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

（单词翻译）

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.