TEDGlobal 2010
Jamil Abu-Wardeh: The Axis of Evil Middle East Comedy Tour
Jamil Abu-Wardeh: Onskans axelmakter på Mellanöstern-turnée
Filmed:
Readability: 4.2
1,187,607 views
Jamil Abu-Wardeh drog igång komediscenen i arabvärlden när han grundade komiker-turnéen Ondskans axelmakter, som presenterar ståupp-komiker för skrattande åskådare över hela Mellanöstern. Han har märkt att genom att undvika "tre P" (porr, politik och "preligion") kan komikerna i Ondskans axelmakter åstadkomma många gränsöverskridande skratt.
Jamil Abu-Wardeh - Producer
Jamil Abu-Wardeh believes in the community-building power of a shared laugh -- especially in Arabic. He jumpstarted the Dubai standup comedy scene and produced the Axis of Evil Middle East Comedy Tour. Full bio
Jamil Abu-Wardeh believes in the community-building power of a shared laugh -- especially in Arabic. He jumpstarted the Dubai standup comedy scene and produced the Axis of Evil Middle East Comedy Tour. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:16
This talk is about righting writing wrongs.
0
1000
3000
Jag ska prata om att berätta det rätta.
00:19
No, the sound's not faulty -- righting writing wrongs.
1
4000
3000
Rätta det vi har att berätta.
00:22
The Middle East is huge,
2
7000
3000
Mellanöstern är gigantiskt.
00:25
and with all our problems, one thing's for sure: we love to laugh.
3
10000
3000
Trots alla problem så älskar vi att skratta.
00:28
I think humor is a great way to celebrate our differences.
4
13000
3000
Humor är ett sätt att hylla olikheter.
00:31
We need to take our responsibilities seriously,
5
16000
2000
Våra skyldigheter ska vi ta på allvar-
00:33
but not ourselves.
6
18000
2000
-men inte oss själva.
00:35
Don't get me wrong: it's not like we don't have comedy in the Middle East.
7
20000
3000
Vi har komedi i Mellanöstern också.
00:38
I grew up at a time when iconic actors
8
23000
2000
Tidigare brukade våra stora skådespelare-
00:40
from Kuwait, Syria, Egypt
9
25000
2000
-från Kuwait, Syrien och Egypten-
00:42
used laughter to unite the region,
10
27000
3000
-använda skratt för att ena regionen-
00:45
just as football can.
11
30000
2000
-precis som fotboll gör.
00:47
(Laughter)
12
32000
3000
(skratt)
00:50
Now is the time for us to laugh at ourselves,
13
35000
2000
Vi bör nu skratta åt oss själva-
00:52
before others can laugh with us.
14
37000
3000
-innan andra kan skratta med oss.
00:55
This is the story of the rise and rise of stand-up comedy in the Middle East --
15
40000
3000
Här är berättelsen om uppgången av ståuppen i Mellanöstern-
00:58
a stand-up uprising, if you will.
16
43000
3000
-en ståupp-uppståndelse.
01:02
Working in London as TV maker and writer,
17
47000
3000
När jag jobbade på TV och som skribent i London-
01:05
I quickly realized
18
50000
2000
-insåg jag-
01:07
that comedy connects audiences.
19
52000
3000
-att humor för samman åhörare.
01:10
Now, the best breeding ground for good comic writing
20
55000
3000
Den bästa grogrunden för komedi-
01:13
is the stand-up comedy circuit,
21
58000
2000
-är i ståupp-kretsarna-
01:15
where they just happen to say that you kill when you do well
22
60000
2000
-där man antingen skrattar ihjäl sig-
01:17
and you bomb when you do badly.
23
62000
2000
-eller tycker att det är dödstrist.
01:19
An unfortunate connection for us maybe,
24
64000
2000
En smula olyckligt för oss.
01:21
but it reminds me
25
66000
2000
Men det påminner mig om-
01:23
that we'd like to thank one man for, over the past decade,
26
68000
3000
-att vi vill tacka en man som-
01:26
working tirelessly
27
71000
1000
-arbetat oförtrutet-
01:27
to support comedians all around the world,
28
72000
3000
-för att stödja komiker över hela världen-
01:30
specifically comedians
29
75000
2000
-särskilt komiker-
01:32
with a Middle Eastern background.
30
77000
2000
-från Mellanöstern.
01:34
(Applause)
31
79000
3000
(applåder)
01:37
Like my good friends, Dean and Maysoon, at the bottom of the screen,
32
82000
3000
Som mina vänner Dean och Maysoon-
01:40
who, two years after 9/11,
33
85000
2000
-som, två år efter 11:e september-
01:42
started a festival to change the way
34
87000
2000
-drog igång en festival för att förändra-
01:44
Middle Easterners are perceived in the world.
35
89000
3000
hur världen såg på folk från Mellanöstern.
01:47
It's still going strong, with positive press to die for.
36
92000
3000
Pressen gör mördande god reklam för dem.
01:51
Also, three guys working for years in Los Angeles,
37
96000
3000
Och tre killar som bodde i Los Angeles-
01:54
an Iranian, a Palestinian and an Egyptian,
38
99000
3000
-en iranier, en palestinier, en egyptier-
01:57
created the aptly named Axis of Evil comedy act.
39
102000
3000
skapade gruppen "Ondskans axelmakter".
02:01
And wherever they went,
40
106000
2000
Och var de än uppträdde-
02:03
they killed.
41
108000
2000
-skrattade folk ihjäl sig.
02:05
Now, I didn't start this fire, but I did pour petrol on it.
42
110000
3000
Jag tände inte elden, men jag hällde bensin på den.
02:08
I moved to Dubai as the head of original content
43
113000
3000
Jag flyttade till Dubai som chef-
02:11
for a Western TV network.
44
116000
2000
-på ett västerländskt TV-bolag.
02:13
My job was to connect the brand with a Middle Eastern audience.
45
118000
3000
Jag skulle presentera kanalen för publiken i Mellanöstern.
02:18
Now, the American head of programming
46
123000
3000
Chefen i USA-
02:21
wanted new local Arabic comedy.
47
126000
3000
-ville se ny lokal arabisk komedi.
02:24
In a thick Arabic accent, my brain went,
48
129000
3000
Med bred arabisk accent tänkte jag-
02:27
"Berfect."
49
132000
2000
-"Berfekt."
02:29
(Laughter)
50
134000
2000
(skratt)
02:31
Now, I had friends in the U.S.
51
136000
2000
Mina vänner i USA-
02:33
who had started a successful new tribe.
52
138000
3000
-hade startat en ny framgångsrik skara.
02:37
And I had every intention of taking this tribe
53
142000
2000
Min intention var att ta dem-
02:39
from being outliers in the Middle East
54
144000
2000
-från Mellanösterns utkant-
02:41
and pushing them over the tipping point
55
146000
2000
-och putta dem över kanten-
02:43
towards success.
56
148000
2000
-mot succé.
02:45
Now, as with any new idea, it wasn't easy.
57
150000
2000
Det var inte helt lätt.
02:47
I had four phases to this plan.
58
152000
2000
Min plan bestod av fyra delar.
02:49
First, we'd need to buy content from the West and air it.
59
154000
3000
Först skulle vi sända västerländsk humor.
02:52
Then I'd bring my friends, and we'd show local amateurs how it's done.
60
157000
3000
Sen skulle mina vänner visa lokala amatörer hur man gör.
02:55
We would film that and air it,
61
160000
2000
Det skulle vi filma och sända.
02:57
and then I could work with the local amateurs and write new comedy.
62
162000
3000
Sen skulle amatörerna skriva ny komedi.
03:00
I excitedly presented this to the big boss,
63
165000
2000
Jag la fram min plan för chefen.
03:02
and his reaction was, "Um, I don't get it."
64
167000
3000
Han sa: "Jag förstår inte."
03:07
So I retreated back to my cave
65
172000
2000
Jag drog mig tillbaka till min grotta-
03:09
and continued to support and produce comedy
66
174000
2000
-och fortsatte stödja och producera komedi.
03:11
and let my friends use my couch
67
176000
2000
Mina vänner fick använda min soffa-
03:13
as a regional operations hub.
68
178000
3000
-som det regionala högkvarteret.
03:16
Now, fast forward two years, to early 2007.
69
181000
3000
Snabbspola två år framåt till 2007.
03:19
The earth rotated, as did our management,
70
184000
3000
Jorden roterade ... och ledningen likaså.
03:22
(Laughter)
71
187000
2000
(skratt)
03:24
and as if by divine intervention,
72
189000
2000
Och som om högre makter hjälpte till-
03:26
things came together
73
191000
2000
-allt föll på plats-
03:28
to help this revolution take shape.
74
193000
3000
-och revolutionen formades.
03:31
Here's how the dots connected.
75
196000
2000
Så här gick det till.
03:33
First, the Axis guys recorded a Comedy Central special
76
198000
3000
Axelmaktgrabbarna spelade in ett komediprogram-
03:36
that aired in the States,
77
201000
2000
-som sändes i USA-
03:38
and it was getting great hits on YouTube.
78
203000
2000
-och fick många träffar på YouTube.
03:40
Our new French CEO
79
205000
2000
Den nye franske VD:n-
03:42
believed in the power of positive PR ...
80
207000
2000
-trodde på vikten av positive PR...
03:44
(Laughter)
81
209000
2000
(skratt)
03:46
and ideas du bon marche.
82
211000
3000
- och idéer "du bon marché"-
03:49
Let's just say "value for money."
83
214000
2000
-- dvs. valuta för pengarna.
03:51
I produced in Dubai a show for Ahmed Ahmed
84
216000
3000
I Dubai gjorde jag en show för Ahmed Ahmed-
03:54
to showcase his new Axis special to a packed room.
85
219000
2000
-för att visa hans Axelmakts-special.
03:56
I invited our new CEO,
86
221000
2000
Jag bjöd in VD:n.
03:58
and as soon as he realized we had a room packed full of laughing infidels,
87
223000
3000
När han märkte att vi satt i ett rum fullt av skrattande hedningar-
04:01
his reaction was very simple:
88
226000
2000
-var hand reaktion självklar:
04:03
"Let's make this happen.
89
228000
3000
"Det 'är kör vi på."
04:06
And one more thing: No, don't F it up."
90
231000
3000
"Och se till att det inte skiter sig."
04:09
So I quickly went to work
91
234000
2000
Jag började jobba-
04:11
with a great team around me.
92
236000
2000
-med ett bra team.
04:13
I happened to find
93
238000
2000
Jag hittade-
04:15
a funny guy to present it in Arabic,
94
240000
2000
-en rolig kille som kan arabiska-
04:17
who is originally Korean,
95
242000
3000
-och som är korean.
04:20
a perfect fit for the Axis of Evil.
96
245000
2000
Perfekt för Ondskans Axelmakter.
04:22
This is all true.
97
247000
2000
Det är sant.
04:24
Now, while preparing for the tour,
98
249000
2000
När vi förberedde turnén-
04:26
I had to remind the guys to be culturally sensitive.
99
251000
2000
-sa jag åt killarna att ta kulturell hänsyn-
04:28
I used the three Bs of stand-up don'ts
100
253000
2000
-och undvika ståuppens tre P:n,-
04:30
as I call them in the Middle East:
101
255000
2000
-som jag kallar dem.
04:33
blue content, keep it clean; beliefs, not religion;
102
258000
3000
Undvik porr, preligion-
04:36
and the third B, bolitics.
103
261000
3000
-och tredje P:et, politik.
04:39
Stay away from bolitics in the Middle East.
104
264000
3000
Ingen politik i Mellanöstern.
04:42
Oh course, you might think, what's left
105
267000
2000
Vad finns då kvar-
04:44
without bolitics, sex and religion, how can you make people laugh?
106
269000
2000
-utan politik, sex och preligion, att skratta åt?
04:46
I'd say, watch any successful well-written,
107
271000
3000
Titta på vilken välskriven framgångsrik-
04:49
family-friendly sitcom in the West
108
274000
2000
-familjesåpa som helt i väst-
04:51
for your answers.
109
276000
2000
-så vet du.
04:53
Now, were the Axis successful?
110
278000
3000
Hur gick det för Axelmakterna?
04:57
In five countries, in just under a month,
111
282000
2000
I fem länder, på en månad-
04:59
we had thousands of fanatical fans come and see them live.
112
284000
3000
-såg tusentals fans dem live.
05:02
We had millions see them on TV and on TV news.
113
287000
3000
Miljoner såg dem på TV och på TV-nyheterna.
05:05
In Jordan, we had His Majesty the King come and see them.
114
290000
3000
I Jordan kom kungen och såg dem.
05:08
In fact, they were so successful
115
293000
2000
De var så framgångsrika-
05:10
that you could buy a pirated copy of their DVD,
116
295000
2000
-att man kunde köpa en piratkopia av DVD:n-
05:12
even before it was released in the Middle East.
117
297000
2000
-innan den släppts i Mellanöstern-
05:14
Anywhere you go.
118
299000
2000
-varsomhelst.
05:16
So everywhere we went,
119
301000
2000
Överallt dit vi åkte-
05:18
we auditioned amateurs.
120
303000
2000
-testade vi amatörer.
05:20
We filmed that process and aired a documentary.
121
305000
3000
Vi gjorde en dokumentär om det.
05:23
I called it "Three Guys and Wonho."
