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2006年VOA标准英语-Arab-American Comic Hopes to Educate Americans

时间:2007-05-09 03:10:26

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By Persian Service and Barry Unger
Washington, DC
16 November 2006
 
watch Arab Comedian1 report

One Arab-American comedian is hoping to educate Americans about his heritage through laughter. VOA's Crystal Park narrates2.


Dean Obeidallah   
  

"I grew up in the heart of the Middle East conflict in a place called Lodite, New Jersey3," says Dean Obeidallah. "When I say Middle East conflict, I am not talking about the Palestinian-Israeli one. I am talking about a potentially more dangerous one -- of the Arab world versus4 North Jersey."

Dean Obeidallah used to be a lawyer. But he quit his job and became a comedian. He is currently performing his one-man show titled, "I Come In Peace."  Obeidallah created the show after noticing the way Arabs were seen in the United States after the attacks of 9/11.

"I think it has a lot to do with being concerned over how Arabs are being portrayed5 in the media and being concerned for my own uncles and cousins and aunts who live here and have accents and look Middle-Eastern. I wanted to do something to try and help them. I wanted to explain my fellow Americans who Arabs were and what we were about."

But Obeidallah discovered there was a problem with his plan. "I realized that on September 10, 2001, I went to bed a white guy. September 11th I woke up an Arab. But I realized something, before I could explain to them [American citizens] who we really are, I had to find out who we really are. I did not know anything about my own heritage and I set out to learn. I became proud of it and I wanted to share it with people."

In his act, Obeidallah tells a story about his late father denouncing men who committed violence in the name of Islam.


His comedy includes skits6 about racial profiling and other serious issues    
  
"My father was a real Muslim. He was a man of peace. And I often wonder how he would be treated in a post 9/11 world. His first name was Abdul. He was born in the Middle East.  He had an accent. How difficult would his life become here?"

Obeidallah discusses a range of issues in the show. He tackles serious issues such as racial profiling and the media's portrayal7 of Muslims.

"I am a Middle East expert. In fact, I just spent a week in Morocco -- Pavilion at Disney's Epcot Center. It was like being in the Middle East, I can assure you."

But he also talks about light-hearted issues and pokes8 fun at fashion styles and dating issues in the Arab-American community.

"The deli worker. White shirt. Gold chain. Continual use of the word 'habibi' my friend. They will usually work at a deli owned by an uncle or cousin but claim they own it themselves."

Obeidallah says Arabs are thought of very differently today. "When I was a child, people were really intrigued9 by my Arab heritage, they wanted to know more. Again today, they are intrigued and want to know more. The difference is their motivation. When I was a kid, they wanted to learn about an exotic heritage. Now, they are studying the enemy."

Obeidallah is trying to change that -- one person at a time.  He wraps up his show with an Arabic saying of peace.


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1 comedian jWfyW     
n.喜剧演员;滑稽演员
参考例句:
  • The comedian tickled the crowd with his jokes.喜剧演员的笑话把人们逗乐了。
  • The comedian enjoyed great popularity during the 30's.那位喜剧演员在三十年代非常走红。
2 narrates 700af7b03723e0e80ae386f04634402e     
v.故事( narrate的第三人称单数 )
参考例句:
  • It narrates the unconstitutional acts of James II. 它历数了詹姆斯二世的违法行为。 来自辞典例句
  • Chapter three narrates the economy activity which Jew return the Occident. 第三章讲述了犹太人重返西欧后的经济活动。 来自互联网
3 jersey Lp5zzo     
n.运动衫
参考例句:
  • He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
  • They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致,都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。
4 versus wi7wU     
prep.以…为对手,对;与…相比之下
参考例句:
  • The big match tonight is England versus Spain.今晚的大赛是英格兰对西班牙。
  • The most exciting game was Harvard versus Yale.最富紧张刺激的球赛是哈佛队对耶鲁队。
5 portrayed a75f5b1487928c9f7f165b2773c13036     
v.画像( portray的过去式和过去分词 );描述;描绘;描画
参考例句:
  • Throughout the trial, he portrayed himself as the victim. 在审讯过程中,他始终把自己说成是受害者。
  • The author portrayed his father as a vicious drunkard. 作者把他父亲描绘成一个可恶的酒鬼。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
6 skits b84e1c3b002c87fa8955ccc4c5e3defc     
n.讽刺文( skit的名词复数 );小喜剧;若干;一群
参考例句:
  • One of these skits, "The King of Beasts" resembles a traditional frontier prank. 一出滑稽短剧《兽王》酷似传统的边疆闹剧。 来自英汉非文学 - 民俗
  • Kids can develop ad campaigns, commercials and skits to illustrate character traits. 孩子们会发动宣传运动,制作广告宣传片和幽默短剧来说明性格品质。 来自互联网
7 portrayal IPlxy     
n.饰演;描画
参考例句:
  • His novel is a vivid portrayal of life in a mining community.他的小说生动地描绘了矿区的生活。
  • The portrayal of the characters in the novel is lifelike.该书中的人物写得有血有肉。
8 pokes 6cad7252d0877616449883a0e703407d     
v.伸出( poke的第三人称单数 );戳出;拨弄;与(某人)性交
参考例句:
  • He pokes his nose into everything. 他这人好管闲事。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • Only the tip of an iceberg pokes up above water. 只有冰山的尖端突出于水面。 来自辞典例句
9 intrigued 7acc2a75074482e2b408c60187e27c73     
adj.好奇的,被迷住了的v.搞阴谋诡计(intrigue的过去式);激起…的兴趣或好奇心;“intrigue”的过去式和过去分词
参考例句:
  • You've really intrigued me—tell me more! 你说的真有意思—再给我讲一些吧!
  • He was intrigued by her story. 他被她的故事迷住了。

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