The Arab-American Comedy Tour

Three American standup comedians of Arabic descent—Ahmed Ahmed, Dean Obeidallah, and Maysoon Zayid—are brought together on this program, each drawing on their personal experiences to comment on the difficulties that Arab-Americans face, particularly in the post-9/11 environment. It's clear from the enthusiastic response from the live audiences that many identify with the comics' observations, but viewers from any ethnic background can sympathize and laugh. The styles of the three performers vary, with the two men—Ahmed and Obeidallah—pacing the stage with hand mikes while serving up acerbic material with a political emphasis, and Zayid—who suffers from cerebral palsy—standing at a stationary microphone delivering a routine that is more personal and domestic. But it's the difference in sound quality, unfortunately, that's really noticeable: Ahmed and Obeidallah were filmed at a theater in Dearborn, MI, and the very resonant acoustics makes their words sound muffled and sometimes difficult to catch, while Zayid's set, taped in Seattle, is much clearer. Granted, that's a serious drawback here (especially combined with camerawork that is workmanlike at best), but if one is willing to put in a bit of extra effort, this is an enjoyable compilation that serves up social humor with a unique slant. A strong optional purchase. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)