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Hi, everybody, welcome, myn a God start.
Let me tell you we we got a fantastic show for tonight. We're gonna do our program. Later on in the program, we're gonna be talking a comedian, writer, director, author Mo Amer. That's then over the very excited about that. But first, if I could have just a moment of your time, let's talk about America's Lord and Savior, Donald jehosafef for Trump. They're not doing They're saying Bruce for no apparent reason. When Trump ran for president, he had an urgent message about the state of our country.
Our country is being lost. We're a failing nation.
We are a nation in decline. We have to fight for our country, and we have to fight like we've never fought before. It's like we're a giant garbage can. How dare you? If anything, America's are recycling ben useless and made almost entirely of plastic. But that's it. We
have to fight to save our country. And now Daddy's home and he's about to take out the trash, and two weeks into the Trump presidency, we have a better sense of the evil and powerful forces that have been dragging our once great nation into decline.
The Trump administration removed transgender references from federal government websites.
It now reads LGB instead of LGBT.
They have no idea the damaged T was doing to our nation. Consonants, because I think you'll agree with me, there is no T in USA. If you spell it out, obviously, that becomes an issue. And if you want to belt for lunch, they just can get ugly. But nothing will stop America's low tea like no tea. What other changes are making us great again? The Trump administration ordering all gender ideology references be removed, including pronouns and email signatures.
Oh yeah, consonants and pronouns, your next prepositions. No more pronouns and email signatures. Good luck signing your emails now, President she, or should I say President him? Those are just the actions that this president has taken to prove that he's still kind of a dick. But believe me, he hasn't taken his eye off of America's true nation state enemies.
President Trump is reiterating his threat to quote take back the Panama Canal.
Trump suggesting he could use military force to take Greenland.
President Trump had a fiery phone call with Denmark's Prime minister, putting the natal ally in crisis mode. Denmark, Panama, Greenland, the axis of Where are those now? Lest you think that Pronouns and Panama were the twin forces shackling America to a prison of national decay, there are also more powerful forces at play in this dangerous world, some of them closer than what you might have ever imagined. The new era of trade wars. Trump says tariffs are coming
on Canada and Mexico and even the European Union. What is half the EU? Canada? Do we have any friends? I mean Mexico. I get Trump's been hateful in Mexico pretty much since the Escalator, that's the truth. But Canada cannot. We're picking a fight with our most reliable and pleasant friend, the labradoodle of allies. But I guess that's Trump tough.
You know what I mean? You gotta walk into the prison yard, walk right up to the one guy who really doesn't seem to be a problem at all, and just yeah, take that best friend who has willingly signed up to fight in every ridiculous war we've ever gotten into her. Let that be a lesson to the rest.
Of the world.
We are a terrible friend. Denmark, Panama and can America. You used to fight the Nazis. Now we're scouring the globe for easy march. What do we laugh the Jake Paul of Nations.
I know, is that what we're.
Doing no offense. I know China's out there, but Panama is a legitimate fight. In fact, I'm gonna call everyone out in FIFA's Conca Calf Division. Yeah, oh, Trinidad and Tobago, you got a gang up? Huh that honestly, like, I can't believe you laughed at a Conca Calf joke. After it's back baby, Oh, I'm look at me getting all skewed in the tie.
Now.
In Trump's defense, he did explain today why we're going after Canada. I mean, I look at some of the deals made. I say, who the hell made?
These deals are so bad.
So bad, the trade deals with Canada, They're so bad. He's just looking and saying, who made these? Ladies and gentlemen, don't get ahead of me. Ladies and gentlemen, for your dining and dancing pleasure, come with me into the wayback machine to twenty at eighteen, I give you the culprit of the terrible deal with Canada.
This morning, President Trump signed a new trade deal to replace NAFTA with the leaders of Mexico and Canada.
The best trade deal they say, ever made, A deal done by Trump's greatest nemesis Trump. Now, hold on Phil all right, but President Trump, this trade war has awoken a sleeping giant. Not Canada, not Mexico, but the Democratic Minority Senate leader, release the Shumer. It's going to affect beer.
Okay, most of it corona here comes from Mexico. It's going to affect your guac because what is guacamole made of avocados?
Your response to the trade war is to tell us guacamole is made of avocados? Is that? What?
Oh?
Then when the people found out, When the people find out the precious Super Bowl dip is comprised of mainly avocado, also tomato, sometimes onion, It's a bit much for me, obviously with the spielkiss and excuse me one second, Democrats, can you please stop trotting Schumer out there every time Trump traverses into the unreal It's not good at this. What is the decision making process here? Hey, who should we get out there to effectively battle one of the
most savvy presidential media manipulators in history. I don't know how about Schumer. He's uninteresting, but at least he's monitored. Oh wait, and Chuck, before you go out there, you look too young. Put on these readers and lower them on your nose perfect. Honestly, listening to Chuck Schumer speak on almost any tomic makes me want to bomb Canada. Kidding of course. By the way, we have a couple of Canadians chair from Montreal, and I don't want to
upset them because I'm gonna need an apartment suit. Now before we I don't know, now, before we get rattled by Trump's two to two and a half front trade war. Please understand, Mexico has already today received a thirty day stay on tariffs by promising ten thousand troops to the board, and we've promised to stop the inflow of guns, so self invented crisis averted. But what can Canada do? I'm sure there's an equally performative gesture. Canada could make what
I'd like to see, Canada become our fifty first date. Mexico, you just sent a few troops to the border, But Canada, if you could, I don't know, cease to exist as an independent entity.
Fair?
What's that Mexico? No, No, there's only fifty one stays, there's no fifty second. I'm sorry that hold. I want to say, Washington, d c up by what's that? Puerto Rico nows to Canada. I think you know why. I
think you know why Canada? All right? Of course, by the way, since we even were writing this show at like four pm, Trump has already said now he's going to pause the tariff war with Canada as well, because fuck, of course it makes sense to wrap up the trade war right now so that we as a country can focus on the biggest thing that's weakening our great.
Nation, diversity, equity and inclusion.
Yes, DEI, diversity, equity and inclusion. Maggot worlds. Blame this scourge for everything from the fires in California to the attack on Bourbon Street, to inflation to the Baltimore Bridge collapse to why your children are confused about the race of mermaids because mermaids, boys and girls are gingers. They've always been there, the latest example being the plane crash in Washington. It was the deiest. But don't take my
word for it. Let's let MTV's road Rules Star and Fox and Friends b teamer explain DEI, you can't focus on diversity, equity and inclusion when you try to higher air traffic controllers.
You want the best?
Do you want the brightest protecting yourself and your family? We will have the best and brightest in every position possible.
It is color blind and merit based.
Look, there's a lot of reasons why the FA is in a bad place, but these guys would have you believe that the main problem is that standards were somehow lowered to make sure that a black person or a gay person gets the chance to land your plane, even though the requirements to become an air traffic controller are the same. But by culture warring this tragedy, Americans spent that terrible night holding their breath that the pilot or the air traffic controller wouldn't be a woman, or a
black person or in a wheelchair. Because what they're trying to do is make the default setting on competence in America a white guy. That's what this is, a reset to the factory default, because of course these two are there purely based on merit and smarts. It's and it's just taking for granted. It undercuts every black person of color woman in this country that the job that they have they don't deserve. It's the mantra in the Republican Party that gives you brain turning moments like this.
In the United States of America, we get ahead and succeed by merit and merit alone.
Yes, merit and merit alone, says RNC chairwoman Lara hold On, Let me get my glasses. Trump, it was the blind submission, never saw any money application. That's the irony of this whole thing. The people standing next to Trump on that terrible night blaming DEI and trying to reinstall white guys as the only non suspect pool of hires are themselves DEI hires for one particular identity that they possess, the ass kisser. The President's leadership has been remarkable during this crisis.
Mister President, you make our jobs a lot easier.
I want to echo what the Transportation Secretary said about your leadership.
Thank you for your leadership and courage on that, Sir, I.
Think you make a really important point on that, mister President. The President is right, and.
Again I want to thank you for your leadership, mister President. D d I sucking ego inflation obviously if you think of sucking as a compound work. But you can gaslight us all you on because the one thing you didn't count on is our secret weapon.
The roots of democracy are deep. People are aroused. I haven't seen people so aroused in a very very long time in terms of going trying to get this done.
Aroused. For more on DEI and what it's going to do to our country, let's go line to the White House correspondent Josh Johnson. Josh, let me ask you. I know there's an important subject to you, Josh. What are you hearing about the DEI initiatives?
John What this administration is doing is dangerous. It is the perversion of the dream of manin Luther King Junior. They've turned it into a nightmare where the content of a of a person's character is judged by the collar.
I love their skin. From the White House, I'm Daisy lighteck.
Wait, what's going On.
I'm sorry, Desi, this is the Josh's report.
Oh you guys didn't get the executive order. We can't do DEI anymore.
You're replacing me. But you're a woman.
Yeah, a white woman.
White woman beats black guy.
Look, white women don't make the rules. We just tacitly embrace them through our overwhelming supportive Donald Trump is a voting block.
We should be on the same side.
Okay, white women, black men both held down by the white man.
Yes, but the white man is my husband and sometimes he lets me have rights as a treat and I love my little treat.
I'm sorry, Desi, but what about the executive orders changes our current situation.
Well, the fact is that DEI is over John, which means only the most competent people will jisted with my own petard.
That's right, it's totally petarded, which is something we can say now, thanks to Trump and thank you, Desi.
But I'll take it from here.
You can go back to the milking room or wherever women lay eggs.
No, no, no, no, this is bullshit. I stole this job from josh On Merrit.
Yes, isn't this the problem? Guys? Trump's producing us to rooms on a racial and gender hierarchy. We shouldn't be ranking our identities.
Exactly, but if we did, I should outright, DESI I mean, back me up here, Costa. At the end of the day, we've all got homes.
No no, no.
No, no no no no no. It goes raised, then gender, then height, and then the time breaker is a list of establishments your father owns.
Listen up, petards. All right, I don't see sex or color.
Okay, I just.
See SAT scores.
And I don't mean to brag, but the kid my parents paid to take the SATs for me knocked it out of the park.
Oh oh, I'm sorry.
Are we talking.
SAT scores?
No?
No, really, we're not talking.
We're not talking your SAT scores. Oh yeah, that's right, because it's all about merit and high test scores until it looks like this, and then suddenly we got to.
Defend the white boys like it's a rate case that Kapa sigma five that was settled out of court. Yeah.
Yeah, So it's all meritocracy until we get those h one b's and take a coding jobs.
And oh it's not there. Does black beat Asian?
No?
No, your day's a number. Cost Hang out.
Back to you, John, Thank you very much about it. You know, I guess if there's one thing that we've learned here, is it because of the Jewish thing or the age thing?
Does it matter?
I guess that. Well, we come back.
My guests will be Moe Amber stick around.
I'm gentile.
Stores he love back.
To the dail.
Shout my guest tonight. Oh he's lovely, I got tonight. A writer in stentive comedian, he stars in the Peabody Award win Netflix series Mo.
Please welcome, Mama. I would see my man you.
I can't sit before.
You see you said, hospitality, hospitality, my man?
How's it going?
Show? So good?
Thank you?
Season two? Uh? It just is out on Netflix right now, right now, and people should I binged it and it's just let me tell you something that bothers me. And this is not I'm not trying to obviously, you know, get off on the wrong foot. And obviously there's a lot to talk about.
Is it what bothers you? I want to know?
So friends, people their windows open on aircrafts because oh my god, yeah, so frus.
What are you doing what you're looking at at seven am?
Out there?
Try to keep things more. Yeah, when you're so funny and your comedy is so good, and then I find out watching the show that you're also a great actor, and that bothers me. You're so good.
I've seen tremendous, so tremendous.
You know, my kids don't even believe that that was me. That's how that's how bad Erosion has taken its force. You can get to like a very emotional place in this thing in a way. And I've known you for a very long time and I know that you cry all the time just generally. How was that like to even get to that?
Yeah, I mean, I mean, you know, it was my first experience of that in the first season in the in the confessional. But really it's just you know, it's such a personal story, right, and I mean some of the things that we're doing in the show was like recreating actual memories of mine with my grandmother. I mean, that's I'm like, Grammy, you know what I mean. Like it's like, it's it's a very painful thing to go through. But I also knew that it was the realist way
to tell the story. It's a grounded way to tell the story, and it's very hard and you have to be as controlled and composed as possible, and sometimes you lose it and that's okay, right, And.
It's also you know, for those who don't know, So it's the story. Your story is is complex, and it's you're born in Kuwait, right yep. Then you have to flee, correct, and you end in Houston.
Yes, which is the natural place you land.
Most people go from Kuwait generally to Fort Worth. And so what's so interesting about your story is what's great about the show is you don't sugarcoat the absurd measures that we in this country have around our immigration system and the various questions and steps. There's one of my favorite scenes in the show in the second season. I love the first one. You're trying to get he gets kidnapped and taken in Mexico and now he's got to
get back as a stateless person. You're there. You need this what's called a les passe?
Correct? What is that? I don't know. I don't know.
It's basically like a pass, a day pass to re enter the country legally since I exited illegally. Right, But there's like this you know, blurred line in my character
obviously runs with it. I was kidnapped, you know, the whole thing would play up right show, but it's about re entering back, and I want to you know, speak about this like we you know, I deliberately wanted him to be stuck in Mexico, and I wanted to show the journey of a refugee, right because the first season is he's all already there, right and you're just in and the show takes place in Houston with some minor flashbacks here and there to show like the beginning of
their story. But you know, I wanted to I wanted people see what it takes to actually get to America because most people see immigrants are coming asil, these are coming and they immediately think they're going to become American citizens like overnight. It's a long process. And I also wanted to show how absurd the system is, and I wanted to see for people to see, like also, my character is also very privileged in this scenario. You know,
he's crossing the border. He ends up in some spoilers here.
We speak English perfectly, Williams all the time.
And that happened to me actually when I would travel overseas to do stand up but I would come back in the States, and I would be in the immigration part, like because I didn't have a passport, I had a refugee travel document, and I'd be on the side and they would look at me like, do you speak English. I'm like, yelling and speaking slowly doesn't fix it if I don't speak English. I don't speak English. And I would reply I was like, whoah, this is nice.
Yeah, well, and you start quoting Hank Williams.
I started quoting Hank Williams.
So no, but that was the idea, is to show the absurdity of the system itself, to show how privileged the character is as well, even though he's an asyle and the refugee. I mean, there's a scene in the detention center where there's a detainee there talking about how he has to you know, had to go through mud slides and jungles and snakes and then the cartel and drank the juice of a Vienna sau.
As you can.
And he looks at me, it's like, how'd you get here? I'm like, I took a bus Mexico.
It's but it what it really demonstrates is the tenuousness that somebody who is stateless or on these asylum papers or in this process, like you can't up at all, like you can't make one mistake. At one point they put the U you get deported, Yes, because as it's a great scene and he he needs the ambassador of Mexico because he needs a les passe.
Yeah, that's the only way. So I'm stuck in Mexico. I have to get to the ambassador. It's really the only way I could re enter legally is for him to sign off on a lazy passe, which is extremely hard to get.
He finally gets in to see the ambassador to Mexico and it's there, it's right there in front of him, and they happen to get on a conversation about Israel Palestine, and the ambassador doesn't use the word yeah occupied occupation, that's right, and mo and this is so great in the scene because he's right there just blows up the whole process and goes, that's it.
I'm out.
Yeah, well yeah, it's like something you just can't let go of him. He says, a peaceful end of the conflict. And you know, there's so much complexity to it, I mean, so many layers nuanced to it and history to it, and it's just frustrating. I couldn't let it go. I mean, I it's really from my own life. Really, if I'm sitting there, I will not be able to let it go. And he could have solved everything. I could have said it, but I will never be able to figure out myself.
And I thought, how funny would that be if he's just a massive up in the show, but he's like, has his morals intact and his ethics attacking.
But even bringing that complexity, you know, you have this whole complexity of statelessness and asylum and all the process they have to go through through the first season, and a special needs brother who is fashioned out of your actual brother, yes, who's got on the spectrum but doesn't know it.
Yes, and is almost.
Forty Yes, oh my brother's older than that now. But yes, in the show.
Yes, yes, in the show and in this season. You couldn't also escape the Israel Palestine of it all, correct, and the complexity that must have brought to the writer's room, to your heart and you and I've talked about this a lot.
It was so easy.
I mean, like, no, no, I'm sorry to cut you off, but it's like the way to just ease the tension, because it was excruciating making the show right, It was absolutely one, and I feel shameful even saying it was excruciating or painful to know what they were going through, right, Gossa, you know it's a hard one as well. But you know, there were so many voices like are you gonna talk about October seventh? You have to talk about it, You can't not talk about it, and everyone has their own opinions.
And I discussed it with you thirly, and you were just like the best human on earth, like thank you so no really, because in a moment where I felt so lonely, you were one of the people that I could call and really talk to about this. And it was very difficult, and then it was very easy once you know, I spoke to you, and I you know, obviously the writing room was integral to this process, and I love them so much for having such difficult conversations.
Because we started on April first, we went on strike May first, We came back October first of twenty three, six days later, the only Palastini show on television. You can imagine the conversations that were had and so I decided, like, absolutely not, We're not going to talk about October seven. There's several problems with it. Number one is that you know, it's been a year, you know, since we started productions.
You have a whole year that lapsed that.
