by Maria DeBlassie
Daily Lobo
Allah made some people funny, but others shouldn't quit their day jobs.
The "Allah Made Me Funny Official Comedy Tour" displayed its comedic talent Tuesday night in the SUB Ballroom. It featured three Muslim comedians, including Azeem, a comedian who had just finished a tour with Dave Chapelle. Preacher Moss, who has worked on Saturday Night Live and with George Lopez, and Azhar Usman, who was once on "Nighttime," also performed.
Azeem joked about everything from Sept. 11, 2001, to his family. Some of his best lines were about Wal-Mart and how customers always think they'll only spend 10 minutes there, but once inside, they spend all day. He also talked about how cheap prices and frequent sales lead buyers to purchase things they don't want and will never use. He even joked about the bad reputation African-Americans are getting for being thieves. He said everybody steals.
"Even white people steal - how else did we get here?" Azeem, who is an African-American Muslim, said.
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He also joked that America's divorce rate is high because people base their marriages on the ideal in TV shows, where your spouse doesn't wake up with bad breath.
There were also a lot of Sept. 11 jokes, some of which were funny. Most involved the high security at the airports. Azeem said the more he goes there, the more clothes he takes off.
"I feel like a stripper," he said. "Just tip me and give me a pole."
However, most of the Sept. 11 rants were tasteless and inappropriate.
The worst was Usman's imitation of a woman making a farewell call to her loved ones as she mistakes the comedian for a terrorist on the plane. For some, it was just too close to home and not worth laughing about.
Another downfall was that all three comedians covered the same topics, including Sept. 11, the D.C. sniper shootings and the presidential election.
The funniest D.C. sniper comment came from Moss, who lamented that the sniper was both African-American and Muslim.
"They got us twice," he said.
If people feared the presidential election would again take center stage with Usman, the last performer, they were relieved when he told them which election he was talking about.
"I meant 'American Idol'," he said.
Usman's funniest line came when he compared how he was treated in America versus Europe.
"In America, I'm used to people hating me because I'm Muslim," he said. "In Europe, they just hate me for being American."
Although the comedy act had its funny moments, the majority of it was hard for the non-Muslims to follow. It seemed the show was mainly for people familiar with Muslim culture and the stereotypes associated with it. If you didn't fall into that category, most of the punch lines were wasted.
The show was sponsored by ASUNM Student Special Events.
Allah Made Me Funny
Grade: C+
