Announcement

**Nutcase** · 06-27-2006, 07:13 PM

maz is great, i agree, all the best to him, here is a funny clip of one of his comedy acts:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypspMXPZqzM

**Rasputin** · 06-27-2006, 07:14 PM

Thx for your colaboration

.

**donsaeid** · 06-27-2006, 07:19 PM

dorood bar in ensane irani ke vaghean mayeye eftekhare... clip ham khandedar bod... thanx

**donsaeid** · 06-27-2006, 07:21 PM

more clips

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3nwmaTswwQ&mode=related&search=

and

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhrU2DxlqWM&mode=related&search=

**Rasputin** · 11-12-2006, 05:51 AM

**Rasputin** · 01-11-2007, 04:14 AM

www.jimmyvestvood.com

**Rasputin** · 01-11-2007, 04:15 AM

**Harmony** · 01-11-2007, 02:16 PM

He is soooo funny....

...I love him

**Rasputin** · 01-12-2007, 06:32 AM

These are the questions on the minds of stand-up comedians around the world and a group of them are willing to bet that the answer is YES!

A new and cutting-edge show on Comedy Central entitled 'The Watch List' is out for your viewing pleasure and it's online so anyone can watch it.

Here is a bit more about the show:

Can an Arab Be Funny? Can a Muslim Tell a Joke? Can an Iranian Make You Laugh?

Find out on Comedy Central.com's The Watch List, the first show ever released by a major American entertainment company starring all Middle Eastern-American comedians. This hilarious and groundbreaking new comedy show that will be available JANUARY 15, 2007 on Comedy Central's Internet channel Motherload.

The Watch List is a truly groundbreaking and edgy comedy show featuring the country's top Middle Eastern-American comedians (Arab-American and Iranian-American) performing stand up and sketch comedy. The show tackles topics from a point of view rarely seen in American media from “flying while Muslim,” to Arab-Americans trying to prove that they are real Americans, to dealing with negative stereotypes about Middle Eastern-Americans. Its' not only funny, it will also challenge misconceptions.

The show was co-created and produced by award winning Arab-American comedian Dean Obeidallah and Emmy award winning comedy writer Max Brooks, and son of comedy legend Mel Brooks.

Comedians featured on “The Watch List” include Maz Jobrani, co-star of the new ABC series “Knights of Prosperity,” Ahmed Ahmed who has been featured on MTV's “Punk'd” and NBC's “Last Call with Carson Daly,” Maysoon Zayid (MTV, ABC “20/20”), Joe Derosa (Comedy Central and NBC's “Last Call”) and Nasry Malak (ABC's “20/20).

The first 3 episodes of “The Watch List” will be available January 15 and a new episode will be released the following three weeks at Comedy Central.

Bios of Show Creators:

Max Brooks: is an Emmy award wining comedy writer for his work on “Saturday Night Live” and is also the author of the best selling books “World War Z” and the “Zombie Survival Guide.” Max has show business in his blood as he is the son of Hollywood legends Mel Brooks and the late Anne Bancroft.

Dean Obeidallah: a former lawyer turned stand up comedian, Dean has appeared on various television shows including Comedy Central's “Tough Crowd,” CNN International's “Inside the Middle East,” NBC's “Saturday Night Live,” and PBS' “Newshour with Jim Lehrer.” He is the co-founder/co-producer of the annual New York Arab-American Comedy Festival. Dean has performed stand up comedy across the US as well as in Beirut, Haifa, Ramallah and Dubai in the Middle East.

Summaries for the first 3 sketches which will be released:

Episode #1: “Arabs are the New Blacks.” Many have said that in the post 9/11 America, Arabs are the new blacks. While some might complain at their new status, Arab-American comedian Dean Obeidallah is excited at being the “new blacks” because to him, it means that Arabs are finally cool. Watch as white kids in the suburbs trying to be cool, stop acting black, and start acting Arab.

Episode #2: “Turning Dad In.” Egyptian-American comedian Nasry Malak and his family are planning to turn their Arab father into the FBI. Not because he is terrorist, but just because they want to prove that they are patriotic Americans.

Episode #3: “Good news about Middle Easterners.” Iranian born comedian Maz Jobrani dreams of a day when the media will not just feature news stories about Middle Eastern terrorist but will start showing Middle Easterners doing positive things. Maz will even settle for a news story about an Iranian man baking a cookie.

Samples of the Stand up clips:

Ahmed Ahmed: What is like to be a Muslim, Arab-American named Ahmed Ahmed trying to board a flight in America today? Comedian Ahmed Ahmed will give you a glimpse into his world of “Flying while Muslim.”

Maysoon Zayid: Follow the struggles of a Palestinian Muslim from New Jersey who is trying to remain a virgin until she gets married while living in New York City.

Featured comedians:

Maz Jobrani: co-star ABC's new series “Knights of Prosperity,” Comedy Central's Premium Blend, and featured in the movies “The Interpreter” and “Friday After Next.”

Ahmed Ahmed: MTV's “Punk'd,” Comedy Central's “Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn,” NBC's “Last Call with Carson Daly.”

Aron Kader: Comedy Central's “Premium Blend,” Showtime's “White Boys in the Hood,” FX's “The Shield.”

Joe DeRosa: NBC's “Last Call with Carson Daly,” Comedy Central's “Premium Blend.”

Maysoon Zayid: NBC's Nightly News, ABC's “20/20,” MTV.

Dean Obeidallah - Bio above.

Nasry Malak: ABC's “20/20,” NPR radio.

The Watch List was co-produced by Negin Farsad and Vaguely Qualified Productions.

**Rasputin** · 01-14-2007, 11:15 AM

It's the New Year, and every year I do the same thing, I make a New Year's resolution that this year, I am going to try to be more honest, and hopefully put up with less BS. And to test my fortitude and resolve of this resolution, usually about a week into it, I am faced with a dilemma.

Do I put up, or shut up?

And so it goes this year.

The test? Another network TV show in which once again, an Iranian actor is a primary part of the cast. The actor in this case is none other than Maz Jobrani. The only way you don't know who Maz Jobrani is if you are in a coma, or in solitary confinement in Evin for protesting the inhumane use of solitary confinement. Maz Jobrani is the champion of bringing "It" to the American consciousness. Through his brilliant and dedicated efforts behind the "Axis of Evil Comedy" tours, and the latest incarnation "The Sultans of Satire", he has been the brightly shining and hilarious beacon for, to use marketing terminology, "educating and informing the target audience of the benefits, features, and value of our brand." That's the "It" he brings.

As I am a fan of Maz, you can start to see the dilemma forming.

Wednesdays, around 9pm, on ABC, the new show, "The Knights of Prosperity" has cast yet another shadow through what I am calling the retarded mis-placement of the stereotypical "quirky Indian fellow", using of all people Maz! So allow me to let you get this straight. Maz who does an Iranian accent about as perfectly as he does any other accent you want him to do for you, is playing the quirky Indian cab driver! Not the quirky Iranian cab driver, but the quirky Indian cab driver! at one point in the show he even gets called, get this, "Dr. Bombay".

Now, as I am sure you do, I too have many Indian friends. In order, they are teachers, doctors, engineers (a lot of them are engineers), and Oh all right! Yes! Computer programmers! You want a stereotype fine take that one! And I am sure there are many Iranian and Indian cab drivers. So you can keep the character, if you really want to fight with me about this script.

But to have an Iranian, so full of talent and natural comedic timing, play the role of an Indian cab driver? It's almost like someone wanted to insult both countries with one insult. Isn't there any way this could have been avoided? I mean you can at least get an Indian actor to play the role of the Indian cab driver. Not to mention, what will I tell my Indian friends as they complain about how there are so many Indian actors to choose from.

I am trying to play the casting meeting, in my head, to see how they could have come up with this seemingly idiotic plan.

"Hey, I have an idea, why don't we have Maz play the role of the Indian Cab driver?"
"Uh, dude, Maz is Iranian."
"Oh, I thought he was Indian."
"No Dude, he's Iranian."
"Oh..... Huh! Yeah but he has an Indian accent."
"No Dude, he doesn't have an accent."
"Oh..... Well, can he do an Indian accent?"
"I don't know, he's right here, let me ask him... Hey Maz! Can you do an Indian accent?"
"Vod?"

Or maybe it was Maz's agent.

"Maz? Hi, Lou here. Lou, Lou Bernstein, your agent!"
"Look Maz, I got you a read for a new show on ABC, it's perfect for you Baby!"
"No it's not a terrorist this time. I'm telling you it's got Emmy written all over it!"
"OK then I'll set up the meeting.... by the way, can you do an Indian accent?"

So you can see why I'm densely confused. And usually when I'm dense and confused, I find that there is bound to be an insulting reason for it, and when I get insulted, I tend to get angry. I'm funny like that.

