On March 30th, nearly six months after Israel began incessantly bombing Gaza in response to the attacks on October 7th, comedian/actor Ramy Youssef hosted the popular comedy sketch show Saturday Night Live and used his platform to speak on the ongoing genocide. Youssef’s politically charged and humorous monologue ended with the most straightforward call for freedom for Palestinians that I have seen in the last six months. SNL is no stranger to political commentary with countless jokes and entire skits based on the current political climate as well as guest stars such as Sinned O’ Connor using their platform to advocate for causes they believe in. However, Youssef’s one-minute plea for Palestinian freedom will go down in history as one of the most blatant demonstrations of pro-Palestine activism from this era.
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Figure 1: Ramy Youssef on SNL
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While Youssef’s entire set contained several political jokes, his closing story about prayer stuck out with its direct call for freedom for the Palestinian people. Youssef opened his set commenting on the holiness of the weekend as Ramadan, Easter, and Beyonce’s album release all lined up. As the crowd laughed along, Youssef went on to make several jokes about being Arab in America, all intertwined with political commentary. Every joke landed seamlessly with the audience erupting in laughter at the perfect moments and many on social media remarking on Youssef’s talent and charisma. When he reached the end of his set, he told a story about his prayers. After teasing about being the only one in his friend group of sinners that prays, Youssef spoke of his friend Brian who asked him to pray that he gets custody of his dog in the aftermath of his breakup. The crowd giggled as he impersonated Brian pleading for Youssef to pray for his dog because his ex “doesn’t even give him wet food.” Then, Youssef told the story of his friend Achmed who called Ramy and asked him to pray for his family in Gaza. The crowd fell silent, the quietest they had been since Ramy took the stage. He explained how Achmed’s family is trapped in Gaza with no way out and half of them missing. The silence persisted. Youssef continued his story saying how that night he went to pray. “My prayers are complicated,” he joked as the audience once again laughed (Youssef, 2024). With the requests in mind, Ramy prayed for the safety of Achmed’s family, freedom for the people of Palestine, an end to the violence, and freedom for the hostages as the crowd vehemently cheered. Ramy also of course prayed for Brian’s dog, Mr. Bojangles.
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| Figure 2: Youssef wearing an Artists4Ceasfire pin at the Oscars |
Youssef’s demonstration of resistance on a comedy sketch show is in my opinion, a quintessential example of how Americans experience modern war at a distance. Despite the United States playing a pivotal role in most global conflicts, citizens of America are often incredibly removed from these conflicts due to censorship, lack of education, or just general ignorance. While our taxes pay for missiles and bombs used against starving Palestinians, Americans can simply turn off the news, switch channels, or scroll past that TikTok. Although I felt thrilled watching Youssef’s admirable utilization of his platform, hearing a topic as serious as Palestinian liberation mentioned in between jokes about Mr. Bojangles reminded me of the utter lack of humanity in America during times of conflict. As one commenter on the YouTube video uploaded by SNL of Rami’s monologue remarked, “It says a lot about the state of our world when a comedian can bring tears to someone's eyes just in his prayer and conviction for the health and safety of people” (Paulcmillerfilms, 2024).
The praise Youssef received for his call for freedom also demonstrates the immense amount of censorship about the genocide in Gaza. Despite having large platforms that can inform and educate thousands, most public figures opt to prioritize their image and remain silent on the conflict. The public figures who have demonstrated even the smallest semblance of support for Palestine have fallen under intense scrutiny. Actress Melissa Barrera was fired from the iconic Scream franchise after posting her support for Palestine on Instagram. Director Jonathan Glazer received intense criticism on social media after using his Oscar speech to express his disdain for the violence. Even ordinary citizens are at risk of being doxed, fired, or physically hurt for supporting Palestine. Due to the high-risk nature of speaking out for Palestine and Youssef’s position as an up-and-coming actor without an untouchable career, thousands of people have praised him for his courage. The intense applause Youssef has received for his brave act of resistance, albeit deserved, proves the unfortunate truth that publicly speaking for Palestine is a risk.
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| Figure 4: YouTube thumbnail |
While Ramy’s incredible monologue and powerful sentiment filled me with pride as I watched, the fact that a one-minute mention of Gaza in a comedy show is so groundbreaking sadly reminded me of the desensitization and lack of empathy that plague America. When I was thinking about how this monologue and its implications for our society made me feel, I kept coming back to Don’t Let Me Be Lonely. Our nation has become so desensitized to violence and death that the tragedy unfolding in Gaza can be mentioned on SNL in between laughs. Additionally, even acknowledging the ongoing genocide that our nation participates in is so dangerous that a mention of Gaza received such praise. Youssef’s bravery despite the forlorn state of society will certainly go down in history.
Works
Cited
Paulcmillerfilms. (2024).
Re: Ramy Youssef Monologue? [Video file]. Retrieved from www.youtube.com/watch?v=grSaK7Ufhzw&t=100s
“Ramy Youssef Monologue -
SNL.” YouTube, YouTube, 31 Mar. 2024, www.youtube.com/watch?v=grSaK7Ufhzw&t=100s.
Rankine, Claudia. Don’t
Let Me Be Lonely: An American Lyric. Graywolf, 2023.
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