Back in 2019, Ramy Youssef presented his first HBO comedy special, entitled FEELINGS. I said back then, if you care to look, that Ramy had something going, but it needed refinement. Here he is five years later with MORE FEELINGS, and I laid a bet before watching this one, except for the trailer, that he has indeed improved his stand-up. Of course, he has had a lot more acting credits since that first stint. Don’t forget he co-stars in MOUNTAINHEAD later in May. He has surely honed his craft, and I’m looking forward to this 55-minute gig.
As I watched the gig, I found that Youssef was indeed a lot more relaxed and smoother than he was five years prior. But, he is still the same Ramy Youssef. But I appreciate what I see. Why? Because he is Arabic, he is Muslim, and we don’t hear that ethnicity in a casual setting enough. Hey, he and the culture he represents are humans also. Who knew? To be clear, Youssef is a first-generation American of Egyptian parents and speaks Arabic and English. He has made a career in acting, directing, and producing and is a Peabody Award 
recipient. So, he really doesn’t need to do a stand-up routine, but in doing so, he helps illustrate, in his own words, his life as a Muslim and of Arabic heritage. I think with the way of the world right now, that is a perspective worth hearing.
In his set, Youssef talks about his culture and his faith in a way that makes us relate his ways to our own in order to conclude that there are similarities between the cultures and that people are people. His little observations and stories don’t land a lot of deep belly laughs, but they don’t need to in order to be effective. He is more of a monologue artist than a jokester; the frequent chuckles from the audience are enough as he talks about the presidential election, the importance of prayer, and a childhood book report.
He is out to find a common ground between us all, and he does so in a warm, gentle way. For me, that message, delivered that way, holds more meaning than any joke. Seek out RAMY YOUSSEF: MORE FEELINGS.