So I am getting angry at this role Maz is playing. I don't want to hear how "... a gig's a gig!" (Sorry Omid!). What I want to hear is an Iranian being a funny smart Iranian on a network comedy. Is that too much to ask? Can I get that just once?

For once can I get the true character, nature, and real sense of Iranian humor depicted honestly? Because as funny goes, I think it will actually be a much bigger punch line, and get far more laughs, than asking our most talented people to suck it up and just play with the pain, of playing everyone except themselves. OK, so it shows good versatility in an actor. I get that. But it still sucks.

So, I will like most of you, watch Maz, albeit begrudgingly, be "the quirky Indian cab driver" on "The Knights of Prosperity" on ABC, on Wednesday nights, at 9pm. But only out of loyalty to Maz, and I'll probably be drinking heavily, because I won't like it as much as watching Maz be Maz.

Here's to "The Knights of Prosperity", may it turn into the "Nights of Prosperity" for Maz, and lead to better roles.

**Rasputin** · 01-18-2007, 08:01 AM

It's the New Year, and every year I do the same thing, I make a New Year's resolution that this year, I am going to try to be more honest, and hopefully in doing so, will have to put up with less BS. To test my fortitude and resolve of this resolution, usually about a week into it, I am faced with a dilemma.

Do I put up, or shut up?

And so it goes this year.

The test? Another network TV show in which once again, an Iranian actor is a primary part of the cast. The actor in this case is none other than Maz Jobrani. The only way you don't know who Maz Jobrani is if you are in a coma, or in solitary confinement in Evin for protesting the inhumane use of solitary confinement. Maz Jobrani is the champion of bringing 'It' to the American consciousness. Through his brilliant and dedicated efforts behind the 'Axis of Evil' comedy tours, and the latest incarnation 'The Sultans of Satire', he has been the brightly shining and hilarious beacon for, to use marketing terminology, 'educating and informing the target audience of the benefits, features, and value of our brand.' That's the 'It' he brings.

As I am a huge fan of Maz, you can start to see the dilemma forming.

Wednesdays, around 9pm, on ABC, the new show, 'The Knights of Prosperity' has cast yet another shadow, through what I am just going to call, the retarded mis-placement of the stereotypical 'quirky Indian fellow', using of all people Maz! So allow me to let you take a moment, and get this straight. Maz who does an Iranian accent about as perfectly as he does any other accent you want him to do for you, is playing a quirky Indian cab driver! Not a quirky Iranian cab driver, but the quirky Indian cab driver! At one point in the show he even gets called, get this, 'Dr. Bombay'.

Now, as I am sure you do, I too have many good Indian friends. In order, they are teachers, doctors, engineers (a lot of them are engineers), lawyers, and Oh all right! Yes! computer programmers! You want your stereotype? Fine! At least take that one! And I am sure there are many Iranian and Indian cab drivers too. So if you insist, you can keep the character, if you really want to argue with me about the realism of the characters in this script.

But to have an Iranian, especially one like Maz, so full of talent, experience and something important to a comedy, natural comedic timing, play the role of an Indian cab driver? It's almost like someone wanted to insult both countries with one slur. Isn't there any way this could have been avoided? I mean you can at least get an Indian actor to play the role of the Indian cab driver! Not to mention, what will I tell my Indian friends as they complain about how there are so many Indian actors to choose from, and why use that stereotype.

Actually I would think that it would have been a lot funnier if the character was an out of work Indian computer programmer, laid off because his job was recently off shored to India!

But I am trying to play the casting meeting, in my head, where Maz was called in to be considered for this role, to see how they could have possibly come up with this seemingly idiotic plan. It may have gone something like this:

'Hey, I have an idea, why don't we have Maz play the role of the Indian Cab driver?'

'Uh, Dude, Maz is Iranian.'

'Oh, I thought he was Indian.'

'No Dude, he's Iranian.'

'Oh..... Huh! Yeah but he has an Indian accent.'

'No Dude, he doesn't have an accent.'

'Oh..... Well, can he do an Indian accent?'

'I don't know Dude, he's right here, let me ask him... Hey Maz! Can you do an Indian accent?'

'Vod?'

Or maybe it was Maz's agent who called him on the phone:

'Maz? Hi, Lou here. Lou, Lou Bernstein, your agent!'

'Look Maz, I got you a read for a new show on ABC, it's perfect for you Baby!'

