Bassem Youssef on How To Laugh In the Face of Danger (Replay)

Mar 15, 2024

Bassem Youssef, a former heart surgeon turned satirical icon from Egypt, shares his journey of creating the groundbreaking TV show 'The Show' during the 2011 revolution. He discusses the risks of mocking the government, including threats to his life, and why he prioritized truth and humor over safety. Bassem reflects on the role of ideology versus facts, the power of laughter in adversity, and the importance of embracing resilience. His story emphasizes the impact of satire as a tool for political commentary and personal transformation.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Books

Transcript

Episode notes

ANECDOTE

From Surgeon to Satirist

Bassem Youssef, a heart surgeon, transitioned to political satire during the Egyptian revolution.
His YouTube show gained unexpected popularity, leading to television offers and a shift in his career path.

ANECDOTE

The Show's Success

Bassem Youssef aimed to create a Jon Stewart-style show with a live audience, an unusual concept in Arabic media.
Despite doubts and challenges, the show became a massive success, drawing 30-40 million viewers per episode.

INSIGHT

Staying for the Show

Bassem Youssef's decision to stay in Egypt during the revolution stemmed from the opportunity to create his show.
His motivation wasn't initially political activism but a desire to explore this new career path.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

Before he was the “Jon Stewart of Egypt,” Bassem Yousseff was a heart surgeon in Cairo with no online following. But when the revolution broke out in Egypt in 2011, he and his friend decided to take action, launching a satirical show that brazenly mocked the government in a way that had never before been seen on Egyptian TV. He became an overnight sensation reaching 5 million views within the first three months.

His hit series named “The Show” became the most watched show in Egyptian television history, raking in 30 to 40 million viewers per episode. As he rose to stardom, detractors called for his death, and yet, Bassem continued to produce his show until it became too dangerous for any station to carry.

He ultimately fled the country out of fear, not for his own life, but for the safety of those around him. Meet the man that Time Magazine named one of the world's most influential pioneers in this episode of Impact Theory with Tom Bilyeu.

[Original air date: August 29, 2017].

SHOW NOTES

Bassem walks through the experiences that led to the birth of his political satire show. [4:03]

Bassem shares why he stayed in the midst of revolution. [10:21]

Bassem describes his reaction when he saw his documentary for the first time. [13:12]

Bassem explains his motivation and what drove him to keep moving forward. [16:38]

Tom and Bassem go deep on why ideology trumps facts. [20:03]

Bassem talks about breaking free from what holds us back and why humans are fragile. [24:12]

Bassem shares an important takeaway for his children and his conversation with Jon Stewart. [27:00]

Bassem recalls his decision to become a surgeon and how his family handled the success of the show. [31:08]

Bassem derives similarities between the political climate in the U.S. and political narratives in Egypt. [34:53]

Tom and Bassem discuss why fear is a powerful motivator and why satire is a great weapon. [36:13]

Bassem reveals his most frightening and most beautiful discoveries about human nature. [38:07]

Bassem discloses his mission to educate people about food choices and how to change behavior. [41:07]

Bassem defines the impact that he wants to have on the world. [44:13]

FOLLOW BASSEM:

TWITTER: http://bit.ly/2x4zNpK

INSTAGRAM: http://bit.ly/2vS07VK

FACEBOOK: http://bit.ly/2v6zf13

FOLLOW TOM:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tombilyeu/

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tombilyeu?lang=en

Twitter: https://twitter.com/tombilyeu

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TomBilyeu

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices