'Jimmy Vestvood' Rejects Hollywood Iranians

'Jimmy Vestvood' Rejects Hollywood Iranians

Iranian-American funnyman Maz Jobrani has made a movie about an Iranian who moves to the United States and becomes a hero.

The movie is called "Jimmy Vestvood: Amerikan Hero."

In the film, people from the Middle East are good. This is just the opposite of many Hollywood movies, where Middle-Easterners are bad or evil¹.

“We wanted to do a movie where the guy who saves the day in the end of the movie is of Middle-Eastern descent², because, as you know, nine times out of 10 when you see a Middle-Easterner in an American movie, he's saying ‘I will kill you in the name of Allah.’ You know, it’s usually a terrorist³ or some bad guy.”

Jobrani says the script⁴ for the movie was written over 10 years. But the movie was filmed in Los Angeles in 18 days. He says no major production companies would make the film, so he and his partners made it themselves.

“Hollywood does not know that there's an audience for this type of film yet, but I know through my standup comedy that there is an audience that wants to see Middle Easterners in a positive light and in a fun light. Not just Middle-Easterners, but also Americans who come to my shows who want to see a different side of Middle-Easterners.”

Jobrani believes Americans will understand and like some of the jokes in the movie.

“I think that Americans are very smart, and I think that we underestimate⁵ a lot of Americans. There’s a lot of Americans who are more internationally-minded -- they are curious about other parts of the world. And I know that because of my shows.

"When I do live shows, I look out in the audience -- it’s, like, 50 percent just white Americans, black Americans, Asian-Americans, other Americans than Middle Easterners."

Words in This Story

Hollywood – n. where the American movie industry is based

descent – n. the people in your family who lived before you were born; your ancestors

script – n. the written form of a play, movie, television show, etc.

audience – n. the people who watch, read or listen to something

standup comedy – n. a performance in which a comedian⁶ stands in front of people and says and does things to try to make them laugh?

1 evil   

n.邪恶，不幸，罪恶；adj.邪恶的，不幸的，有害的，诽谤的

参考例句：

• We pray to God to deliver us from evil.我们祈求上帝把我们从罪恶中拯救出来。
• Love of money is the root of all evil.爱钱是邪恶的根源。

2 descent   

n.下降，下倾，斜坡，坡道，血统，世系

参考例句：

• We watched anxiously during her descent from the tree.我们焦急地看着她从树上爬下来。
• Many Americans are of English descent.许多美国人的祖籍是英国。

3 terrorist   

n.恐怖主义者，恐怖分子

参考例句：

• Without the gun,I'm a sitting duck for any terrorist.没有这支枪，我就成了恐怖分子下手的目标了。
• The district was put on red alert during a terrorist's bomb scare.这个地区在得到恐怖分子炸弹恐吓后作了应急准备。

4 script   

n.剧本，广播稿；文字体系；笔迹，手迹

参考例句：

• It's easy to identify his script.他的笔迹容易辨认。
• The script is massaged into final form.这篇稿子经过修改已定稿。

5 underestimate   

vt.对...估价过低，低估

参考例句：

• Don't underestimate the role of theory.不要轻视理论的作用。
• I think a lot of people still underestimate him.我觉得很多人仍然低估了他。

6 comedian   

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。