Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out - BEST OF WIO: Ramy Youssef
Episode Date: May 27, 2024Ramy Youssef Returns: You Already Love Him(Recorded October 2023) Ramy Youssef was one of the first and most popular guests on Working It Out back in 2020, and now he’s back with updates to some of ...the same very material he worked out the first time around. Mike and Ramy discuss which Death Cab For Cutie songs make Ramy cry, unfriendly encounters in Jacksonville, the perils of public restroom keys, and Ramy’s not-so-secret “secret marriage.” All that and why Ramy wants Mike’s next special to be called “The Arab Dad.”Please consider donating to Karam Foundation
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How old will you wait for your daughter to be to let her go on the subway?
Oh, on her own?
Yeah.
Yeah, like 25.
You're actually the most Arab dad I've ever met.
Yeah, yeah, exactly.
Ask Jenny.
Jenny will be like 30.
Dude, that should be the name of your special.
Mike Birbiglia, Arab dad.
You're the Arab dad.
You're the Arab dad.
Yeah, yeah.
You know how fast my career would end if I called my special The Arab Dad?
Just tell people I said it was okay.
That is the voice of the great Rami Youssef.
This is one of our favorite episodes we've ever done.
This is a re-air from the fall.
And since then, Rami has a new special on Max called
More Feelings that is so good. He's a fantastic comedian. He also was one of the stars of the
Oscar award-winning film, Poor Things, and he directed an episode of The Bear. So Rami is busy.
We directed an episode of The Bear.
So Rami is busy.
He's brilliant.
He's on tour right now.
If you're able to see him live, by all means, see him live.
I am also on tour right now.
This week, I am in Florida.
I'm in St. Pete on Wednesday.
And on Friday, I am in Miami.
In June, we added a second show in Atlanta.
We added a fourth and final show in Washington, D.C. And a second and final show in June. We added a second show in Atlanta. We added a fourth and final show in Washington,
D.C. and a second and final show in Charlotte. I'll be in Niagara Falls in July. I'll be at the Bay Street Theater in Sac Harbor in the fall. I'll be in Red Bank, New Jersey, San Francisco,
Philadelphia, Detroit. I'll be at the Fillmore. I'll be in Pittsburgh, Louisville, Nashville,
Knoxville, Asheville, Charleston. I'm trying to get everywhere. I'm still adding cities.
You can find out from joining the mailing list, which is on burbigs.com. One of the things I
mentioned last summer that you should try to see if you're in New York City, is Julia Masley is an Estonian clown who made a show called
Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha. Jenny and I saw it at Edinburgh Fringe Festival last summer. Best thing that we
saw. Completely incredible. Won the best show of Edinburgh. It's in New York for two more weeks.
We saw it again. It was completely different this time. It's just an amazing show. So see Julie Masley's show
if you're anywhere near New York City.
I love this chat with Rami today.
We had in October.
It's got a great arc,
because my relationship with Rami,
because there's a lot of new material
that is in his new special,
which just came out, again.
You can watch it on Max.
And a lot of it was stuff we talked about on the podcast
back in 2020
and it has some updates
in October. Plus,
Rami is just always so,
just so funny. One of the funniest people
I know. We talk about
his quote-unquote secret marriage.
Ooh. He suggests a
controversial title for my next special.
We have a great time. Enjoy
my chat with the great Rami Youssef.
We're working it.
So you're directing some episodes of Rami,
an episode of The Bear.
Yeah.
So, like, do you think you're going to direct movies?
I'd love to.
Yeah.
That's kind of.
That's what I'm feeling.
I'm excited to.
It's kind of what has been, it just excites me.
You know, like you kind of do a bunch of pieces of it.
And I think, you know, you know this too.
Like you've starred in stuff and written stuff and directed stuff and done all that. And then it's like you do so many pieces of it. And then, yeah, I'm never going to say I wouldn't want to do all of them. But the more it starts to like whittle down to how do I want to spend my, like our precious time that we have while we're here. I'm like, all right. So like if I'm actually making time a commodity, like what's the thing that I really want to spend it on? And I have so much fun directing. It's really, really fun.
Yeah. What, what was the first thing you directed your own series?
Yeah. Like first thing where there was money on the line that wasn't mine. You know, I think
growing up, uh, I loved, you know, I would direct little music videos and do this and that. And,
you know, in high school, like me and my buddy, Steve way, who's, you know, on my show, uh, we just, we, there was a TV program at our
high school that we like expanded it into a three-year program. Like when we started,
it was a year and a half program. And we just kept being like, wait, we need more classes.
We want to do more. And so they kind of stretched it out for us. And we kind of are the like known
as the alumni who did that for that TV
program. But it did a lot for us, you know, because it taught us how to make things and edit and do
all of that. So it was something I always kind of really wanted to do. And then, yeah, I was in a
situation where I had a budget and we had all this stuff and I got to do it. Your show is semi
autobiographical. If you call it a Rami, it's like, what are you going to do?
It's kind of you.
Even if you said it wasn't you, it's kind of you.
Tough luck, bro.
But it's like, what's the thing that you could do on your series
that you're like, I can't do that as a stand-up bit?
Because it's like literally me on stage saying the thing.
bit because it's like literally me on stage saying the thing you know it's like i think things get to collide and build up in a way that they never could on stage it's there's not like a topic i
don't think i couldn't do on stage or the seed of a thing i couldn't do on stage i could talk about
anything you know but you know the storylines and the way that they can, the impact can be huge. Um, yeah,
I would never do on stage. And then there's certain things that I find funny that just
wouldn't even sound good coming out of my mouth. And you get to give it to different characters,
you know, like, uh, there's something like certain jokes or things that I feel that I'm like,
oh, this would sound, I find this funny because it's the kind of thought my dad would have.
And then it's like, oh, cool.
I get to like give it to my dad.
You know, we had this one scene.
It's one of my favorite scenes we've ever shot
where the dad is explaining to the mom, to his wife,
that he has broken down the lyrics
of one of President Obama's chosen songs on his Spotify playlist.
And it's this song by Bad Bunny.
So he went online and he looked up the Spanish translation
and then he turned all of the translation
into like English that supports theories of the Quran.
And then he's like telling her,
Obama is trying to use coded Spanish language
to bring people to Islam.
Because of course he's Muslim.
His name is Barack Hussein Obama.
It's one of my favorite
scenes we've ever shot. It would kind of make sense if I said it on stage. But to put these
two people in a car who are on the brink of divorce and she's really frustrated with him.
And then he's like, I've been breaking down the lyrics of Obama's Spotify playlist. That's the
kind of shit where I'm like, oh, this is why it's so fun to make a show. Because you can get in on
these little granular things. And it's like you can get in on these little granular things.
And, you know, it's like what we love doing in comedy, making small things so much bigger than they are.
And then kind of rooting them in relationship.
And I think the relationships you can see on a show, there's so much more vivid and alive than the relationships you could talk about on stage.
You know, that's what's really fun for me.
Yeah, I think that's true.
about on stage you know that's that's what's really fun for me yeah i think that's true i think the reason why like i feel like i'm so obsessed with film is like it feels often like
a snapshot of time yeah for that group of people so like the scene you're talking about in the car
it's like that's not just from your brain it's from the actor's brains yeah and their souls and
it's and it's what the art department's bringing to it.
It's what the camera department,
it's all kind of a snapshot in time.
And like you're saying,
you can't quite express that in standup.
You can get close.
To the point you're making,
it's almost like a written scene is like a prompt.
So it's like, what's that going to bring out of the actor?
What's that going to bring out of the art department?
Because they're going to put something in the room
that you didn't tell them to put in. And then you're
going to go and you're going to, you know, for better or for worse. But when it's for better,
which a lot of the times my experience has been, it's almost always for better where you're like,
oh, whoa, like it's kind of about that. I didn't even realize it's about that. You know, I didn't
even, you know, but, but the prompt, like a good scene on paper will prompt the best out of everybody who's involved in making it.
And that's really fun.
There's this great, I listen to Script Notes podcast.
It's Craig Mazin and John August.
And Craig Mazin says this thing I think is great, which is like.
I love Craig, dude.
Isn't it great?
Dude.
Yeah, yeah, he's great.
He's so smart.
But he says this thing, which is like that filmmaking is biology and television is chemistry in a certain sense, where biology is just an experiment.
You put these things together.
It's like, maybe it works.
Maybe it doesn't work.
Wow.
And chemistry, it's like, you got season two.
You got season three.
You got season four.
Let's try this.
Let's try this.
So cool. What is with your, what with your series do you feel like you're learning and it's better than season one?
Yeah.
That's so cool.
Is there anything like that?
Tone.
Tone.
You know, like just digging into tone more, you know, and in a way, something we've done on the show is kind of, we've not been beholden to preserving the season one tone.
That's interesting.
Yeah.
And then, you know, make season two, it has stuff from season one tone. That's interesting, yeah.
And then, you know, mix season two,
it has stuff from season one tone,
but it's also its own year.
Season three, it's its own year.
And in a way, season three for me was like the combination of season one and two tones,
you know, put into three, right?
Yeah.
So yeah, it's,
because I think someone like Larry David, you know,
he kind of picked his, like, this is the tone, this is the formula. And those comedies are so
good. Right. Because they never change. So I feel like there's like a real, there's two types of
comedy. There's the one where the characters never change. So the comedy, like they'll do anything
but change their problem, right? Like
every character has a problem. So what's so funny about Seinfeld is like, no one in that show is
interested in fixing themselves. They want to fix the world around them to fit how they are.
That's right.
You know, and that's why it is powder keg repeatedly funny. And then I think obviously
there's a whole wave of comedies that I would consider my show being part of where the character is kind of like going through changes.
Their scenario around them is shifting.
And then that's kind of where the drama comes in.
But then there's also the comedy
because there's no fear in going into any topic, right?
And there's no fear in needing to be taken too seriously,
even if the emotions are serious.
So you kind of get the drama narrative elements
of a character growing, shifting, dealing,
but you also get the comedy of, you know,
yeah, we're not afraid to kind of try anything
or do anything.
Right.
Yeah.
And so the more we've made the show,
the more I'm aware of how the characters work,
but also what risks are worth taking.
And then you take certain risks
and then you kind of,
new risks are born out of the old risks
that worked or didn't work.
What is the most uncomfortable you've ever felt shooting your series?
It's a good question.
I mean, there's two things that really stick out to me.
There's two things that really stick out to me.
One was honestly just the first time we filmed me, my character, praying.
Because that's something that I do and I grew up doing.
And I had this weird feeling of, wow, now I'm doing it for a show.
It's such a kind of personal thing.
And then you put it out there in a certain way. But then it was so clear to me, you know, at a certain point, when I was dealing with it, where I was like, man, the only time people have ever seen this on screen, it's usually followed with like, you know, finish the prayer and then like, pick up a rifle, you know and and that's the imagery you know of what we do that western media has seen and i was like you know i have to kind of eat this discomfort um for the reality that like doing this and then
going to a diner and post gaming about a date right and then going to work at a startup you
know all these things that are in our show right to know that this act is part of the fabric of a life
that, you know, in some ways people are familiar with
and in some ways is different,
but to just understanding that it would ground it
in a human act, you know?
And I think there's like a, in general,
part of what, you know, is there for Arabs, Muslims
in every landscape and whatever it is,
there's a level of dehumanization.
And so I had to kind of understand like,
okay, if there's any little contribution I'm making,
which you would be genuinely shocked
at how little of a contribution I actually think I'm making.
I really don't think, I genuinely think it's like,
we're making jokes, we're trying,
like we're doing our thing.
I'm not going to put any importance on it.
I'm just going to say there's a bit of a humanization,
hopefully, that we're giving.
So it was uncomfortable for me,
but I was like, but it, you know,
maybe it does, like puts a more positive image
for somebody, you know?
No, I think that's exactly what it is.
I mean, it's like when I see a great performance
in anything and the actor just gives themself to it,
you just go, well, that's a gift. And it
doesn't matter if it's Meryl Streep and it's like their salaries, whatever, like it's still,
they're giving themselves to the thing. And it's like, I don't know, when you pray on screen,
it's like, it's exactly what you're saying. It's a gift to people to see that in that way.
And in an honest depiction. Yeah.
And just like, this is what it is.
This is what it looks like.
These are all the things that surround it.
And it's not, you know, something, it's not what you might've thought it was, you know?
So, so we're researching you the last couple of days in the office and then it's like,
you're married, but then it's like, it's like you're secretly married.
Like, and I know you're married and we can cut this out if you want,
but it's like, I know I met your wife.
This is like, what is this charade?
And then it's like, he says in some interviews that he's married,
but then he doesn't say... I'll say it in any interview, of course.
Yeah, very married.
Okay.
But you know what it is?
It's like...
It's really funny.
It's a big discussion here.
No, I've seen those articles where it's like,
Rami Yusuf's really funny. It's a big discussion here. I've seen those articles where it's like, Rami Youssef's secret marriage.
It's like, it's a weird thing.
Cause it's like, yeah, you know,
it's the best decision I've ever made in my life.
And it's almost why I'm like, yeah, you guys,
you're not seeing her.
You know, it's like, it's almost this thing of like,
bring her to a red carpet, like bring her to a thing,
like take a photo.
And I'm like, she's not interested, honestly. She's just kind of like, she's like it's almost this thing of like bring her to a red carpet like bring her to a thing like take a photo and I'm like she's not interested honestly she's just kind of like
she's like you that's your job and then we have our life you know and it's like that kind of thing
yeah and and I don't you know I don't think it's really so funny that I saw that art I saw there's
like a couple articles that are yeah and and the publications I read regularly I know, you're always on The Sun and
CelebrityNetworth.net
which is always very accurate
underscore net
that's where you go on and you're like
they think I'm that poor
I have much more
no it's not
but yeah dude I am
the best
I've known single Rami and now I know married Rami.
Yeah, yeah.
And it's exciting.
I'm thrilled.
You and I have a thing in common, which is we both appear to be calm on stage.
Yeah.
And Ira Glass was on this podcast for the 100th episode, and he called me on it.
He goes, you're not calm in real life.
So funny.
And I'm going to similarly call you on you.
My response to him was, I actually am calm on stage,
but I'm not calm in life, and that can exist.
But what's your take on yourself?
Because you're very relaxed on stage.
And then in person like i move
around a lot is that what it is you move around and you're like i would say off stage you're
hyper focused oh interesting i think of you yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah and on stage it's more just
like relaxed kind of we doing what are we talking about Yeah, I think it's why I like, well, it's funny.
This hyper-focus thing is something that comes up.
It's, I really, I'm never going to get tested for ADHD.
Me neither.
I'm never going to do it.
I'm the same.
It's like, I'm not going to join.
Am I?
I'm not going to join.
Am I? That's so offensive. That's so offensive that's so offensive how dare you i'm
positive i am but i'm speaking on behalf of the adhd community i am not joining which i'm not
officially no i love you guys and i'm i'm and i'm probably one of you i'm not joining is so offensive
is it it might be all love
what you're describing
is exactly how I felt for so long
but I felt afraid to express it
I just refuse to be diagnosed
I don't want
I'm sure it's freeing
I'm sure a diagnosis would be freeing
I'm sure we all are to some degree
but the thing about being on stage
it's actually what we were talking about earlier with this like gratitude for
the audience and this respect for the audience. Like I get up there and I'm like, oh, all I have
to think about is the thing that I'm, stand up for me is like, okay, I'm going to come on stage
with something that I'm battling with. That's what's interesting to me. I'm battling with something. And I've figured out a way to make it funny
before I have found the answer that I'm looking for.
And I'm going to share essentially
what is like a mid process with you.
And so I have respect for presenting that battle.
And then I have respect for you guys all put your shoes on.
So like-
What's your put your shoes on?
You put your shoes on.
You came out to see me. I don't give a fuck when someone's like, I watched your show. I hate it. I'm like, you didn't all put your shoes on so like what's your put your shoes on you put your shoes on you came out to see me right like i don't give a fuck when someone's like i watched your
show i hate it i'm like you didn't even put your shoes on like you don't even like you don't even
like you're just sitting there you watch like you watch like seven minutes and you're like
like you didn't put your shoes on these people with their shoes on they're here they respect
what i might do you know so i i'm loose by that nature because i'm like you already love me
you know what i mean like you're here even if it's not nature cause I'm like you already love me you know what I mean like
you're here even if it's not my audience
I'm like you wanna love me
you showed up cause you wanna love me
this is great you know what I mean so it's like
I'm chill listen to this all day do I even
have to talk so I'm chill
I just wanna listen to this I was here
no it's like I'm chilling like you already love me
you came
you're invested in loving me I'm gonna show you this thing I'm working on but I'm chilling like you already love me you came you're invested in loving me
I'm gonna show you this thing
I'm working on
but I'm chill
off the stage
I don't know
like I'm like
this guy's trying to sell me something
this
I got a family member
calling me
they're gonna talk about
some random shit
I'm like listen
I don't
I gotta fill out a form
for the city
cause I broke my fence
whatever
if I give you my like
relaxed thing
I have this fear that you you know I never even, I'll never even leave the house.
You know what I mean?
So it's like, I just got to like focus and do it.
But, you know, I'm working on being more present even when I'm not on stage, you know.
But you are, I don't think you're not present.
I think you're present.
I am.
No, I, but, but I don't know.
There's something, you know what I did do?
I, which I, a lot of people are doing this and I just jumped on it, but I, I went to
upgrade my phone, my iPhone.
And then while I was there, I bought a flip phone.
So now.
I'm doing the same thing.
Yeah, it's the best.
Because I'm writing a movie right now and I'm like, I can't have iPhone, iPhones and
writing a movie do not coexist.
So I just have flip, like, because it was this thing where I was like, wait, am I going to transition to flip phone?
And then I was like, no, just I have flip phone days and then I have iPhone days.
Yeah.
So much easier.
So it's like, because I had this paranoia.
I was leaving the house without my phone.
And you know how it is.
We'll find like any excuse to not write.
So I leave the house to write.
And then I'd be like, I'd be out. And then my mom was sick for a bit. And so I'd have this
paranoia that, cause I had this one morning I woke up where I had like 17 missed calls. And then,
you know, anytime your phone is 17 missed calls from family, you're like something really bad
happened. So I had this paranoia now to not have the phone. Cause I'm like, well, what if
family calls? So I have this phone, only five people have the number and that's it. So it's
like, I don't have to worry about that. If someone was in trouble, they'd call the phone.
Those are the five people I love and I don't love those other 12 people.
Well, the thing about the five people is they are attached to the other. They're attached to the other people, you know?
Finally, I cornered you.
You got me, you know?
That's what this podcast is all about.
Corner me.
It's all about who-
You're not on the flip phone, bro.
Who are the 12?
Yeah, exactly.
Who's on the flip?
Yeah, who's on the flip?
Who's on the flip?
Who's on the podcast about, like,
what your brain notices is what your comedy is basically.
And it's like what are you noticing now?
Like what is like burning in you?
I'm noticing a lot of stuff in my relationship, obviously.
You know, it's like it's a new thing being in, being married, being in something like really.
Being in a secret marriage that you're not allowed to talk about.
Being in a secret marriage that
ishemarried.net is unaware of.
They don't have a photo.
But I am going to talk about it
in my next hour.
So it will be very public on the level.
Feelings part two.
More feelings.
More feelings.
That's I guess the name of the tour.
I haven't really named the hour yet. But maybe it'll be the name of the tour. I haven't really named the hour yet,
but maybe it'll be the name of the hour.
I like it.
It's kind of cool.
I like it.
What do you think?
I like the continuity of it.
Yeah.
I like the continuity of it,
and I think it expresses actually
what stand-up comedy is in a certain way.
I appreciate that, because you know what it is?
I always liked the title Feelings
because I was actually battling with, I was battling with how much I like with how much I like to talk about politics in my comedy.
But I don't want to have to speak about politics in any sort of eloquent, factual way.
I don't want to be held to any of that.
