Tickling Giants: Satire during Chaos

A documentary and panel discussion of Egyptian comedian Bassem Youssef’s career as an impactful satirical host brought a curious crowd to Oak Hall on March 23rd for a pre-release screening of “Tickling Giants”. The event was co-sponsored by Humanities House, the Department of Political Science, Middle East Studies, Global House, and Global Affairs. Humanities House director, Professor Stephen Dyson, was a participant on the discussion panel following the screening.

Youssef, described by many as the “Egyptian Jon Stewart”, left his position as a highly-regarded heart surgeon to become the host of Al Bernameg (“The Show” in Arabic). Youssef’s show used political satire and parody to poke fun at Egyptian leaders who were unable to laugh at themselves. The documentary got its title from Bassem’s description of what his comedy does: it tickles giants. “Giants” refers to the larger-than-life political leaders he satirizes. Throughout the documentary, cartoons depicted his efforts to “tickle giants”, with each scenario becoming increasingly more dangerous.

Bassem Youssef began hosting Al Bernameg in 2011, after the 2011 Egyptian and Arab Spring revolutions that saw political leaders across the Middle East ousted. His first foray into political satire was a short series of YouTube videos. He was given a development deal and Al Bernameg became the first political satire show in Egypt. It gained rapid, widespread popularity among Egyptians frustrated with the authoritarian regimes of Hosni Mubarak and his successor Mohamed Morsi, captivating an audience of 30 million Egyptians. Youssef earned international acclaim for his work and appeared on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart to promote his show. Jon Stewart would also appear on Al Bernameg during the summer of 2013, marking a new high point of popularity.

Bassem’s appeal and popularity did not go unnoticed by the Egyptian regime. Abdul Fatah el-Sisi became president after Morsi was ousted, and Bassem Youssef became a prime target for the new dictator. Al Bernameg’s original network canceled the show after a crackdown on free speech and journalists at the beginning of “Sisi”’s reign. A deal was brokered to find the show a new home, and the show continued on. However, Youssef felt increasing pressure to protect his family over continuing to host Al Bernameg as he observed what was going on all around him.

The final straw for Bassem occurred when he was sued by Al Bernameg’s original TV network and lost the case. The steep fines that he could not afford to pay would have almost certainly lead to his arrest and imprisonment if he and his family remained in Egypt. He loved his role as the host of the lone satirical prograin in Egypt and being a comedian, but he recognized that he could no longer put his young family in danger. Ultimately, he ended Al Bernameg and brought his family to the United States, where they would not have to suffer with el-Sisi’s crackdown on dissent.

His work on Al Bernameg earned him the International Press Freedom Award by the Committee to Protect Journalists, and he was named one of Time’s “100 Most Influential People” in 2013. At the end of the documentary, he learned his father had died in a car accident and wishes he could return to Egypt to attend his funeral. Though he may never be able to return, he is proud of his work and the role he played in voicing the concerns of the many Egyptians who are voiceless in the face of authoritarian regimes. There was a short discussion panel after the screening led by UConn political science professors Stephen Dyson, Oksan Bayulgen, Tom Hayes, and Jeremy Pressman.

While this was a political science event that focused on specific political events and details, much can be learned from this documentary that is relative to our activities in Humanities House. The documentary emphasized the importance of free speech and family, which are humanistic principles that shape the way we interpret the world. If we think about the reasons authoritarian regimes can’t handle others making fun of them, we know that they can’t stand inquiry and debate, both things that we do in Humanities House. Seeing examples of this in action only reinforces the lessons that we have learned in Humanities House thus far.