FALL 2013
INTERNATIONAL
Comic Relief
I
Free speech and satire in an emerging democracy
n a 2012 interview with Dr. Bassem
Youssef, Jon Stewart declared, “one
thing [Jews and Muslims] probably
share is that going to your mother as a
heart surgeon and saying ‘yeah, I think
I’m going to be a comedian’ would be
a problem.” Stewart was expressing his
disbelief that Youssef, an accomplished
Egyptian cardiothoracic surgeon, was
giving up his medical career to produce a satiric news
program
entitled
Albernameg (The
Program). Through
his television show,
Youssef uses sarcasm to voice the
opinions of average
Egyptians
amidst
Egypt’s
ongoing
democratic transition. In doing so,
Youssef lends himself not only to comparisons with satiri- Hossam el-Hamalawy
cal king Jon Stewart,
but also, to prosecution. Over the last
200+ years, the United States has developed a relatively stable government that
is confident enough to open itself to satirical critique. Egypt, on the other hand,
is currently undergoing the process of
democratization. Its leaders are not used
to the power that free speech provides its
people, and satire – rather than serving as
a platform for entertaining, light-hearted
criticism – is instead viewed as a threat
to government influen ????????????????()???11%?
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