Playing nice in the face of bigotry: Bassem Youssef and Islamophobia in the United States

Abstract

Famous for an iconoclastic brand of political satire in Egypt, where he bravely challenged multiple authoritarian regimes, Bassem Youssef fled his home country in 2014 to avoid political persecution. Now located in Los Angeles, his move to the United States has had significant consequences on Youssef’s style of comedy as he has had to strike a balance between appealing to his host culture (the U.S.) while acting as a representative of his home nation (Egypt), which in turn illuminates the significant challenges of political satire when the comedian is an immigrant, living in exile. I analyze Youssef and his approach to Islamophobia through a critical framework articulated by Homi Bhabha and his depiction of the stereotype as a source of phobia and fetish. Youssef’s example illustrates how the context of immigration affects this formula as he balances two goals: an aspirational sense to belong and an intention to ridicule an ideology that treats immigrants, Arabs, and Muslims with suspicion. His chief strategy is to confront bigotry with an ironic cheery disposition, in essence replicating the ‘happy immigrant’ trope. I discuss the strengths and limitations of the device, especially in the context of a country whose president fought to enact a ban on Muslim immigrants.