And so what I realized was it's really all just my feelings.
So it's like, you know, there's nothing to be taken
other than the fact that it is my feelings.
And so I loved the title and then I was just like,
well, this is just more of that.
I think that's really interesting because that's like my biggest gripe
with comedy criticism currently is when people get upset about comedy.
I'm always just like, yeah, it's just that person's feeling about the thing. apparently, is when people get upset about comedy.
I'm always just like, yeah, it's just that person's feeling about the thing.
It doesn't really matter.
Yeah.
Unless, I mean, without getting into the weeds on specific people,
unless that person sways an entire generation to feel a certain way.
But my inclination is that they were heading there.
Yeah.
And it wasn't someone's joke about it.
Yeah, I think, you know, my issue is,
I would say most artistic criticism is the responsibility that's being put on the art to be, we've kind of
done this thing where we're asking artists and art to do what leadership in government
doesn't do.
And so there's this kind of weird thing that's just like, we won't even write a press article
about a lying politician anymore, but we'll write it more about
someone we perceive to be like a lying comedian
you know it's like the things are like
flipped it's like wait wait
you know we're used to politicians
you know doing this this and this but like
you're a comedian you're supposed to be like
a voice for truth and it's like
dude we don't finish college
like I don't like
like this is it we don't finish, we don't finish college.
Dude, we don't finish college.
We don't finish college.
I've had someone be like, dude, you miss...
Look, I'm also learning a lesson though from
critiques I've gotten.
Again, I'll talk about politics in a funny way in my
stand-up. I'm not going to talk about anything
that political on interviews anymore because
I'm like, you know what? Someone will be like, you said this thing and it wasn't right. And I'm like,
you're right. It wasn't right. I was wrong. And maybe I either should say less or be really clear
about like, I actually don't know what the fuck I'm talking about. So I'm, I'm very, you know,
open to that. So I like criticism in a sense because it'll either teach me or it'll guide me
to a certain way to be closer to myself
or closer to what I'm actually trying to say.
The only type of criticism I don't like
is just that it has this extra tinge
of like, you have failed society
by doing such.
Which is like, that's not true because you know what?
There's so much fucking content.
We're all fighting to get anyone to watch
what we're making anyway.
So it's not like we're not in the era anymore
where it was like Cosby and more black kids went to college
because they watched the Cosby show.
That's over.
That was like, there were nine channels
or however many there were,
even if there were 20 or 30 channels,
you were gonna watch something that was on TV.
It doesn't work that way anymore.
Like my show doesn't speak to people who don't
know anything about Islam or who hated Islam and then watch it. No, it speaks to people who are
open-minded. Maybe they don't know, but for the most part, like we're all like kind of preaching
to our choir because there's so much content. Like they're just going to go where they feel
like they want to be. So my job always feels like, what nuance could I provide to my own choir?
So it's like, here's my audience,
but I'm going to challenge them.
But I don't think I'm like pulling over
that many people who hate the idea of what I do.
Right, right, right.
The thing that I find interesting about your show
and your act in relationship to Islam
and like, you know,
because is that most comedians are either agnostic
or atheist or some variation on lapsed Catholic.
In my case, kind of lapsed Catholic.
Yeah.
And so it's like, you're like, you pray, you practice
and you're open about kind of talking about it.
Do you ever feel like there's a line you can't cross?
Because I feel like so much of what we do as comedians
is just cross lines, cross lines, cross lines,
or go really close to the line.
Yeah, I mean, I, you know, it's kind of an easy one.
It's like, I don't make fun of religion.
I kind of make fun of myself within it for two reasons.
One is like
the critiques of religious culture
are all very valid.
And they're out there.
And the other thing is it's kind of
hacky.
To make fun of religion.
Yeah, it's like actually
from a pure comedy perspective,
to make fun of religion is very like
okay, that's what everybody does.
You believe in a magical person in the sky or whatever we've heard that a hundred times
a hundred times yeah i mean it's like it's actually a hacky joke but but it is a line for
me in the sense that i'm like yeah i'm not that's not it's just not interesting to me right you know
and i think my biggest comedic line became at some point i don't even remember the joke because it
was so inconsequential i just remember the show i once had at this bar show in Brooklyn where I like all day, I had this idea for
a joke. I wish I could remember it, but I remember being like, oh man, I think this is going to be
funny. And then I went up and it so didn't hit. And then on the ride home, and this was a time
when I used to ride home to Jersey, you know, I was using my mom's car. So I'd be in the car, I'm driving back to Jersey. Those drives were the best. Cause I
think so much, you know, cause there's something about like paying to go through the Lincoln
tunnel where like, you really feel like this set better be worth it. You know, I like, I went
through the Lincoln tunnel and I'm driving back and I'm like, man, I don't even care about what
I said. I just said it. Cause I thought it would be funny. So the biggest line for me is like,
if I don't care on some level about what I'm saying,
it could be silly,
but it has to hit something that I feel
about the human condition in some level.
And if it doesn't, and I just said it
because I thought it would be funnier,
I thought it would be clever.
That's my line.
Like, I can't do that.
Because I need to feel like if I don't get a laugh,
I still have like my line. Like I can't do that. Cause I need to feel like if I don't get a laugh, I still have like my dignity.
When you, like you have such,
your style is like laid back.
Is that from people you know growing up
or comedians you watched?
It's interesting.
Cause I actually like,
now that I'm getting into my,
making my second special, I couldn't watch the whole thing.
I don't know how you feel.
I can't really watch my old stuff.
But I watch.
It's hard.
Yeah, it's hard.
Oh, yeah.
I watched some stuff from my first special.
And the way I'm doing it now is totally like it's obviously totally still me, but it's like, I think I'm way more comfortable. So for me, sometimes stillness, you know, and this actually goes back to your
earlier question. Sometimes it's like, when I'm nervous, I actually seem really calm. And so when
I was younger, I would always get this where people would be like, dude, you're so chill.
And I'd be like, really? Like, I was actually pretty nervous. Like, I would always get this where people would be like, dude, you're so chill. And I'd be like, really? I was actually pretty nervous.
I can't believe you thought I was that chill.
When I'm really comfortable, I'm calm, but I move more.
And so what I've noticed is because I filmed myself a bit as I've been on the road,
I was like, oh, I'm moving more.
I feel like I actually look more like myself.
So in my first special, My first special is totally me.
I think I was in the round and I was focusing on moving in a different way.
I'm really excited to shoot my second one
because it feels a bit more like myself.
Who's the first stand-up you ever saw live?
That's a good question um so i used to
go i'm trying to i remember the first stand-up i obsessed over watching which was carlin that was
like my kidding that was like everything me and my uncle obsessively way before i should have
you know that like like 10 years old or something. Literally 10 years old.
I'm watching Carlin.
Yeah.
With my uncle.
And that was where,
and my uncle kind of talks like Carlin.
Like he's really,
my uncle talks in premises.
He's really funny.
Like he hit me with this,
with this like,
like he'll say stuff that I'm just dying.
Like he goes,
what's up with Donald Trump's son?
Just,
has he been 13 the whole time he's like it's so funny like he literally goes the kid has never aged isn't that the funniest
premise isn't that the funniest premise he literally goes the kid has never aged and i
died and i was like yeah i don't think I've ever heard a different age on him.
Like, I know he's gotten older.
Like, it's like, you know what I'm saying?
So it's like-
We're talking about Baron, right?
Dude, yes, yes.
That's so funny.
Don't know about his young son.
Like, he's like-
Right, he's not, right,
because he's probably in college or something.
He's probably 18, but he's like, as far as we know.
That's so funny.
No, no, it's got nothing to do with the kid's intelligence.
He's frozen in amber.
Yeah, yeah.
It's nothing against him.
It's literally, it's like about.
It's not insulting him.
The joke is about like reporting.
Yeah.
Like he's literally like, the kid's just been 13 the whole, the whole term.
And it just, it made me laugh so much.
Are you doing this on stage?
No, I never have.
Oh, you should do this.
You should do this.
I think potentially you should just,
and I don't even know where you go with it
because it's so funny on its own.
But it is one of those things where like,
sometimes in life we are out, as comedians,
we're outdone by people who are non-comedians in our lives.
They're just, that's so funny.
No, no, but like when I walk into a room with my uncles,
they're like, I'm a fraud.
Because they're like, we're funnier than you.
Like they know it.
They're like, whatever you're doing out there,
like you're just, it's our energy.
You know what I mean?
That's so funny.
You know what I mean?
Like they're just like, so they, I mean,
they're so funny, dude.
I love that.
My uncles and my mom in a room.
11, 12?
I have a bunch of uncles,
but the uncles I grew up with are two,
you know, who lived in New York.
Everyone else lives overseas
between Egypt and Switzerland.
We have like our family there.
But they're so funny.
So he talks like Carlin. And like, you know, so his style is really ripped from Carlin. You know, my style is obviously nothing like Carlin or my
uncle's. But live, so I lived in Jersey, you know, until I moved to LA when I was 20. So when I was
like 17, I used to take my mom's car, I'd go to UCB back when it was back under Gristini's.
And I'd go see Whiplash.
On 26th Street, yeah.
So in my mind, I feel like the first comic I ever saw live
that I was like, holy shit, stand-up comic,
was Sean Patton.
I remember going to see Patton hosting Whiplash at some point
and I was just like, this guy is so fucking funny like and to this day he's one of my
favorite comics he's hilarious he he just made everything funny in this way that you know kind
of blew my mind those shows were I got to do it right before UCB shut down UCB Chelsea yeah which
I don't know what year that was might have been 17 or something or 18 I just remember doing whiplash
there and was one of the last like two three shows oh wow and it it like filled something in my heart
where I was like oh my god like when I used to go at 17 or 18 I didn't even think I would do stand-up
yeah because at that point I was writing things and shooting sketches and doing that kind of thing
I kind of thought you know so stand-up looked like a pure magic trick to me.
I was like, I don't know how anyone does that.
Do you still have the,
are you doing the bit that we talked about
on the podcast a few years ago
about your dad and therapy?
It's so interesting.
I've lately been wondering if it's going to stay in the special
I think it's so funny
I know it really makes me laugh
it makes me laugh but I'm having this hard time
I was like I think I need to clarify
what I'm trying to say about my dad
say it again in case people didn't hear it
so I had this bit about just like my dad
it's kind of,
it's such a long bit now,
but the essence of the bit is,
you know,
he's basically like,
you know,
why are you seeing a therapist?
You know,
like you're paying a guy to talk.
Yeah.
You know,
like pay me,
talk to me.
And I'm like,
well,
that doesn't work.
It's like,
I'm talking,
I'm talking to him because of you.
Like that doesn't,
like that, that exchange doesn't, that exchange doesn you that exchange doesn't work and then he started crying
it was the first time I ever seen him crying in my life
not because of anything he did
but because he created an expense
he couldn't believe
they did that
the funny thing about it is
I know the money part rubs him
but the thing is he actually is really emotionally open
so I started to have
this thing where i was like i know my dad thinks it's weird i pay for therapy but ultimately it
doesn't really bother him but it's funny on stage but there was this part of me that was like i
needed to lead to something else i'm saying oh interesting so you do okay so you think it needs
to lead to a larger point yeah or something like more I guess more sincere about him because I want him to see it
and like love it. Oh, interesting.
You know, like I want him to,
I don't want to. I feel that's a question, by the way,
I get from young comedians
all the time, which is basically like, what do I do
when I want to talk about
my family and this person and my
wife and my husband or whatever.
And I want to be honest
but also respectful.
I always say, it's just like, you have to navigate that.
Like, that's the good luck.
Like, that's our whole lives.
No, I heard Mike answer this question in person.
He said, fuck them.
Like, I remember that was at the cellar.
Mike goes, man, fuck those people.
No, no, it was an isolated incident.
I was sued.
It was a civil suit I lost.
I heard you say, fuck them. I'm being. It was a civil suit I lost. I heard you say,
fuck him. I'm being forced to sell my car.
Dude, it happens.
It happens.
We all know it happens.
We're constantly working.
My first stand-up hour and
my first season of my show,
my parents had never seen me do stand-up
other than five minutes on cold bear oh my god i kept everything from them wow because i was i
respect what they think so much yeah i didn't want to hurt their feelings and i knew if they were
uncomfortable with anything that i was saying i would probably change it so i was like let me just
do this without showing them i was it was one of without showing them it's better to just ask
for forgiveness later
I always say
the analogy for me
it's stripping
it's being a stripper
being a comedian
and you don't want to invite your friends
to your first 10 times being a stripper
but you want them there the 12th time
maybe 12th or 13th time when you, 12th, 13th time you're ready.
When you're rocking it.
Once you've picked your song.
Yeah, yeah.
You know, you've got your song.
You've got to have a song that really works for you.
You've got the right song, the right thong, everything.
You're ready.
You've got the right nice outfit,
and there's some kind of energy that happens.
You've got to flow with the DJ.
Very important, you know.
Oh, are you doing the Jacksonville story
on stage these days
where the woman said
about Islam
we don't do that here
no you're like reminding me
of a lot of my bits
no
we talked about it
on the podcast last time
because I said to you
so you
last time I was on the podcast
you
we were talking about Jacksonville
because actually
this was like COVID huh
yeah
I was in my
I remember I was in my parents basement
you were
yeah
you're like oh yeah we have the footage I remember it really in my parents' basement. You were, yeah.
