Laugh out Loud with Maz Jobrani

Maz Jobrani is one of the original Iranian comedians who made it mainstream. Earlier this year, the actor and comedian was invited to speak at The White House and received a big hug from Michelle Obama. He also performed on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. On a Middle East tour, the King of Jordan came to see him perform. That should give you an idea of his mass appeal. Born in Iran, Maz moved to the United States aged six at the time of the Iranian Revolution. The self-proclaimed "bald and beautiful" Iranian-American star act has his stand up rooted in multiculturalism and has spent the better part of last two decades using his platform to try and break stereotypes on race and religion. He has played character roles on television's Grey's Anatomy and True Blood as well as films like The Interpretor, breaking through where most ethnic actors have struggled. He's an LA Times bestselling author of I'm not a terrorist but I've played one on TV. His choice of book cover, him wearing a  turban and holding a bomb, cleverly illustrates the stereotyping every Muslim and Muslim-looking person faces in the world today. After being offered one too many terrorist parts in the acting world, Maz decided he wouldn't give into the stereotype anymore. His perseverance earned him the more universal acting roles of father and doctor.

Maz and his wife at the White House

Maz doesn't have the typical celebrity rags to riches story. His father was a self made millionaire who dropped him off to school in a Rolls Royce in an affluent neighborhood in California where understated Saabs and Volvos were the norm, much to his embarrassment. He has an undergrad in political science, not surprising given the politically infused stand up he delivers. His stance on multiculturalism extends to his personal life - his wife's Indian:) The man is representing! Intrigued? Read my exclusive interview with the funny man himself ..

How was the comedy scene when you started off?

I started in Los Angeles in 1998. Back then there was a good comedy scene, but the Comedy Store, which is my home club, was kind of in its dark ages. When you first start though, that doesn't phase you. I would just get up anywhere I could - comedy clubs, bars, church basements, coffee shops, strip clubs, etc. Anywhere someone was organizing a show I would get up. It was fun to do and you learned a lot doing those shows. I have always tried to get up about 5-10 times a week and back then I would do as many sets as I could in LA.

Your comedy uncovers some sensitive truths about different cultures and religions. What makes you fearless?

Well, I talk about my own experiences. I also feel that we have a lot more in common than some politicians would want us to admit. So I don't think it's fearless to talk about your own experience and point of view. It's the only thing I can talk about. Often, I have different cultures and countries represented in my audience so that makes it natural that I would talk about them. I have also traveled a lot so I find myself making observations everywhere I go. The honest truth is that I don't talk down about anybody so I feel like my shows are pretty inclusive.

Maz on TED Global

How do you keep material fresh? What inspires you?

You just have to keep writing. I have now done 3 solo standup specials that were about 1 hour in length each as well as my first special with the Axis of Evil Comedy Tour where I performed about 20 minutes. That means I've written at least 3 hours and 20 minutes of material over these past 18 years. I am now getting ready to do my next hour so that would get me to 4 hours and 20 minutes. Then there's the material that I never put on a special or the stuff that I might riff. So over all of these years I have several hours of material and I keep writing. As you evolve as a human being you have other subjects you want to talk about so that keeps me going. Currently there is a lot of material with Trump. Also, I have young kids who give me new material every day!

What's the biggest compliment and criticism you've heard?

I try not to believe the hype and I try not to listen to the criticisms. I know I'm good at what I do and a big part of that is that I've put in the work. Sometimes I have great nights and sometimes I bomb on stage, but I know that I will be up again the following night and it will be a different experience.

What's life like on the road?

People think that life on the road is exciting, but it can get old fast. I love doing standup, but given that I've got a young family it's hard for me to be away from them too long. I tend to get on the road, get as much rest as I can at the hotel and then have some kick ass shows. These days I'm on the first flight back whenever I can do that so that I can spend time with my kids. They grow up fast and I don't want to miss their childhoods.

What advice would you give a starter on the business of comedy?

It's pretty simple - just get on stage as much as you can (at least 5-10 times a week) and write, write, write!

Does Hollywood today have scope for great roles for ethnic actors?

I think it's changing a little bit. We have people from different backgrounds now producing shows and writing on them. There's Aziz Ansari's "Master of None" which is a show about a Muslim Indian. They don't really delve into that much and they don't need to. He's just a regular guy with immigrant parents. There's other shows out there that try to show Middle Easterners and people from the east in a different way than we've been used to seeing them. I think that as America becomes more diverse it's inevitable that our TV will too.

Want do you consider to be your greatest achievement?

I just try to be a good person. I think that's my greatest achievement. We have so many difficulties in life and so much sadness that if I can just be nice and good to people then I'm achieving what I want to achieve in life.

Is there a darker side to comedians? Robin Williams comes to mind.

Sure, but that's the case for anyone in any profession. The difference is that we are used to seeing comedians only be funny and only make us laugh. But comedians are humans like anyone else so we're going to have the more stable ones and some who have psychological issues. It is very sad when we see our public heroes fall. Robin Williams dying was a big hit to the comedy community!

What does Maz Jobrani do for fun?

I love to play soccer and will keep doing so until my knees tell me to take a seat. I enjoy watching movies and TV shows with my wife. I love hanging out with my kids and nephew. It's really fun!

What's next?

My movie Jimmy Vestvood; Amerikan Hero is available online so I continue to promote that. I hope to make a sequel as well. I'm also working on a new CBS sitcom called Superior Donuts which will premiere in the U.S. in early February.