'No it's not a terrorist this time. I'm telling you it's got Emmy written all over it!'

'OK then I'll set up the meeting.... by the way, can you do an Indian accent?'

So you can see why I'm densely confused. And usually when I'm dense and confused, I find that there is bound to be an insulting reason for it, and when I get insulted, I tend to get angry. I'm funny like that.

To make things ever more degrading, the character Maz plays, is not just a cab driver, but a cab driver, who 'back home in India' used to be a 'Hot Shot Lawyer'. As if an Indian Lawyer would come to the US and not continue in Law. This may have been the case 30 years ago, but not today. Let me inform you that any Indian lawyer, knows exactly how to go about becoming an American Lawyer. Before he even leaves India. Gandhi died a long time ago. Things have changed. There's this thing called the internet, and they have it in India! Imagine that!

So I am getting angry at this role Maz is playing. I don't want to hear how '... a gig's a gig!' (Sorry Omid!), or how Maz is saving his good stuff (see www.jimmyvestvood.com) for the right moment (Sorry Maz!). What I want to see is an Iranian being a funny and savvy-smart Iranian on an American network comedy. I'll even let you continually portray them in low paying menial jobs (even though we don't really average that way). Is that too much to ask? Can I get that please?

For once, can I get the true character, nature, and real sense of Iranian humor depicted honestly? Because as funny goes, I think it will actually be a much bigger punch line, and get far more laughs, than asking our most talented people to suck it up and just play with the pain, and play everyone except themselves, simply because it will land them more roles. OK, so it shows good versatility in an actor and loyalty to the producers. I get that. But that's not the real reason why they are being cast in these roles, and it still sucks.

And let me remind everyone who is proud of Shohreh Aghdashlou's rise in Hollywood cachet since her academy award nomination in 'House of Sand and Fog', that her nomination was for her portrayal of an IRANIAN. In fact playing the terrorist Mom, or the lab researcher, or the late shift doctor, hasn't gotten any technical praise, even if it has been highly visible, and better, lucrative. So it appears that for the Iranian actors at least, being yourself, is arguably better than being someone else, even in acting. And I'll throw you Shaun Taub and Bahar Soomekh in Crash as further proof.

But, I will also, like most of you, watch Maz, albeit begrudgingly, do his job, and be that 'quirky Indian cab driver' on 'The Knights of Prosperity' on ABC, on Wednesday nights, at 9pm. But only out of loyalty to Maz. And I'll probably be drinking heavily, because I won't like it as much as I do watching Maz be Maz.

Here's to 'The Knights of Prosperity', may it turn into the 'Nights of Prosperity' for Maz, and lead to better roles.

**Rasputin** · 01-20-2007, 11:43 AM

Iranian American actor/comedian Maziar Jobrani on the Colbert Report Thursday night on Comedy Central (October 5, 2006).

YouTube - Maz Jobrani Reel

**Rasputin** · 01-25-2007, 08:01 AM

**Rasputin** · 01-27-2007, 11:29 AM

مازيار جبرانی از مشهورترين کمدينهای ايرانی است که به زبان انگليسی برنامه اجرا می کنند و چهره ای شناخته شده کمدی آمريکاست که در سريالهای تلويزيونی پرطرفداری همچون نظم و قانون (Law&Order)، جناح غربی (The West Wing)، بدون ردپا (Without a Trace)، پليس کبود نيويورک (NYPD Blue)، اورژانس (ER) و مالکوم وسطی (Malcolm in the Middle) و چند فيلم سينمايی ايفای نقش کرده که مشهورترين آنها مترجم (The Interpreter) با بازی نيکول کيدمن و شون پن است.

مازيار جبرانی ۳۴ سال دارد و از شش هفت سالگی در آمريکا زندگی می کند،
من از دوازده سالگی بيشتر با دوستانم ورزش می کردم، يک روز من رو به يک تئاتر بردن و از همون جا ديدم که به بازيگری خيلی علاقه دارم، از اون به بعد هميشه توی مدرسه تئاتر بازی می کردم، زمانی که می خواستم وارد دانشگاه بشم، مادر و پدرم گفتن که از تئاتر خبری نيست و بايد وکيل بشی! به هر حال سر من رو کلاه گذاشتن و من چهار سال علوم سياسی خوندم که وکيل بشم.