You're like, oh yeah, we have the footage.
I remember it really well.
We have the footage.
No, no, but I,
no, because I'm doing Jacksonville in the winter.
Oh yeah.
And the thing I always remember about Jacksonville is that it's religious.
Like it's the only place I've ever gotten complaints.
Yeah.
Like legitimate complaints.
Like people going on Ticketmaster being like,
I was really wish that he hadn't said this about Jesus.
You know what I mean?
Like, all right, sorry.
But it's like me.
Right.
It was you.
Yeah, I wish you hadn't said that.
But then you said that your Jacksonville story was that a woman came up to you
and basically said about it, of Islam, we don't do that here.
Yeah, honey, we don't do that here.
But she said it like, yeah, the air wasn't conducive for muslim life forms yeah yeah yeah
like we just wish we could we can't grow it i think put that in too that was the same show i
don't know if i told you this part but i was wearing this shirt that kind of had like an
abstract looking rainbow on it did i tell you this part she No. This other woman comes up to me after the show and she's so,
she loved the show
and she grabs me by the arm
and she goes,
thank you for wearing that shirt.
We're taking the rainbow back.
Like that I said I like women
and she was just like,
you are bringing,
like there's a fight for the rainbow.
From Pride?
Yeah.
Yours?
Yeah.
Who is taking it back?
Me and her.
Wait, why?
In her mind.
You and her are taking the rainbow back
because you're wearing a rainbow on your shirt.
And that I-
From Pride.
In her mind,
we had formed this alliance
to take the rainbow back.
And the shirt was kind of an abstract rainbow.
It took me a really long time to understand
what was happening.
Taking that back.
Jacksonville.
There's a reason Cat Williams opens with
25 minutes on Jacksonville in his special. There's a reason Cat Williams opens with 25 minutes on Jacksonville
in his special.
It's a wild place.
So I want to do a slow round question,
which is what's a song that makes you cry?
This is going to be embarrassing, but no, it's not embarrassing.
I own it.
Any of Death Cab for Cuties albums get me into it
dude like pop on
pretty much any of them I'm in
I'm back in my like 13 year old
emo New Jersey
fall jacket leaves are falling
girl didn't talk to me
pop on Death Cab get home early
otherwise I'll get yelled at
I get that
I'm in.
It transports me.
Yeah.
That whole Zach Braff,
Garden State soundtrack
has that kind of energy to it.
Yeah.
That vibe,
it's New Jersey.
You know what I mean?
It's just New Jersey stuff.
And that's something,
yeah,
that as an adult,
I've been told many times turn off
your new jersey music i'm trying to think of a specific death cap song i mean where do you want
well the transatlanticism album is amazing and there's the track transatlanticism i'm about to
listen to it right now when i when i leave oh wow just because it's now in my mind i haven't listened
to it probably for a couple years because i don't want to cry but after this podcast yeah I'm gonna want to cry okay
should I just run out now just so I can have a experience for this story
like now um do you remember an inauthentic version of yourself what was like the least like what age? I would say 20 to 26.
There was like this like six year period
where it was like, I moved to LA.
You know, when you're inauthentic,
you're not inauthentic all the time.
It's like, you're just like,
I think I was just so afraid
and kind of like ill-equipped to deal with life.
And because, you know, I was living at home and then all of a sudden I moved to LA for a job.
I had never lived on my own.
Like I literally, it sounds so stupid, but you know, when you're like 19, 20,
if you've lived at home, you didn't go away to college, you didn't do anything.
Like I had never really done like my own supermarket shopping by myself, you know?
And so I was really, yeah, I really was like, not myself. Like, I think I was, I was scared and
I was, you know, it's funny, even when you're being inauthentic, you are being who you are
when you are, you're being your lower self. Yeah. So there's actually something authentic
about your, you know, you're just, you're just being your lower self.
And so it's like, I was my lower self for more than I'd like for that early 20s, you know.
And then I think towards the end of my 20s, I started to be like, oh, wait, I could balance this out.
That part of me, you know, is not all who I am.
Like I could actually maybe be better.
I could actually maybe be better.
We were literally talking about this in the studio today,
about how if you have a sense of humor about yourself,
in some ways it's a huge strength because you're admitting that sometimes you're a zero.
Yes.
And sometimes you're a 10.
Exactly.
And sometimes you're any number in between.
Yeah.
But all those things can be true.
Yeah. And it's like, yeah,
you're inauthentic version of yourself.
I think for me, it's like 16 through 25 kind of thing.
I was just intermittently a zero.
Yeah, yeah.
I look back and it's so embarrassing.
And that guy shows up sometimes
if you're really hungry or you're in traffic
or you're underslept or whatever. That guy shows up sometimes if you're really hungry or you're in traffic or you're underslept or whatever.
That guy shows up and he's late.
He shows up.
But I've learned to love that part of myself genuinely because I'm like, oh, I'm so glad to know you exist because you definitely allow me to appreciate when I'm not being you.
allow me to appreciate when I'm not being you, right?
It's like, I really like, it's like,
to not have to be in that mood all the time makes the other parts feel like a really sunny day.
It's really sweet.
You don't know a sunny day if it didn't rain.
So it's just-
You literally, you and I had a text exchange
when I was in London,
because you were like, how's London?
And I was like, I'm depressed.
I'm away from my family.
It's really hard. And you were like, how's London? And I was like, I'm depressed. I'm away from my family. It's really hard.
And you were like, it's good
for you because the contrast
and the experience of going through it will
make you savor it when you come back.
Contrast has just been my favorite
thing to think about lately.
It's like some really, you know,
things happening in the world really mess and you're like,
all right, like that means
something at some point
is gonna feel really sweet, hopefully.
Yeah.
You know, like it's, there has to be contrast.
The equal and opposite.
Yeah.
Will exist also. I'm going to get to some material.
These are just things I wrote in the notebook.
And if you have stuff that you wrote down in your notebook,
feel free to throw it out.
I wrote this down this week.
This, I think, has a shot, which is I was at a cafe
and I had to use their bathroom.
And my problem with using the bathroom key at a cafe
is that there's a 99% chance it was just touched
by someone who just used the bathroom.
If someone said to me, like,
here, hold this big hunk of wood that moments ago
was held by someone who went to the bathroom and then
wiped their ass, I would say,
no thank you, this proposition.
That's really funny.
And somehow we're like, give me the key.
Give me the key.
Because you've got to go so bad.
That's really funny.
I thought that was worth it.
No, it is worth it.
It reminds me of
I realized that i um
you know sometimes you go to a bathroom you gotta poop in public which is obviously a very difficult
position to ever be in but i you know i check if there's four stalls like i'm looking at each one
and essentially like what i'm trying to gauge is like which one will allow me to most successfully
pretend i'm the first person to use it today. That's what I'm looking for.