An Iranian and a Pakistani meet for chai and jujeh kebabs. What do they talk about?

India.

Follow Maz Jobrani on Facebook and on Twitter @MazJobrani

Florence Nightingale

I was strolling in Ponte Vecchio, Florence, one summer evening when I heard the sound of music and followed it like the Curious George(ina) that I am. Before I realized it, I had joined a captivated crowd of locals and tourists who had formed a circle around the incredible performing duo, one of whom was Michael Amadi, an ultra talented pianist and singer. More about Michael later, as I want to let you guys know that I was a good audience and actually bought the duo's CD. Let's appreciate street performers shall we. I'll admit that more often than not I will enjoy street performers' art, good and bad, but only seldom be a true consumer, walking away when the cap goes around for donations as so many of us do. Note to self people: nothing in life is free.

Back to the lovely and talented Michael. He's just 24 and isn't currently in historical Florence but is pursuing songwriting at The Institute of Contemporary Music Performance (ICMP) in the mad city of London. In just a year he has already developed a British twang, and truth be told, I myself have subconsciously added words like "bugger", "knackered", "chuffed" and "bloody" to my vocabulary from my London days.

Here's a preview of Michael's vocals on the piano but make sure to scroll down for my 10 QUESTIONS WITH MICHAEL AMADI.

 



Hi Michael! Thanks for giving me a virtual tour of ICMP. That's one sick piano in the common area.  When did you realize you were musically inclined?

I was 5 years old when I started playing guitar. At elementary school I was that boy hiding not Spiderman comics but music books behind his school books, thinking of melody and songs. I was also the boy who preferred to stay home sat at the piano and write music rather than play outside. I totally see what's he's talking about.  I was the kid hiding Archie comics behind my school books, desperately wanting Archie to realize that Betty was the one for him, not the evil Veronica.

How did you get into street performing in Florence?
I remember it well. It was a Tuesday night when I was crossing Piazza della Repubblica and saw Claudio, the other half of the Florence duo you saw, performing. I went back every night to listen to Claudio with my friends. One day Claudio invited me to this studio for a breakfast conversation about music. There was no turning back from there. We started performing in Siena and from there moved on to Ponte Vecchio bridge. We spent the first year collaborating on projects in the studio and performed on the street for two summers every day after that.

You're taking a break from street performing. Tell me something about that part of your life.
The best thing was that it gave me a chance to meet lots of people from around the world, that was kind of amazing. Once, there was a teacher of graphic design from China who painted us performing. That was pretty special - we still have that painting in Florence. If I had to pick a worst, I'd say the music we performed was mostly the same and that felt a bit repetitive sometimes but the audience was always different. I always remember faces. I remember you. Note to self: no need to be flattered Naveen. He's probably being kind and when you were 24 Eminem still made music videos. 

How many phone numbers did you get in those two years performing in Florence?
Girls would leave their phone numbers on my keyboard every single night. You do the maths. Cheeky monkey! For the record, I wasn't one of them.

Can you make a living from street performing?
For me it wasn’t a job, I was making music. You guys buying our CD was a reward for me. I used that money to support projects like my education in London. My parents aren't funding this. 

 
You moved to London a year ago. How competitive is the music industry?
There are some huge and good artists in London.  In Florence I performed on the most famous bridge; it wouldn’t be possible to have the same opportunity here. I haven't performed in London yet but it might be cool at some point. The idea is a little scary. Peeps, keep an eye out for Michael in London's hot spots. He may just surprise you with something spectacular.



Who is your inspiration?
The piano is my main instrument and I'm trained in classical music. Elton John, John Legend, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder and Coldplay are up there for me. Funnily enough, people tell me that when they hear me play the piano, I remind them of Elton John and apparently I resemble John Legend. I'm not sure who my voice reminds them of. Michael has a point. No one obvious comes to my mind too. It's probably a good thing - sometimes it's best not to have comparisons.

What’s next?
My experience in Florence taught me that anything's possible. America is the dream. Until then I'm working on many interesting projects. I'm collaborating with different bands in London, some ex graduates of ICMP. In two months I'll be heading off to Spain. My friend who's a brilliant guitarist was approached by a manager to record a song for a drag queen event. I came on board as producer. Who would have thought I would be a producer and that too have Spanish drag queens perform to my music?!  

What advice would you give to someone joining the street performing scene? 
I have studied classical music and now songwriting. People shouldn't underestimate the grooming and hard work that happens behind the scenes. I remember being terrified the first time I performed on the bridge, I couldn’t look anyone in the eyes. It's true. I remember that anytime we cheered him on, Michael looked down grinning shyly.

Michael, when I get married will you sing at my wedding?  
YES. We can definitely arrange that.  Hurray! Finally a reason to get married.

Notes

Michael was born and raised in Florence. He's the middle child in a family of medicine practitioners. Not surprisingly, like most middle children, he took a route that would make him stand out. Fortunately, there was little convincing to be done as he remembers coming home at the age of eight to find that his parents had gifted him a piano wrapped in a giant red bow. While in Florence he took a break from piano for a year. His parents were the voice of encouragement and so he continued. When he's not writing music or performing or fishing (he's a country boy at heart), he watches movies and admits “I’m quite sad if I love the soundtrack and not the movie". Bless! 

Follow Michael on Instagram @amd.mch