The Business
Bassem Youssef and Sara Taksler on 'Tickling Giants'
Known as the "Jon Stewart of Egypt," Bassem Youssef hosted a satirical news show that was the first of its kind in the Middle East. The show was immensely popular, until the military-backed government forced Youssef off the air and out of the country. Youssef and director Sara Taksler tell us about their documentary Tickling Giants, which profiles Youssef’s leap from heart surgeon to super star satirist.
By Kim Masters • • 28m ListenBassem Youssef was a heart surgeon in Cairo who harbored a love for Jon Stewart and The Daily Show and who dreamed of becoming a comedian. In the years following the Arab Spring he made that unlikely leap -- first with a YouTube show, and eventually with a live political satire show that drew more than 30 million viewers every week. The new documentary Tickling Giants -- directed by Sara Taksler, herself a Daily Show producer -- follows Youssef’s journey to stardom and ends with him fleeing the country for the United States after the military-backed government forced his show off the air in 2014.
Photo: Egyptian political satirist Bassem Youssef, featured in the new documentary Tickling Giants
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2 storiesHollywood news banter
Matt Belloni, editorial director of the Hollywood Reporter, joins Kim Masters to discuss top entertainment news stories of the week.
Read the story7 minBassem Youssef and Sara Taksler on 'Tickling Giants'
In June 2012, Egypt was in transition. Following the protests of the Arab Spring, ousted leader Hosni Mubarak was sentenced to life in prison, and Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohammed Morsi became the new president.
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