That is a very sophisticated thought.
I'm looking for one that's so pristine that I can be like, they just cleaned this.
Nothing's happened here yet.
That's what I'm looking for.
Wait, so talk me through the logic again.
Yeah.
So when you walk in, you see four stalls, you open each?
I open each one
and I'm looking for the one
that just looks so fresh
that I could convince myself
It's a lie.
I'm the first one to use it.
Yeah,
we're all lying to ourselves
about these bathrooms.
You're always lying.
Always.
Yeah.
Yeah.
But I mean,
it's just,
I need that lie.
It's like this fairy tale
about the public restrooms
that no one has used today.
No,
like I've created the dude
who just left. Like I heard a sound of some wheels. I, like I've created the dude who just left.
Like I heard a sound of some wheels.
I'm like, oh, it was probably just his cart he just left.
And like he just mopped it.
You know, like I'll do it every day.
And then I still go in and I like wipe it down a little bit.
Oh my gosh, yes.
Yeah, I've definitely cleaned public toilets.
Like for myself, but also to pay it forward a little bit.
I think that it's like an undiscussed truism of society
that we're all kind of wiping down public toilets all the time.
Like it's part of our day somehow.
Of course.
And it's not fair.
And it feels-
Dude, but there's a relationship to bacteria
that I think as a New Yorker, you have so uniquely.
And I think it's why Egyptians are so comfortable in New York
because you have the same agreement in Cairo.
There are these really densely populated city places
where the way you deal with bacteria and just keep rolling with it
is so much different than other places.
I was in Houston for a little bit and I'm just like,
I actually don't have to touch anything.
I don't have to touch, I don't,
I can just get in the car. The traffic's never
really that bad. I could just,
if I need to poop, I could probably go poop
where I'm staying and not deal
with any, but being in New York,
it's just like, you make
a deal because you're going to be on the subway.
You're going to move around. You're just going to do whatever. You're going to come home.
You don't always take your pants off before you go to bed. You don't like, or sit on the bed or
it's just everywhere. Right. You know, it really is. So we're absolutely right. We're just coping
with, you know, so why do we do it? I, I don't, I think just from like movies in the seventies,
like all these movies, just like, I think it was just like New 70s. Like all these movies just like,
I think it was just like New York streets
shot on beautiful film.
Right.
I think that's why we're here.
We're here because of Scorsese and Cassavetes.
Yeah.
And Nora Ephron somehow.
You know what I mean?
Yeah, no, it's crazy.
It's truly crazy.
It doesn't make sense.
Yeah.
It makes no sense.
It makes no sense.
You have a street with nine trees on it,
and you're like, oh my God, I'm in the jungle.
I know.
Gorgeous.
Beautiful.
Literally, yeah.
Is this a rainforest?
You're like, bro, this is fucking nine trees.
What the hell?
Just go to Jersey.
Do you have anything you're working on?
Oh, this is like only for, this is a joke for you.
Okay.
It's actually-
I like it.
Because we live two blocks away from each other.
I guess there's just this thing about being like living in Brooklyn
and the energy that is here and you go to coffee shops
that like when I go to the
Home Depot that's over here, I'm shocked at like the men being men. Like it's so like,
like I walk into that Home Depot and all of a sudden I'm like, do I need a gun? Like,
do I need to own a gun? And I can't believe it's this close because everyone at the coffee shop I
go to is trans. So I'm just like, they don't, how do these people,
how is everyone 15 minutes
within each other? Right. It's a small
place. Yeah, and I go to Home Depot and I'm like, is this allowed?
Right. Can you be like this?
New York City is
a wild
landscape of
a lot of different types of people living
in an extraordinarily tight space. I think that's why I love it though.
It's why I love it. I think it's why,
you know,
this goes back to our New York conversation earlier.
Yeah.
It's the reason why people are here.
It is why people are here.
People like the fact that,
that it's an absurdly diverse population.
It is.
It's,
it's why like you bring up any,
it's like the amount of people who I deal with in the neighborhood
who are different race
who are trans
who are different language
who do all these things
you have people who be saying hateful things
I'm like well you've never met them
I live in New York
I've met everybody
I've actually met everybody
because I live in New York
and it makes it so much harder
to have a non-human opinion of anybody.
I think that's true.
You're like, no, I have real connections with anyone
who you think is just like a political point.
I guess that's why I like being here outside of the 70s movies.
And I think that's why people raise children here too.
It's because you're like, you want your kid to see everything.
And do everything.
Yeah, because otherwise you end up like you're saying, like you were saying earlier,
you end up seeing depictions of things in film and TV.
That's it.
Not actually what it's like.
How old will you wait for your daughter to be to let her go on the subway?
Oh, on her own?
Yeah.
I'm only 25.
I'm just being honest with you, Rami.
These are my feelings.
This is my special.
It's called feelings.
You're 25 years old.
It's like, yeah, I grew up in New York, but I have a very, you know, like you're the most,
you're actually the most Arab dad I've ever met.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly.
Ask Jenny.
Jenny will be like 30.
Dude, that should be the name of your special.
Mike Birbiglia, Arab dad.
You're the Arab dad.
You're the Arab dad.
You know how fast my career would end
if I called my special the Arab dad?
Just tell people I said it was okay.
I'm like trying to tank you.
Produced by Rami Youssef
and it's like over the title
in 40 font
it's much bigger than my name
you're like dude you know you said
I could call it Arab Dad
you want to produce it so people know
I'd be like nah dude it's okay just tell people I said you could
you're like dude you're trying to tank me
no no
alright what do we got
I don't know what do we got?
I don't know what else I got, man.
Oh, I was like, this is like a,
I was trying to figure out what I was afraid of with AI.
And it's not like, it's like, I know I can write, you know? So I'm not even, I just have this fear that
conservatives will get really good
at making movies.
Oh my god, that's so funny.
Because it's like up until now,
like for whatever reason,
up until now,
only liberals could finish a script.
They just seem to be able to finish scripts
and like El Ambego work
because it's like yeah like this country
you know Brokeback Mountain changed
this country's view
of you know gay people
in a really meaningful way right
where people thought they were seeing a western
and then they were like oh wait I just saw this relationship
so I was just like
that's because Jake Gyllenhaal loved that script and so i could be like what if gyllenhaal like just
what if you can get him to love a script that you wouldn't want him to love and then he's just
playing this like ice agent you know and you're just like and and it's he's so good that you're
like yeah maybe everyone should stay where they were born that's my God. That's a great concept.
Well, I think that's the unspoken about the like liberals in Hollywood is like,
no, no, those are the people who've done well.
There's not some thing where it's like if a conservative moved to Hollywood
and wrote Good Will Hunting, people wouldn't be like,
I don't know, he is a Republican.
No, exactly. No way.
