Maz Jobrani describes himself as a 36-year-old, Iranian-American actor/comedian who is bald, has a goatee and a strong affinity for not only what he does on stage, but also for rich crème brûlée.
While in his hometown of Los Angeles, the city with the largest concentration of Iranians outside of Iran, he drove back home from a soccer game in the pleasant California weather. Jobrani heard his cell phone chime and was quick enough to answer before the second ring.
“Hi, Jack,” he said to me.
He was anticipating the call – and why not? After all, he is promoting the upcoming Fairfield performance of his comedy group, the self-styled Axis of Evil; the name is a play on words, referencing President Bush’s term for Iran, North Korea and Iraq.
The concept was originally a trio of comedians featuring Jobrani; Aron Kader, a Palestinian-American; and Ahmed Ahmed, an Egyptian-American (who will not be appearing).
Later, Dean Obeidallah, whose heritage splits between Palestinian and Italian, became a fourth member.
Jobrani said the group’s origin is the result of something not unlike fate. In this case, it was Mitzi Shore and the club she owns: The Comedy Store.
Like other comedians before him, Jobrani spoke highly of Shore.
“Mitzi felt that comedy could heal,” he said.
Apparently even the scars of negative ethnic perception – which was the point of The Comedy Store’s Arabian theme night – can heal, as this was when the original Axis of Evil comedians met.
While Jobrani described it as one of the group’s defining moments, he said that Shore’s definition of ‘Arabian’ was not completely accurate.
“Anyone who was brown, but not Latino, was in that show,” he said. Also, Iranians are Persians, not Arabians.
From there, the Axis of Evil went on to become regulars at a Washington, D.C., comedy club, to perform sold-out shows, to do a tour for the people of five Middle Eastern countries (in English) and to be given their own Comedy Central special.
Jobrani recalled his time in the Middle East most vividly.
“Usually when you go to Kuwait, you perform for troops. We were performing for Kuwaitis,” he said.
And this is a big part of what the Axis of Evil is all about: ethnic pride while maintaining identity as proud American citizens.
Having this pride is something of a necessity in a post-9/11 world, according to Jobrani.
“Dean [Obeidallah] has this thing where he says, ‘I went to bed on Sept. 10 an American and woke up on Sept. 11 an Arab,'” according to Jobrani.
An actor as well as a comedian, Jobrani is also somewhat familiar with others’ negative perception of his ethnicity. He quoted the book “Reel Bad Arabs,” by Jack Shaheen, as well as his own recent experiences.
“Being an Iranian, I know that Iran isn’t that dangerous, but about two nights before we left for the Middle East, I saw the movie ‘The Kingdom,’ and I became convinced that we were going to be attacked or something,” he said. “Things could not be farther from the contrary. You’re not going to be kidnapped if you go to the Middle East.”
But the Axis of Evil tour isn’t just full of jokes about the fear of Islam in the United States. According to Jobrani, the jokes are crafted so that the group can remind everyone that Middle Easterners live normal lives just like everyone else. As such, the show is just as topical as it is political.
“We go after both sides,” he said. “The ultimate goal of this is to be thought of as a Middle Eastern comedian without necessarily having to be thought of as a Middle Easterner.”
Axis of Evil will be making its appearance at Fairfield University Thursday, Feb. 21, in the Oak Room. The show, which begins at 7 p.m., is free for all students.
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