در حين تحصيل در دانشگاه سعی کردم دکترای علوم سياسی بگيرم تا بتونم پروفسور بشم، برای همين در لس آنجلس و در دانشگاه يو سی ال ای [دانشگاه کاليفرنيا در لس آنجلس] ادامه تحصيل دادم، در همون دانشگاه برنامه های تئاتر رو ديدم و همزمان با تحصيل شروع به بازی کردم، ديدم که اين کار رو خيلی دوست دارم، من کلاً از بچگی هميشه دوست داشتم فوتباليست حرفه ای يا هنرپيشه بشم.

در همون زمان در يک شرکت تبليغاتی هم کار می کردم و به خودم قول داده بودم که تا سی سالگی کار کنم و پول جمع کنم و بعد برم دنبال کار هنرپيشه ای.

شبها اکثراً تئاتر بازی می کردم و يک بازی خودم رو ضبط کردم و بردم شرکت که اون رو صداگذاری کنم، يک نفر اونجا اتفاقی فيلم من رو ديد و گفت که کاراکتر (شخصيت) کمدين دارم و آيا تا به حال فکر کردم که اين کار رو به صورت حرفه ای ادامه بدم؟

من هم جواب دادم که قراره تا سی سالگی صبر کنم و بعد برم دنبال اين کار، ايشون گفت من شصت سالمه و توی بيست سالگی يک سری کارها می خواستم انجام بدم که هيچ وقت نتوستم بکنم، پس اگر هدفی داری از همين امروز شروع کن، از اونجا بود که به کلاسهای هنرپيشگی برگشتم.

عکس العمل خانواده ات در برابر اين تصميم چی بود؟

ما ايرانی ها با خانواده خودمون خيلی نزديکيم و دوست نداريم کاری انجام بديم که بر خلاف نظر اونها باشه اما من ياد گرفتم که اگر کسی علاقمند به کاری باشه و با پشتکار اون رو دنبال کنه، بعد از مدتی مادر و پدر هم تشويقش می کنن.

همين اتفاق برای من قبل از دانشگاه رفتنم افتاد، زمانی که می خواستم برم ايتاليا و درس بخونم همه فاميل می گفتند که بهتره جای دور نری اما من گفتم نه، من بايد اين کار رو انجام بدم، مادرم ابتدا ناراحت شد اما بعد از مدتی من رو تشويق هم می کرد.

در لس آنجلس جامعه ايرانی هم برای تماشای کارهای تو ميان؟

بله تا حدی ميان چون در کلوپهايی که من بازی می کنم اکثراً آمريکاييها هستند ولی ايرانی هم هميشه توی سالن پيدا ميشه، بهترين تماشاچی برای من جوانهای ايرانی بين پانزده تا پنجاه ساله ان که هم با غرب آشنان و هم با فرهنگ ايرانی.

توی برنامه های کمدی که اجرا می کنی، روی ايرانی بودن خودت هم تأکيد داری؟

بله، هشت سال پيش که اين کار رو شروع کردم يکی از سؤالها اين بود که چه نوع کمدی اجرا کنم، در نهايت به اين نتيجه رسيدم که چيزی باشه که من رو بی همتا می کنه، خوب من هم درباره ايرانی بودنم شروع به صحبت کردم، در لس آنجلس من رو خوب می شناسند، جاهای ديگه هم سعی می کنم اجتماع ايرانيها رو به افراد ديگه معرفی کنم.

شما اگر با مردم عادی صحبت کنيد همه فکر می کنند مردمان خاورميانه همه از يک کشورن و همه ما رو مثلاً به چشم تروريست می بينند، من اين تصورات رو مسخره می کنم و سعی می کنم با لحن شوخی درباره ايرانيها صحبت کنم.

هر کسی برای کارهاش هدفی داره، هدف نهايی تو چيه؟

يک نفراز من پرسيد خودت رو کی در اين کار موفق می بينی؟ گفتم از روزی که تصميم به اين کار گرفتم خودم رو موفق می ديدم.

من شانس آوردم کار مورد علاقه خودم رو پيدا کردم و توسط اون برای خودم زندگی درست کردم.

هر وقتی که من روی صحنه ميرم خوشحال هستم و هيچ وقتی نشده که از اين کار ناراحت باشم. يکی از هدف های من اينه که تهيه کننده باشم و اگر کسی فيلمی درست کرده که ما ايرانی ها رو مثبت نشون ميده، به اون کمک کنم.

Announcement

Maziar Jobrani

Maziar Jobrani

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