It's just not how it is.
Hollywood is very capitalistic.
Of course.
People want...
No, if it makes the money, we'll do it.
People want to make a lot of money in that town.
It's part of the reason why I don't live there.
No, it's like,
you feel it when you're there.
And that's why I've always felt,
that's why I guess what was,
you know, the empathy you need to understand human beings to write a script that pops
usually will then lead you to probably disassemble whatever political view you think is like so
strong and then i think it kind of ends up having someone be like well yeah let's just let everyone
do what they want and they end up being liberal, like for the most part. But then AI comes in and now it's just like,
hey, write me.
Well, then it's like, well, write a movie
in the spirit of James Cameron, except the people.
The people are, they are getting rid of the abortion clinics.
That's right.
You know, and then that's, and then, and then.
It's a tearjerker.
And then the script is good.
And people are like, it's good.
It's good. It's good. It's good. It's good. It's good. It's good. It's good. It's good. It's good. It's good. It's good. It's good. It's good. It's good. It's good. It's good. It's good. It's good. It's good. It's good. It's good. It's good. It's good. It's good. It's good. It's good. It's good. It's good. It's good. It's good. It's good. It's good. It's good. It's good. It's good. It's good. It's good. It's good. It's good. It's good. It's good. It's good. It's good. It's good. People are like, it's good. You're kind of like, I mean, you get these great actors
and all of a sudden you're like,
who's to say when a life starts?
Who's to say?
Yeah.
Please don't excerpt this out of context.
Hold on, let me see if I have anything else that is.
Oh, I have something in the hardware thing, which is
Jenny and I have
increasingly
realized as adults that we just don't know
anything.
We don't know about plumbing.
We don't know about...
And we're...
We don't understand
heat. We don't understand plumbing.
We don't understand electric.
And I feel like at this point,
we're currently looking for a throuple.
We're going to technical colleges.
Is there anybody who could complete?
We're looking to fill some holes in the lineup.
It's like we both realized we need a husband.
We do. No, we need a husband. We do.
No, we need a husband.
We both realized.
We recently realized that we need a husband.
We need a husband.
That's very funny.
I like that a lot.
That's a really good tag.
We need a husband.
Yeah.
That's what it is.
It's like.
Yeah.
Oh, my gosh.
Do you ever have a realization?
Do you ever see yourself from your wife's eyes and go
like oh she got a doozy yeah oh my god like yeah especially when it comes to certain things like
that where it's like you know stuff would happen when i was a kid and my dad just like pulls out
the toolbox oh your dad was good yeah there was one time something was going on i didn't even know
what could be done but i was all right, maybe if there's a
toolbox in front of me, I'm going to improvise something.
Right.
Because I have that kind of belief in myself.
Like, I don't know what's going on.
Oh, I get that.
Just put the tools in front of me.
Yeah.
Maybe I'll make something happen.
But then I had to ask my wife where the toolbox was.
Yeah, yeah.
Because I don't know.
She knows.
She uses it.
I don't. She's really uses it i don't she's
like really handy her dad is an engineer oh so it's like she yeah i i was really embarrassed i
was like where's the tools and then she was like what do you i could see it in her eyes she was
like what are you even gonna do with them it was like why are you asking to like the same dilemma
just like learn about the house and where things are because like you're not going to use them. Our wives both need a husband.
They need a husband.
Yeah.
We should get a guy for both of us.
We live close enough to each other.
Oh yeah, that's a great idea.
Let's see.
No, I'm literally like thinking like,
that's really smart.
Just have a dude.
Just have a dude.
The final thing we do is working it out for a cause.
And if there's a nonprofit you think is doing a good job,
I'll contribute to them.
We'll link to them in the show notes.
Oh, amazing.
I did a charity show with the,
they're called the Karam Foundation, and are giving like the best on the ground aid
for everyone in Turkey and in Syria
that were affected by the floods and the earthquakes.
That's great.
Which to me is just like,
it's like a climate charity
in the sense that it's, you know,
they're so affected by what's been going on there.
Okay.
So yeah, they're doing some shows with them.
Karamfoundation.org.
K-A-R-A-Mfoundation.org.
We'll contribute to them.
We'll link to them in the show notes.
We'll encourage others to contribute as well.
Rami, thanks for coming on the show.
You're the best.
So fun doing it in person, man.
The best.
All right.
This is my first handshake across the table.
Yeah, I think so. Because it felt like
you were going for it at first. No, I don't know. That's how I felt
compelled
to touch you.
But I've never had that. This is nice.
This isn't even really a handshake. Your hand is so much
bigger than mine, actually. It's really weird.
No, it's okay. I'm used to it.
What I'll say is this.
You are,
when I think of you, when I think of you, this is ridiculous.
When I think of you, it makes me feel warm because I think that you're funny in your bones
and you're funny in a way that is like, it just makes me happy.
Now we're bone to bone right here.
Now we're bone to bone.
I'm touching your knuckle right here.
Yeah, I like it.
Come on. Come on. I'm right here. Yeah, I like that. This is, come on.
Come on.
That's going to do it for another episode of Working It Out.
Always love talking to Rami Youssef.
Again, you can follow him on Instagram at Rami, R-A-M-Y.
And you can get the full video of this interview
on my YouTube page,
which is at Mike Birbiglia.
Check that out and subscribe
because we're going to be posting
more and more videos of these episodes.
Don't miss that.
Join my mailing list at birbiglia.com.
Our producers of Working It Out are myself,
along with Peter Salamone and Joseph Birbiglia,
associate producer Mabel Lewis,
consulting producer Seth Barish,
assistant producer Gary Simons,
sound mix by Ben Cruz,
supervising engineer Kate Balinski. Special
thanks to Marissa Hurwitz and Josh Upfall,
as well as David Raphael and Nina
Quick. As always, my consigliere
Mike Berkowitz and Jack Antonoff
and Bleachers for their music.
Special thanks to my wife, the poet J-Hope Stein.
Special thanks as always to my daughter, Una,
who built the original radio fort made of pillows.
Thanks most of all to you who are listening.
If you enjoy the show, please rate it and review it on Apple Podcasts.
It helps us so much.
It helps us reach other people who don't know about the show.
We have so many people
who say, I didn't even know you had a podcast. I've listened, I've watched all your specials,
I've listened to your albums, and even though you had a podcast. So here it is. Tell your friends,
tell your enemies, maybe you run into your enemy at a Home Depot. Maybe you're picking up some tools
for your significant other to fix something around the house and you run into your enemy and you say,
hey, while you're looking at those wrenches,
maybe consider this podcast that I enjoy called Working It Out.
And then they'll like it.
And then maybe you'll both enjoy one of those hot dogs they have
outside the Home Depot where they sell the hot dogs.
Anyway, thanks for being here.
I'll see you next time.