Amy Goodman
@DemocracyNow·3.2M subscribers·19.4K videos
Egyptian Comedian Bassem Youssef Says His Satire Has Inspired Youth to Reject Military Propaganda
Posted
June 30, 2014
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5:55Now PlayingIn a development many are linking to the Egyptian regime's crackdown on dissent, Egypt's most popular satirist announced this month that he was taking his program off the air. Bassem Youssef's broadcast had been compared to Jon Stewart's "The Daily Show" for its comedic take on politics in Egypt and the Middle East. The show was incredibly popular reaching as many as 30 million views per episode. Youssef said he was ending his program rather than face censorship and threats on his life. Yousef was vague on the pressure he has faced, but suggested the military regime has made it impossible for him to continue. Speaking at the Deutsche Welle Global Media Forum, Youssef said his decision to suspend the show could be seen as a new beginning. "We have inspired a whole generation to go out there and express themselves in their own way," Youssef says. "Satire and comedy might be one of the few antidotes against fear. It liberates your mind. It sets your judgement free. That is why it is a threat."
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