Posted on Aug 23, 2022
Mohammed Amer's new series explores the tragedy and comedy in the refugee experience
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https://www.npr.org/2022/08/23/ [login to see] /mo-amer-netflix-series-refugee-experience
It's a story comedian Mohammed Amer says he's had in his head for two decades and started writing nine years ago. Now, on Wednesday, Mo will be out on Netflix.
Co-created by Amer and Ramy Youssef, the show is a semi-autobiographical look at the trauma of displacement. Amer's family was forced to leave home and travel to another part of Palestine in the 1940s. They were displaced again to Kuwait and then again in the 1990s during the Gulf War. He and his family ended up in a suburb of Houston as refugees.
"It speaks to a second generation statelessness, right? And the ripple effect that happens from being stateless," he told Morning Edition.
Amer finds the comedy and tragedy in his family's tale. He explores the way the wounds that come from being forced from your homeland by war and occupation are passed down, as his character navigates a 20-year journey through the asylum process in the U.S.
"Once you're waiting for your asylum to be granted, you're just out there, no home on paper," he said. "All a person like that wants is to feel like he belongs, and feel like they're seen, and feel like they're equal to their other human counterparts."
It's a story comedian Mohammed Amer says he's had in his head for two decades and started writing nine years ago. Now, on Wednesday, Mo will be out on Netflix.
Co-created by Amer and Ramy Youssef, the show is a semi-autobiographical look at the trauma of displacement. Amer's family was forced to leave home and travel to another part of Palestine in the 1940s. They were displaced again to Kuwait and then again in the 1990s during the Gulf War. He and his family ended up in a suburb of Houston as refugees.
"It speaks to a second generation statelessness, right? And the ripple effect that happens from being stateless," he told Morning Edition.
Amer finds the comedy and tragedy in his family's tale. He explores the way the wounds that come from being forced from your homeland by war and occupation are passed down, as his character navigates a 20-year journey through the asylum process in the U.S.
"Once you're waiting for your asylum to be granted, you're just out there, no home on paper," he said. "All a person like that wants is to feel like he belongs, and feel like they're seen, and feel like they're equal to their other human counterparts."
Mohammed Amer's new series explores the tragedy and comedy in the refugee experience
Posted from npr.org
Humor
Palestine
Refugees
Houston
Posted >1 y ago
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."He switches from a Texas twang, to Spanish to Arabic seamlessly. He blasts hip hop from his car then brims with excitement over the traditional Zaffa (wedding procession) at a friend's nuptials, and cries at his father's grave as he recites a Muslim prayer.
It's heartbreaking, heartwarming, hilarious and tragic all at the same time.
While Amer's story is a singular experience of a Palestinian family in Houston, it also has a universal relatability.
Before he wrote the show, he talked to his mother about telling their family story. He asked her to tell him more about what his family went through, including the things she protected him from when he was a child. But first he explained why he wanted to portray that on screen for a global audience.
"'Millions of people are going to relate to this and it can empower them to better their lives. And also people who didn't go through it can relate to it and have empathy for it,'" he recounted telling his mother. "Once we had that conversation, she just opened up completely. It was just incredible to understand the strength of this woman, but also get some better understanding about my family as well, our experiences and what makes us who we are today."
..."He switches from a Texas twang, to Spanish to Arabic seamlessly. He blasts hip hop from his car then brims with excitement over the traditional Zaffa (wedding procession) at a friend's nuptials, and cries at his father's grave as he recites a Muslim prayer.
It's heartbreaking, heartwarming, hilarious and tragic all at the same time.
While Amer's story is a singular experience of a Palestinian family in Houston, it also has a universal relatability.
Before he wrote the show, he talked to his mother about telling their family story. He asked her to tell him more about what his family went through, including the things she protected him from when he was a child. But first he explained why he wanted to portray that on screen for a global audience.
"'Millions of people are going to relate to this and it can empower them to better their lives. And also people who didn't go through it can relate to it and have empathy for it,'" he recounted telling his mother. "Once we had that conversation, she just opened up completely. It was just incredible to understand the strength of this woman, but also get some better understanding about my family as well, our experiences and what makes us who we are today."
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