122
308000
3000
Jag kallade den "Tre grabbar och Wonho."
05:26
It really is his name.
123
311000
2000
Han heter faktiskt det.
05:30
And all this TV and Internet exposure
124
315000
3000
Och genom TV och internet-
05:33
has led to a great many
125
318000
2000
-har många-
05:35
recruits to our cause.
126
320000
2000
-rekryterats till vår sak.
05:37
In Dubai this year, we've just had
127
322000
2000
I Dubai hade vi nyss-
05:39
the first all-women's, homegrown stand-up show.
128
324000
2000
-den första kvinnliga lokala ståupp-showen.
05:41
And notice two of them are wearing headscarves,
129
326000
2000
Två av dem bär sjal-
05:43
and yes, even they can laugh.
130
328000
3000
och ja -- även de kan skratta.
05:46
Dubai, to me, is like a hand
131
331000
2000
Dubai är som en hand-
05:48
that supports anyone who wants to make things happen.
132
333000
3000
-som stödjer den som vill få saker att hända.
05:51
20 years ago,
133
336000
2000
För 20 år sedan-
05:53
no one had heard of it.
134
338000
2000
-var det okänt.
05:55
Look at it now.
135
340000
2000
Men se nu.
05:57
With an inspirational leader, I think this year,
136
342000
2000
I år-
05:59
the opening of the tallest tower in the world
137
344000
2000
-öppnas världens högsta torn-
06:01
is like adding a finger to that hand,
138
346000
2000
-som om handen får ett finger-
06:03
that points at all those
139
348000
2000
-som pekar åt alla dem-
06:05
who spread fallacious stories about us.
140
350000
3000
-som sprider falska rykten om oss.
06:08
(Laughter)
141
353000
3000
(skratt)
06:11
(Applause)
142
356000
2000
(applåder)
06:13
Now, in three short years, we've come a long way
143
358000
3000
På tre år har vi nått långt-
06:16
with stand-up comedy shows happening even in Saudi Arabia.
144
361000
3000
-med ståupp-shower t o m i Saudiarabien.
06:19
These comics are now going to the New York festival.
145
364000
3000
De är nu på väg till New York-festivalen.
06:22
And the Lebanese, brilliant Lebanese,
146
367000
2000
Och den underbare libanesen-
06:24
Nemr Abou Nassar, we featured in our first tour,
147
369000
2000
-Nemr Abou Nassar, från vår första turnée-
06:26
has just been performing in L.A.'s legendary comedy clubs.
148
371000
3000
-har just uppträtt på klubbar i LA.
06:29
So clearly, from the inside, we are doing our best to change our image,
149
374000
3000
Så vi gör vårt bästa för att förändra inifrån-
06:32
and it's exploding.
150
377000
2000
-och det bara exploderar.
06:34
(Laughter)
151
379000
2000
(skratt)
06:36
So, as for the outsiders looking in,
152
381000
3000
Så för dem utanför som tittar in-
06:39
watch the CNN report on the second Amman Comedy Festival.
153
384000
3000
-se CNN:s rapport om den andra Anman komedifestivalen.
06:42
The reporter did a great job, and I thank her,
154
387000
3000
Reporten gjorde ett bra jobb-
06:45
but somebody forgot to send the positive PR email
155
390000
3000
-men mejlet om god PR nådde inte-
06:48
to the person operating the automatic news ticker that appears at the bottom.
156
393000
3000
-den som väljer de nyheter som rullar längst ner.
06:51
For example, when Dean talks,
157
396000
3000
När Dean pratar-
06:54
the ticker says, "U.S.: Suspect gave 'actionable intel."
158
399000
3000
-säger remsan: "Misstänkt gav åtalbar information."
06:57
Well, if you're used to listening to comedians,
159
402000
3000
De som är vana att höra på komiker-
07:00
then I'm not surprised.
160
405000
2000
-blir inte förvånade.
07:02
Sadly, this leads me to another three Bs
161
407000
2000
Det leder mig till de tre M:n-
07:04
that represents how the media in the West
162
409000
3000
-som speglar hur media i väst-
07:07
talks about us as bombers, billionaires
163
412000
2000
talar om oss som massförstörare, miljardärer-
07:09
and belly dancers.
164
414000
2000
-och magdansare.
07:12
Enough.
165
417000
2000
Nog nu!
07:14
We're not all angry fanatics
166
419000
2000
Alla av oss är inte arga fanatiker-
07:16
who want to kill the infidel.
167
421000
2000
-som vill döda otrogna.
07:18
We have a positive story to tell
168
423000
2000
Positivt är det vi har att berätta,-
07:20
and image to sell.
169
425000
2000
-vår image ska vi rätta.
07:22
In fact, one thing's for sure, in my experience,
170
427000
3000
Och själv vet jag detta: att få oss att-
07:25
we love to laugh like hell.
171
430000
3000
-skratta är det lätta.
07:29
(Laughter)
172
434000
2000
(skratt)
07:31
Here are three questions that I like to use
173
436000
2000
Här är tre frågor-
07:33
to test the truthiness of our representation
174
438000
3000
-som undersöker hur sann bilden av oss är-
07:36
in any media story.
175
441000
2000
-i media.
07:38
One: Is the Middle East
176
443000
2000
Visas Mellanöstern-
07:40
being shown in a current time
177
445000
2000
-i nutid-
07:42
and correct context?
178
447000
3000
-och i rätt kontext?
07:45
(Laughter)
179
450000
5000
(skratt)
07:50
Two: Do the Middle Eastern characters
180
455000
3000
Visas folk från Mellanöstern-
07:53
laugh or smile
181
458000
3000
-skrattandes eller leendes-
07:56
without showing the whites of their eyes?
182
461000
2000
-utan att visa ögonvitorna?
07:58
(Laughter)
183
463000
2000
(skratt)
08:00
Three: Is the Middle Eastern character
184
465000
3000
Är karaktären från Mellanöstern-
08:03
being played by one?
185
468000
3000
-gestaltad av en?
08:08
Clearly, there are wrongs that need to be righted.
186
473000
3000
Berättelsen behöver rättelse.
08:11
We've started in our region.
187
476000
2000
Vi har börjat från vårt håll.
08:13
My challenge to the rest of the world
188
478000
2000
Jag utmanar den övriga världen att-
08:15
is please, start using
189
480000
2000
-börja använda-
08:17
positive Middle Eastern images in your stories.
190
482000
2000
-positiva bilder från Mellanöstern.
08:19
For inspiration, go to one of our festivals,
191
484000
2000
Gå på våra festivaler-
08:21
go online, drop us a line.
192
486000
2000
-gå ut på nätet, mejla oss.
08:23
Let's change the narrative together
193
488000
3000
Låt oss förändra berättelsen tillsammans.
08:26
and let's start righting writing wrongs.
194
491000
3000
Låt oss börja berätta det rätta..
08:29
I'd like to end, before going back to the Middle East,
195
494000
2000
Innan jag slutar vill jag-
08:31
with a quote from one of the greatest Sheikhs
196
496000
2000
-citera en av de största sheikerna-
08:33
to put quill to parchment.
197
498000
2000
-som fattat pennan.
08:35
As my father likes to call him, "Asheikh Azubare;"
198
500000
3000
Min far kallar honom "Asheik Azubare."
08:38
as my mother would say, "Shakespeare."
199
503000
2000
Min mor säger "Shakespeare."
08:40
(Laughter)
200
505000
2000
(skratt)
08:42
"And now we go in content
201
507000
2000
"Och nu går vi nöjda-
08:44
to liberty and not to banishment."
202
509000
2000
-mot frihet och inte förbud."
08:46
Thank you.
203
511000
2000
Tack.
08:48
(Applause)
204
513000
5000
(applåder)
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Jamil Abu-Wardeh - ProducerJamil Abu-Wardeh believes in the community-building power of a shared laugh -- especially in Arabic. He jumpstarted the Dubai standup comedy scene and produced the Axis of Evil Middle East Comedy Tour.
Why you should listen
After fifteen years working in UK television, Jamil Abu-Wardeh moved to Dubai with a big idea: to bring modern standup comedy to the Middle East. His grassroots efforts to build a standup scene in Dubai, and then across the region, led to the first standup comedy time slot in the programming of Showtime Arabia. And this led to a ground- and record-breaking tour of five Arab countries: The Axis of Evil Middle East Comedy Tour. Lines around the block, performances for royalty -- the tour tapped into a shared desire to laugh.
Standup comedians on the tour avoid the three B's (blue material, beliefs and "bolitics") but are free to poke fun everywhere else. One of Abu-Wardeh's stars, protegé Wonho Chung, is a Korean kid who speaks perfect Arabic and is wildly popular on YouTube in Saudi Arabia -- proving to Abu-Wardeh that lines between national groups can be broken down if you're just funny enough. The impresario is constantly creating content and chances for aspiring comics, and his work has helped touch off a new flowering of standup comedy in the region.
Jamil Abu-Wardeh | Speaker | TED.com