Interview: Comedian and actor Maz Jobrani
We caught up with the American-Iranian comic following his Riyadh gig at Boulevard City…
Comedian and actor Maz Jobrani returns to Saudi Arabia on Thursday November 23, as part of the headliners for the new season of Riyadh Laughs held at Boulevard City. Beyond delivering jokes rooted in his own heritage, Jobrani also jokes about the universal stuff of everyday life, mixing in jabs at his family and even the audience. We did expect to laugh, but we didn’t think we’d have tears in our eyes.
In this exclusive interview, Jobrani speaks to us about the stand-up scene in Saudi Arabia, comedy tips, and more.
View this post on Instagram
What’s On: If we were to look up “Maz Jobrani” in the English dictionary, what would be the definition?
Maz Jobrani: Oh, wow. I didn’t expect this to be so philosophical. But hopefully, it would be “somebody who wants to make the world laugh”.
WO: What made you want to come to Riyadh to perform?
MJ: I’ve been coming to Saudi Arabia since 2008 with Smile Entertainment, and the audience has always been great. Last weekend was another reminder of how much love you get when performing for people from different countries. In Saudi Arabia, I’ve seen the growth; it was amazing. I really appreciated the audience in Riyadh.
WO: How would you then describe the Saudi Arabian humour and the comedy scene?
MJ: Saudi Arabian humour has really evolved. As the years have passed, stand-up comedy has become more popular in the region. And now, with all the social media out there, people get to see comedy from all over the world. Before, when I started coming in 2008, you had to make many changes to your material. Now, it’s getting more similar to where you’d perform anywhere else.
WO: Do you have any pre-gig rituals before you go on stage?
MJ: Mine is pretty simple. I just try to be in the moment, be with whoever I’m with and observe. For instance, I made a couple of jokes last Thursday about how hard it was to get into the venue, and then you realised the audience had experienced that, too. So, I’m kind of just observing first to see if I can talk about anything when I get on stage that everybody else will know about.
WO: Stand-up comedy can be a challenging world to break into. Any advice for aspiring comedians?
MJ: The advice I’d give to anybody who wants to do stand-up comedy is to find opportunities to get on stage as much as possible and write as much as possible. You need to get on stage five to ten times a week. I know some places like Riyadh will be difficult, so just get up as much as you can with your friends – do it at home, but you always have to perform in front of an audience.
WO: What would you be doing if you weren’t an actor and a comedian?
MJ: It’s so sad if I weren’t a comedian. Otherwise, I would either want to be a rock star or a professional soccer player. And I’ve said this before, but I’ve just started to realise that even if I weren’t doing what I do, I want to be in front of people. I think I’ve been trying to satisfy people my whole life; I need to see a therapist…
Images: Getty Images