You know, so many things change and you could write something that wouldn't be correct. Second of all is that now you know it needs a lot of context, and everything that you write about October seventh makes it sound like everything started on October seventh, and I felt like it was a trap. It really felt like every time we went down that rabbit hole, the show just became didactic and we lost everything became like a full blown drama. And this is a comedy show, and it's a massive
disservice to the characters. Let the characters tell the story. Let's build off of that, and it'll take us exactly where we need to go.
And that's what happened.
I think what you did so well that I was so impressed with was navigating all those artistic difficulties. What you seem to settle on was and it's a show about statelessness and not belonging, and in that final episode you show that connection to the land that your family has to the land that your father in that you know, he has a videotape of his father, an actual, real videotape of your actual father. Yes, unfortunately you LOSAs. And
to see that it made it all. I thought it was such a beautiful moment that contextualized this in such a way of humanity, of like, oh right, it's just people who live on a plot of land with some olive trees who've been there since their grandparents and their great grandparents. And the boy you did it just so beautifully. No, I can't give you enough flowers for And I know there's always that you just said, like the pressure on
you're the only Palestinian chose you. You have to do it right this way, or you've got to tell the Israeli stories. The thing about art that you did so well was you told your story. It's just one story, but boy is it resonant, and boy is it fun and complex and beautiful like you, and and I just so appreciate you.
Thank you, I appreciate.
Anybody.
Thank you special. I'll also say this, I've also seen you riding a moped and that's very funny.
Well, I gotta do I ride motorcycles.
Okay, that's right, except when you're in Ohio.
Okay, maybe in Ohio during the pandemic, I was riding mopeds, but other than that, and then people were making fun of me because I was bigger than the moped. Everyone was like, maybe you should get a motorcycle. I was like fine, And I was divorced right then and there at that time, so I was like maybe eight motorcycles. You know, they just kept buying more motorcycles.
Was like, so what divorce guys?
Do have a kid?
It's backstage, It's right backstage.
Yeah, uh.
Now this do you feel like this is completed? And now it's off to the races for stand up and all the other things that you that you do.
Yeah, I'm touring.
I'm doing the also a Palaestino Tour, which is based off of a character in the show, which translates to the Palestinian Bear Comedy Tour U. But yeah, I'm doing that. I'm going into a next special. But there's so much more storytell. I mean, there's there's so much more to do. But yeah, and you mentioned like the ankle monitor, I do get deported in the Yeah, but it's also going to confuse people because how'd you get deported? But there's a thing. It's actually very very it's very very common.
You can get deported and released on your own recognissance, which means you're deported, but you can stay right, but you're deported.
Yeah, you played it like an abbit and cascel Rotine on the show's deported. Yes, but I can't leave. Correct. One of the reasons that you were giving in the show for that are those real? Would you not be deported because they wouldn't send you tout because you're stateless?
Yeah, because you're stayless.
No, but this is apparently a really common thing, whether you're staateless or not. I thought, you know, you don't want palsing. He's returning anyway, so stop, You're not gonna we're going to pour you back to wear.
Stay in Houston.
Relax, We'll give you a work perm it, do your thing. But but no, it's apparently like really really common. I forgot what the percentages, but it's in like the thirty plus percent time. Wow, where people get deported regularly but they can stay.
Was can I answer? This was the ankle monitor thing?
I know, Look at this guy, he's so confused, right, Oh yeah, jaw dropping.
His brain almost short circuit.
Yeah, the ankle bracelet does it have a communication device? Is that a real thing? It is?
This is a real thing.
We had someone consult on the show who was actually was an intention center and was random. It's all at random. You get an ankle device, just like, hey, you know you're number seven. Sorry the first say didn't get.
It, but but you got it, and then.
That's not real to my life. But when I heard about it, I'm like, we got to put that in the show. It's gonna be hilarious because the guy could chime in at any moment in time and be like, please tell me your location, Like that could really happening. I mean, how embarrassing and horrible is that?
So it's one of my favorite moments of the show. You're having you have very painful discussions with your old girlfriend and you guys, and they have a really painful discussion, they break up, and you just hear from the ankle monitor brutal. Such a dirty ball. My brother, My brother, I love you so much. I'm so just delighted for you in your life and in your art and all those different things. And I can't wait to see what the next thing is.
Thank you so much, Ben, I love you so much, John so much.
Most season to tell you a quick after this, Hi, how is our show for tonight?
Nebuli? It will be your host fornight of the week. Here it is you're moment to day. I like nepotism.
You know, if you can't take care of your kids, you know that better than I look at you.
I like nepotism.
I think you know a lot of people say, oh, nepotism, say usually these are people without children.
But I like nepotism.
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