60 Minutes profiles Bassem Youssef, Egypt’s political satirist

America has Comedy Central’s The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Egypt has Dr. Bassem Youssef.

Big difference. Especially since the latter nation doesn’t have as much of a sense of humor about political satire, or satire, or jokes of any kind, for that matter.

Sunday’s 60 Minutes profiled Youssef, calling him “The Jon Stewart of Egypt.”

His success began, as many success stories do in comedy in this decade, via YouTube. Youssef received the offer to host this weekly satirical TV series in Egypt — as well as a job in Cleveland, Ohio, as a heart surgeon. He chose the latter. “Yeah, the American dream. I chose the Egyptian dream, the dream to make a TV show, and then be called an infidel by the end,” Youssef told Bob Simon.

Roll it.

In this “overtime” extra segment, 60 Minutes talks to Jon Stewart about Youssef.

Earlier: A year ago, Stewart invited Youssef to The Daily Show. Here’s the full interview between the two in 2013.

Sean L. McCarthy

Editor and publisher since 2007, when he was named New York's Funniest Reporter. Former newspaper reporter at the New York Daily News, Boston Herald and smaller dailies and community papers across America. Loves comedy so much he founded this site.

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