Revolution for Dummies

The 2011 Revolution in Egypt was responsible for the overthrow of the thirty-year Mubarak reign in just eighteen days; Bassem Youssef, Egypts most famous satirist, not only captured this dissent but stamped it with his own brand of humorous political criticism, in which the Egyptian government became the prime laughing stock.

As Albernameg chronicled the events of the 2011 Egyptian Revolution, the fall of President Hosni Mubarak, and the rise of Mohamed Morsi, Youssef captured his nation''s dissent and stamped it with his own brand of political criticism. Accused of insulting the Egyptian presidency and Islam, Youssef fled his homeland--fearful for his safety even after the charges were dismissed. In Revolution for Dummies , Youssef riffs on the hypocrisy and instability of Egyptian politics: everything from how to government tried to cover up the violent clashes in Tahrir Square to the military''s announcement that they had created the world''s first AIDS machine that could cure anyone of the disease. Youssefs most recent project is Democracy Handbook , a ten-part series exploring topics of democracy on Fusion.net. He is also a visiting scholar at the Center of Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law at Stanford University.

If you want to understand the Arab Spring-even though it was really the African Spring, set off by a 'small puny motherfucking country called Tunisia'-then this odd book is just the guide.

Autorentext

Bassem Youssef was the host of Albernameg, the first-of-its-kind political satire showin the Middle East from 2011 until the show's termination by the Egyptian government in 2014. Youssef is currently the host of The Democracy Handbook, a digital series with Fusion TV, and now lives in the United States.

Klappentext

“Hilarious and Heartbreaking. Comedy shouldn’t take courage, but it made an exception for Bassem.” --Jon Stewart

"The Jon Stewart of the Arabic World"—the creator of The Program, the most popular television show in Egypt’s history—chronicles his transformation from heart surgeon to political satirist, and offers crucial insight into the Arab Spring, the Egyptian Revolution, and the turmoil roiling the modern Middle East, all of which inspired the documentary about his life, Tickling Giants.

Bassem Youssef’s incendiary satirical news program, Al-Bernameg (The Program), chronicled the events of the 2011 Egyptian Revolution, the fall of President Hosni Mubarak, and the rise of Mubarak’s successor, Mohamed Morsi. Youssef not only captured his nation’s dissent but stamped it with his own brand of humorous political criticism, in which the Egyptian government became the prime laughing stock.

So potent were Youssef’s skits, jokes, and commentary, the authoritarian government accused him of insulting the Egyptian presidency and Islam. After a six-hour long police interrogation, Youssef was released. While his case was eventually dismissed, his television show was terminated, and Youssef, fearful for his safety, fled his homeland.

In Revolution for Dummies, Youssef recounts his life and offers hysterical riffs on the hypocrisy, instability, and corruption that has long animated Egyptian politics. From the attempted cover-up of the violent clashes in Tahrir Square to the government’s announcement that it had created the world’s first "AIDS cure" machine, to the conviction of officials that Youssef was a CIA operative—recruited by Jon Stewart—to bring down the country through sarcasm. There’s much more—and it’s all insanely true.

Interweaving the dramatic and inspiring stories of the development of his popular television show and his rise as the most contentious funny-man in Egypt, Youssef’s humorous, fast-paced takes on dictatorship, revolution, and the unforeseeable destiny of democracy in the Modern Middle East offers much needed hope and more than a few healing laughs. A documentary about his life, Tickling Giants, debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2016, and is now scheduled for major release.

What happens when a heart surgeon becomes the most wanted comedian in the Middle East?

• Against the Odds: Follow Bassem Youssef’s unbelievable transformation from a respected heart surgeon to the creator of the most popular—and controversial—television show in the Arab world.
• The Muslim Brotherhood: Get a front-row seat to the absurd hypocrisy of the ruling powers, from their conspiracy theories about Jon Stewart to their announcement of a machine that cures AIDS with the power of a kabab sandwich.
• Middle East Politics: A raw, behind-the-scenes look at the Egyptian Revolution, the promise of Tahrir Square, and the political turmoil that followed.
• Raw Honesty: After being interrogated by police and forced to flee his own country, Youssef lays bare the personal cost of speaking truth to power.