Planning a year long comedy tour is no easy feat - and making sure it is accessible to people with mobility needs adds another layer of challenge, but New York Arab American Comedy Festival co-Founder Maysoon Zayid knows that ensuring accessibility accommodations is well worth doing.
Zayid, a comedian, disability rights activist, Princeton Fellow and author of the upcoming "Shiny Misfits" graphic novel, is very well known for her TED Talk "I've got 99 Problems... Palsy is just one," the most watched TED talk of 2014. Having Cerebral Palsy and an unrivaled sense of humor has made Maysoon a powerful voice in advocating for inclusive comedy venues, thoughtful and inclusive event planning and for shifting away from the "inspiring disabled person" trope. In just the past week she has spoken at The Disability Rights Advocates gala, the Women's Media Awards and The UN, and she always ensures with organizers that venues will be accessible to her and the disability community.
Like many of her contemporaries with disabilities in the entertainment industry, Zayid is fiercely talented, hilarious and defies "model minority" expectations - a signature joke of hers when introducing herself is "I'm not drunk... but the doctor who delivered me was." In speaking about how Cerebral Palsy causes her to "shake all the time" she says: "I'm like Shakira meets Muhammad Ali." Zayid seamlessly weaves together her experience having a disability and belonging to an immigrant family - she has a great story in her TED Talk about how her Dad couldn't afford physical therapy and so put her in tap dancing classes because it was cheaper. Maysoon has since danced on Broadway and will be doing so this Sunday November 19th at the Town Hall show as well.
Two decades ago festival co-Founders Maysoon Zayid and Dean Obeidallah were up and coming comedians with few credits to their names but a big idea. As the Arab American Comedy Festival turns 20 this year it celebrates a big legacy of combating bigotry and negative media portrayals of Arab Americans through humor. The November 19th show includes an exciting roster of recognizable returning headliners, including a fireside chat with the beloved Tony Shalhoub of Monk and Marvelous Mrs. Maisel fame.
Zayid and Obeidallah are celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the New York Arab American Comedy Festival this year with a National Tour to five of the most prestigious theatres in the US, all of which are highly rated for accessibility on Friendly Like Me including the BCA’s Virginia Wimberly Theatre in Boston (September 9), the iconic 1,500 seat Town Hall on Broadway (November 19), the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco (February 10), Gotham Comedy Club (Feb 29 - March2) and the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. (June 8). Says Zayid: "Accessibility is something that is really close to our hearts at the New York Arab American Comedy Festival. In efforts to accommodate guests of all abilities all of our theatres and comedy venues are wheelchair accessible. And we will have ASL interpretation on stage for the Town Hall show, our 1,500 seat venue."
The Arab American Comedy Festival tour is funded by the Doris Duke Foundation (DDF). Zeyba Rahman, director of the Building Bridges Program at DDF, shares some essential wisdom that rings true for so many communities: “Laughter is an infectious medium we rely on to collapse the social distance and develop mutual understanding to create connections between people from diverse backgrounds and experiences."
The festival has become an incredible launchpad and counts big names like Ramy Youssef, Mo Amer, CNN's Pete Dominick, TLC host Nina Kharoufeh and Tony Nominee Omar Metwally - as well as co-Founders Maysoon and Dean - as talents that they championed and elevated. Festival alumni have achieved recognition at the Golden Globes, Emmys, Tony's, Webby Awards and more. Dean, Maysoon and other festival alumni are now featured on national and international platforms including Comedy Central, Netflix, HBO, Hulu, CNN, MSNBC, the BBC and more, including popular series and comedy specials.
Every year, even during the pandemic and other crises, the festival's collective message that Arab Americans are as hilarious and diverse in family experience, sexual expression, sense of humor and religion (the tour has included Muslims, Jews, Christians, Buddhists, Atheists and more) as any group has resonated with audiences. The festival leads with comedy. Providing a true stepping stone that elevates talent from within the community is an essential part of the festival's mission. Laughter is what brings everyone together, creates empathy and connection, and what gives these comedians pathways to national success.
The festival is incredibly popular and often sells out - so check out the tour's accessible venues below and get your ticket today at www.arabcomedy.com.