culture
Gear
Food & Drink
Travel
Wellness
AM Select
Apply
Filter By Location
singapore
All Countries
Culture
After 28 Years Together, Daft Punk Are Calling It Quits
Culture
Want To Build The Perfect Home Office? This Is What You Will Need
Culture
The Most Riveting Crime Series On Netflix You Need To Watch
Augustman Logo
sg
Ahmed Ahmed on Stand up, Trump, and Monica Lewinsky
Back
All  Style
  • Fashion
  • Watches
  • Grooming
Back
All  Culture
  • Design
  • Events
  • Art
  • Music
  • Film & TV
Back
All  Gear
  • Tech
  • Motoring
Back
All  Food & Drink
  • Dining
  • Drinks
Back
All  Travel
  • Travel Guides
  • Hotels & Resorts
Back
All  Wellness
  • Fitness
  • Health
Back
All  AM Select
  • Men of the Year
  • MVMT
  • August Mentors
  • A-Listers
  • Hit List
E-Magazine
  • Malaysia
  • Singapore
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
Sort & Filter
Close Filter
Sort By
Date
Relevance
Filter By Category
All Categories
All
Style
Culture
Gear
Food & Drink
Travel
Wellness
AM Select
Apply
Filter By Location
singapore
All Countries
Culture

Ahmed Ahmed on Stand up, Trump, and Monica Lewinsky

Natalie Sos
18 Jul 2018
Article Hero Image
Trending Now
Social Entrepreneur Josh Tetrick of Eat Just Talks Sustainability And The Future of Food
AM SelectRead More
Overflowing With Cool: Xiaomi Reveals A Smartphone With A Waterfall Display
GearRead More
A Peek Into Kanye West And Kim Kardashian’s Luxurious Car Collection
GearRead More
“Escape” Into The Animal Kingdom Digitally With The Burberry Fall/Winter 20...
StyleRead More
Here's your ticket to incisive commentary and insights from the celebrity sphere. Sign up for our newsletter.

When Ahmed Ahmed was 19 years old he moved across the US to follow his dreams of acting in LA. His parents, Egyptian Muslims, at first iced him out and Hollywood reduced his talent to racial stereotypes. Years later with the help of his close friend Vince Vaughn, Ahmed’s career finally began to take off. He was a regular on a popular US sitcom, toured nationally, and produced a widely successful documentary entitled “Just Like Us,” where he brought American comics on a tour around the Middle East.

He has been living in Malaysia for six months now, where his production company, LOL Productions, is headquartered. A man of many talents, Ahmed currently does everything from writing to directing. Ahmed and I had a very candid conversation about his career, Trump, the future of comedy, and race.

Where do you see the future of comedy in Asia and are you optimistic about its growth? 

Yes, I’m super optimistic about it. I actually think it’s going to pass up America in terms of popularity. For a lot of reasons; supply and demand, talent pool, you can only listen to an American comic talk about girls in bikinis for so long.

I’m an American and I’m not bashing America, but I think I lived in America so long and saw so much comedy there that I’m done.

You moved to Hollywood when you were 19 to try and become an actor, tell me about that experience and your transition from acting to standup. 

I’m originally from Egypt, born there but raised in the US. I moved to Hollywood when I was 19 against my parent’s will. Because *imitating his father’s accent* “when you’re Arab you’re supposed to be a doctor, lawyer, engineer.”  My dad thought I was going to join a cult.

But I moved anyways and I became best friends with Vince Vaughn, who’s actually part Lebanese. So Vince was always and always has been a champion of my career and I got to do a lot of things for him.

I made a lot of money playing terrorists, cab drivers, sleazy Arab princes. Classic Hollywood stereotypes and I just got tired of it. I called my agent one day and I was like, “Hey I speak English you know. Can I audition for the role of the friend?”

But those roles didn’t exist for Arab people, you never saw the Arab friend on Friends. So just out of pure frustration, I quit and accidentally got into standup.  Now I occasionally go back to acting, but on my own terms which is really fun.

With Trump as president, do you think that has exacerbated those harmful stereotypes that made you want to leave Hollywood in the first place?

Every morning I just look at my Facebook and Twitter feeds and I see all the hatred on the internet, he really split the country in half. That was kind of another reason I wanted to get out of the States.

My name is Ahmed Ahmed, I’m Middle Eastern and Muslim, I’ve got everything going against me there. I am a bit of a confrontational person, so God forbid some racist motherf**ker said something to me. I would probably just take my drink and chuck it at him.

But on the other hand Trump has become the center of so much comedy, what do you think about that?

Yeah, of course, he’s a comic’s wet dream. When Obama was in office there was nothing funny about that. He’s handsome, tall, articulate, loves his family. He did some bad things but he tried the best he could. Then Trump came in and was like an orangutan. Comics not only went nuts but are still going nuts.

So where do you see your career in 5 years?

Interesting that you ask that because I gave myself five years in Asia. But when I moved to LA at 19 I gave myself five years there as well and I ended up staying for 25, so who knows.

When I turn 60 I will probably own a bar or a restaurant and hang up pictures of all the cool things I did in the past. I’ll go to customers, *starts old man impression* “I remember when I used to hang out with Vince Vaughn, he doesn’t call me anymore.” I’ll be that old curmudgeon.

You described stand-up comedians as court jesters, can you expand on that analogy?

I have done shows in front of princes, kings, queens and there is that mentality in the Middle East of like, “he’s not funny, throw him out,” or, “he’s very funny, give him money.”

I don’t think the rest of the world takes comedians seriously, but our job is very real. We pride ourselves on acting as goodwill ambassadors if I can coin that phrase.

Most people just walk around in life and do there sh*t, but comedians see between the lines. It’s a talent, just like singing, you’re born with it.

You said you’ve performed for kings and queens and I know you have also met Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. What’s that like meeting, talking to, and performing for these very influential and powerful people?

I was raised to not idolize people and so I see everyone as equal to me. I admire and appreciate stars, but I could give two sh*ts about fame.

I think I only got starstruck once by a personality. It was Monica Lewinsky, oddly enough, because it was at the height of the Clinton scandal. I went to a Vanity Fair Oscar Party and she walked by me. I just didn’t expect her to be at a Vanity Fair Party in the middle of the scandal. She walked by and I wasn’t drinking at the time, but after she passed I ordered a Heineken. Monica Lewinsky led me to drink.

Ahmed will host the event with 14 comedians performing

Ahmed will be hosting Comedy Central Stand-Up, Asia! The show was filmed on Friday, 13 July 2018 at Victoria Theatre Singapore and will air in August on Comedy Central.

 

 

 

Natalie Sos
Talk to Me About:

Up Next For You

Revisit Wartime History Through NHB’s Battle For Singapore 2021
Richard Augustin
Culture
Update Your Home With The 2021 Pantone Colours Of The Year, Illuminating And Ultimate Gray
Annabel Tan
Culture
7 Southeast Asian Stars Who Are Making It Big In Hollywood
Richard Augustin
Culture
An Acoustic Guitar Played By Prince Is Going Under The Hammer
AFP Relaxnews
Culture
Here's your ticket to incisive commentary and insights from the celebrity sphere. Sign up for our newsletter.
×
Where are you?
Tell us so we can display what you want to see.
  • Malaysia
  • Singapore
Malaysia Singapore
Advertise About Privacy Policy Terms & Conditions
© 2021 Copyright Augustman