TL;DR
The talk is a comedic take on the speaker’s experiences in Doha and observations about cultural differences in the Middle East, including how people greet each other with a varying number of kisses based on their country. The speaker also addresses misunderstandings that can arise in the US around Middle Easterners or those who look Middle Eastern, offering humorous advice to avoid issues while flying in the US.
“When we see each other, when we say hello, how many kisses are we going to do?”
Maz Jobrani
TALK SUMMARY
Comedian Maz Jobrani delivers a comedic speech sharing his experiences in the culturally diverse city of Doha. Starting with the multinationally staffed airport service, he highlights the humorous situations arising from such diversity, like getting directions from a cab driver new to the city. Jobrani then comments on the changing perceptions of stability in the Middle East due to the Arab Spring, poking fun at the unexpected tranquility of Lebanon. He addresses the varying practices of greetings across different Middle Eastern countries and the amusing complications due to those cultural differences. He ends with a parody of the misunderstandings Middle Easterners might face when speaking in public in the US, especially on airplanes, making light of the stereotypes and recommending speaking in one’s mother tongue to avoid any issues.
“The key, to my Arab brothers and sisters, is to throw in random good words to put people at ease as you’re walking down the aisle.”
Maz Jobrani
KEY MESSAGE
Through comedy, Maz Jobrani reveals the cultural nuances and misunderstandings people from different Middle Eastern backgrounds experience, ultimately advocating for more cultural awareness and travel as a means to overcome stereotypes and promote mutual understanding.
“The Middle East is going crazy. You know the Middle East is going crazy when Lebanon is the most peaceful place in the region.”
Maz Jobrani
INNOVATIVE CONCEPTS
- Comedic Diplomacy: Using humor as a means to address cultural differences and break down stereotypes.
- Greeter’s Dilemma: The lighthearted examination of how many kisses to exchange in Middle Eastern greetings as an indicator of cultural variations.
- Reverse Cultural Commentary: Reflecting on how Middle Eastern practices may appear to Westerners to foster understanding.
- Cultural Navigation Advice: The suggestion to speak in one’s native language to avoid misinterpretation on US flights, with a humorous twist.
- Levity in Tension: Finding humor in politically and socially tense situations such as the Arab Spring and stereotypes in post-9/11 America.
“I always encourage my friends: ‘Travel, see the Middle East, there’s so much to see, so many good people.'”
Maz Jobrani
IDEAS:
- The hyper-international experience of arriving in Doha and wittily asking, “Where are the Qataris?” to signify the diversity of the workforce in the city.
- Light-hearted commentary on the evolving image of countries in the Middle East in relation to the Arab Spring, humorously labeling Lebanon as comparatively peaceful.
- Jobrani’s riff on cultural confusion with the varied number of kisses in different countries as a symbol of the region’s rich diversity.
- The playfulness in addressing the Iranian revolution’s impact on the social custom of kissing hello, turning it into a political barometer.
- The suggestion to Arab passengers to intersperse words like “Strawberry” and “Rainbow” while speaking Arabic on a flight to prevent alarm, utilizing humor to address racial profiling.
- The recommendation for Middle Easterners and similar-looking individuals to avoid sensitive words on American flights, embedding a serious message within a joke.
- Jovial storytelling about driving with a cab driver who is new to Doha, reflecting the rapid growth and transient nature of the workforce in the region.
- Highlighting the importance of cultural exchange and travel, promoting understanding while simultaneously poking fun at Americans’ lack of knowledge about the Middle East.
- Perspectives on how an outsider’s commentary on Middle Eastern culture can shift perceptions and break down barriers using humor.
- Comedic exploration of language barriers and their implications for Middle Eastern individuals when traveling in Western countries.
FACTS:
- Qatar is viewed as an international hub, demonstrated by the diversity of nationalities working at their airport.
- The standard greeting in Lebanon involves three kisses, while in Egypt, it is two, indicative of distinct cultural practices within the Middle East.
- Saudi Arabians have an extended kissing greeting ritual that continues repeatedly on the same side of the face.
- The nose-to-nose greeting is unique to Qataris, showing another layer of cultural specificity in the region.
- The Iranian practice of greetings changed from two kisses to three after the 1979 revolution, marking a cultural shift through a simple greeting adjustment.
“Even if I’m there with my friend named Jack, I say, ‘Greetings, Jack. Salutations, Jack.’ Never ‘Hi, Jack.'”
Maz Jobrani
EMOTIONAL ESSENCE
The speaker creates a shared space of laughter and introspection, enabling the audience to navigate complex cultural and social issues with light-heartedness and encouraging empathy and cultural understanding through humor.
REFERENCES:
- Al Maha Services: Featured in the speaker’s anecdote, an example of the diverse workforce in Doha’s airport that caters to travelers.
- Axis of Evil Comedy Tour: A comedy tour referenced by the speaker that aimed to challenge stereotypes about the Middle East through humor.
- Lebanese Greetings: Discussed in Jobrani’s talk, the cultural practice of greeting with three kisses, offering insight into Lebanese social norms.
- Saudi Arabian Greetings: Jobrani’s humorous take on the extended number of kisses in Saudi Arabian greetings, reflecting on social customs.
- Cultural Differences in Air Travel: Jobrani weaves a tale that humorously encapsulates the cultural misunderstandings Middle Easterners might encounter on US flights.
