In his “Saturday Night Live” monologue, Ramy Youssef called for a free Palestine and the release of hostages taken in the Israel-Hamas war.
At the height of his monologue, Youssef joked: “This is a highly spiritual weekend. We are in the holy month of Ramadan. Tomorrow is Easter. And yesterday, Beyoncé released a new album. There are just so many religions celebrating unexpectedly.”
He went on to talk about the power of prayer and joked: “In my group of friends, I’m one of the only guys who prays. I am friends with many sinners, just disgusting people. They usually call me when they are in trouble because they want me to wait for them.
Youssef remembers receiving a call from his friend Ahmed, who asked him to wait for his family in Gaza.
“I thought, ‘Man, I got you,’” Youssef said. “So that night I have hope and my prayers are sophisticated. I have a lot to do. I thought, ‘God, please help Ahmed’s family. Please stop fighting. Cease the violence. Please free the individuals in Palestine, please. And please release the hostages, all the hostages, please.”
Youssef then paused and ended the monologue with a smile: “And when you’re at it, you know, free Mr. Bojangles. He is a phenomenal canine. I’m praying for this canine.”
Elsewhere in his monologue, Youssef addressed the upcoming election, saying, “I don’t like that both choices are honest with you.”
“I really think our next president should be a woman,” Youssef said, to applause and applause. “You understand what I want to say? Like, this is going to be wonderful.
Youssef continued, “I think our next president should be a trans girl,” and then acknowledged the slight decrease in applause. “A little less assistance, yes. This is New York, right? New York says: ‘We are liberals, but we are Italians. Be careful!'”
He recalled being contacted before the 2020 election by a man named Muhammad, involved in Joe Biden’s campaign, who told him that Biden is “a big fan of your work” and “we love everything you’ve done for the Arabs.” . America.” Youssef then joked: “He said he preferred it to be rustic.”
Muhammad asked for Youssef’s help to rock Michigan blue – “Arab America!” the comedian joked.
“He said, ‘Joe is aware (of you),’” Youssef continued. “That’s big, right? Because Joe has a conscience problem. I want to say, ‘Joe is conscious.’ This is like a Nobel Peace Prize.”
Youssef has been a vocal supporter of peace between Israel and Gaza, winning an Artists for Ceasefire badge at the Oscars. “We call for a swift and lasting ceasefire in Gaza. We call for lasting peace and justice for the individuals of Palestine,” Youssef said. counted VarietyMarc Malkin on the red carpet. “It’s a common message: ‘Let’s stop killing children. We are not going to be part of an extra fight. No one ever showed up to a conflict again and thought a bombing campaign was a good idea. Being surrounded by so many artists who want to lend their voices, the record is growing. Many people will carry these badges tonight. There are many talking heads in the information, it is a house of talking hearts. We are trying to send this huge beam to humanity.”
Youssef is buzzing about the release of his second HBO comedy special, “Extra Emotions,” which premiered March 23. In it, the Egyptian-American comedian addresses topics such as the 2024 presidential election, the importance of prayer and a children’s book that changed the course of his life.
He is best known for creating and starring in the Hulu comedy series “Ramy,” which follows an Egyptian-American family living in New Jersey as they navigate spirituality, financial issues and political divisions. With Mo Amer, Youssef also co-created the Netflix series “Mo,” which is currently filming its second season. Earlier this year, he appeared on the awards circuit alongside Yorgos Lanthimos’s “Poor Things,” in which he starred as Max McCandles alongside Emma Stone and Willem Dafoe.
Watch Youssef’s monologue in full below: