For Iranian-American Comic
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Dubai show marks Jobrani’s major live audience performance Politics still pack a punch(line) for Iranian-American comic DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, May 31, (AP): For Iranian-American In some US states, he performed at outdoor with the Trump stuff, Trump, Trump, Trump,” he said. “You know Maz Jobrani, a stand-up show in Dubai marked the fi rst time he’s venues to a limited capacity audience. At others the Muslim ban, you know kids in cages, you know the mishandling been in front of a major live audience overseas since the start of the he performed indoors. In Arizona and Florida of coronavirus.” coronavirus pandemic — and he feels it. he performed in comedy clubs, where he said he Jobrani’s visit to Dubai came at an edgy moment for the wider Mid- “Doing stand-up comedy is kind of like going to the gym — you felt nervous because it was before the vaccine dle East. Tensions still remain high between his native Iran and the US have to get up on stage fi ve, 10 times a week,” said Jobrani, sitting in was rolled out. as negotiations continue over Tehran’s tattered nuclear deal with world a Dubai hotel overlooking Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building. “Comedians need interaction — we’re best powers as a hard-liner appears poised to take the presidency. “You have to keep going or the muscles are going to be rusty.” in a room, with an audience, laughing, talking,” The day of his set, Israel and the Gaza Strip’s Hamas rulers agreed Jobrani had a calm demeanor during a recent interview with The As- he said. “And this remote world took that away to a truce after an 11-day war killed more than 250 people, mostly sociated Press. It was a far cry from the exaggerated expressions and from us but again I think we adapted, a lot of Palestinians in Gaza, and caused heavy destruction in the impoverished dancing he’s known for in his performance. people adapted.” coastal territory. Taking to the stage at the recent Dubai Comedy Festival, Jobrani Jobrani, originally from Iran, moved to Cali- While Jobrani discussed the confl ict and the region’s politics in an broke into an Iranian dance routine to one of Dua Lipa’s hit pop songs, Jobrani fornia at age 6 with his family. Like many Ira- interview with the AP, he didn’t mention it in his set. drawing laughter from an audience eager to be out as the coronavirus nians they had fl ed the country’s 1979 Islamic Revolution. He grew up “It’s interesting because what you do as a comedian, you know, your pandemic still rages across much of the world. The United Arab Emir- in the San Francisco area. job is to make people laugh,” Jobrani said. “If I lived here and if ... I felt ates has one of the world’s highest per-capita vaccination rates and its there was some injustice and I really wanted to speak up about it, I’d economy largely has reopened. Attacks probably fi nd the right way to do that within this society.” Entertainment Being on stage has become a luxury for comedians, Jobrani said, His acting credits begin just after the Sept. 11 attacks with a major The UAE only last year reached a diplomatic recognition deal with with some not being able to perform for over a year. After venues shut role in the American action series “24,” in which he played a member Israel and signed the accords at the White House with Trump — but down last year, extra creativity was required. First, Jobrani started do- of an Afghan militant group hoping to detonate a nuclear bomb in Los Jobrani thinks Trump shouldn’t be praised for the accord. ing shows on Instagram, updating his fans on what he did daily during Angeles. “There had not been a will to solve that problem, the Israeli-Pal- the lockdown, or doing workouts using random objects. Later he stopped taking such roles, but still played with the theme, estinian” issue, he said. “I feel again maybe governments, especially Then he tried drive-in shows, which posed the same problem for setting up the “Axis of Evil” comedy tour. He wrote a book entitled America, did not prioritize it, even under Obama and then especially stand-up comedy as online video calls: “You don’t hear their laughter,” “I’m Not a Terrorist, But I’ve Played One On TV.” His comedy is under Trump.” he said. “You need to remind them: ‘If you like what I’m saying, if you largely fueled by that and his background. During Donald Trump’s “It was laughable that a lot of conservatives in America were like, like the joke, please honk,’” he recounted. “So people would honk at term in offi ce, he focused on the US president. ‘Well, Trump made peace in the Middle East,’” he said. “I go: ‘They you, you tell a joke (and) they would honk at you.” “You know in the past four years, I was very political, constantly weren’t at war, what are you talking about?’” Variety s e r u t a This image released by Paramount Pictures shows Emily Blunt in a scene from ‘A Quiet Place Part II.’ (AP) e Film Krasinski’s thriller sequel opens with $58.5mn CHICAGO: The Chicago intersec- F Features tion where an actor who appeared in the movie “School of Rock” was killed while riding his bicycle was fl agged three years ago by ‘Quiet Place’ fuels box-offi ce rebound a traffi c safety group as “notori- ously unsafe and hazardous” by a NEW YORK, May 31, (AP): Moviegoing increas- best debut belonged to Warner Bros.’ “Godzilla vs. vening months, Paramount sold off many of its fi lms traffi c safety group, but it says no ingly looks like it didn’t die during the pandemic. It Kong,” which opened with $32.2 million, or $48.5 to streamers — “Coming 2 America,” “The Trial of improvements were made. just went into hibernation. million over its fi rst fi ve days, while simultaneously the Chicago 7” — but Krasinski and the studio felt In its 2018 study, the Active John Krasinski’s thriller sequel “A Quiet Place streaming on HBO Max. strongly that the hushed intensity of “A Quiet Place Transportation Alliance identifi ed the intersection in the Avondale Part II” opened over the Memorial Day weekend to a The contrasting release strategies between “A Part II” worked best on the big screen. neighborhood on the city’s north- pandemic-best $48.4 million, according to studio es- Quiet Place Part II” and “Cruella” offered a test case In an interview ahead of the fi lm’s release, Kra- west side as a “high-crash area” timates Sunday. Including the Monday holiday, the for Hollywood. How much does a day-and-date re- sinski said a theatrical release was “non-negotiable.” because of its poor visibility and studio forecasts the fi lm will gross $58.5 million in lease cost a movie like “Cruella” in ticket sales? Is And Krasinski worked hard to stoke excitement, heavy traffi c. North America. it worth it? Without knowing how much “Cruella” traveling the country in the week leading up to re- Kevin Clark, who played The fi lm’s performance cheered a movie industry benefi tted Disney+, a true comparison isn’t possible. lease to surprise moviegoers. Still, given the circum- drummer Freddy “Spazzy that has been punished and transformed by the pan- But the strong returns for the theater-only “A Quiet stances, he had little idea whether audiences would McGee” Jones in the 2003 demic. Paramount Pictures’ “A Quiet Place Part II,” Place Part II” are telling, says Paul Dergarabedian, come out. movie starring Jack Black, was senior media analyst for data fi rm Comscore. He struck by a car at the intersection which was on the cusp of opening in March 2021 “As bizarre as the entire year has been is how bi- Wednesday and declared dead at a before theaters shut, was the fi rst big fi lm this year called it a “pivotal weekend” for the movie industry zarre whatever opening weekend is,” Krasinski said. TUESDAY, JUNE 1, 2021 hospital. Police said a witness told — and one of the only larger budget COVID-era that proved predictions of the movie theater’s de- “I don’t really know what it is anymore.” offi cers that Clark, who was 32, releases beside Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” — to mise “fl at-out wrong.” In the end, “A Quiet Place Part II” performed a was riding east on Logan Boule- open exclusively in theaters. “That ‘Quiet Place Part II’ did so well makes a lot like how the fi rst one did. That 2018 hit, which vard when he ran a red light and Chris Aronson, distribution chief for Paramount, strong case that a theatrical-fi rst release for a big ultimately grossed $340 million globally on a $17 was struck by a vehicle crossing called the opening “an unqualifi ed success.” movie is the way to go,” Dergarabedian said. “This million budget, launched with $50.2 million in North Logan at Western Avenue. is the best possible news for an industry that’s been Authorities said the 20-year-old “It’s a huge sigh of a relief and a sense of opti- American ticket sales. Sequels usually do better than mism for sure,” Aronson said. “Movies, moviego- dealing with probably the most profoundly challeng- the original but “Part II” had far more challenges due driver who struck Clark was is- ing chapter in the history of the movie theater.” sued several citations, and the ac- ing, movie theaters aren’t dead.