One seldom finds a comedy show more concerned with making the
audience talk than making them listen. But that’s what
Standup For Peace is all about ““ talking.
A New York-based act co-founded by Arab- American comic Dean
Obeidallah and Jewish-American comic Scott Blakeman, Standup For
Peace is about getting people from polarized viewpoints in the same
room laughing. The duo’s hope is that the laughter will lead
to later dialogue between groups of people that wouldn’t
normally be talking.
According to Obeidallah, a lawyer for “Saturday Night
Live” who submits freelance jokes to the TV program, the act
also tackles stereotypes and misconceptions Jews and Arabs may have
about each other.
“I hope that if people who are most polarized, who have
these misconceptions from the other side, have an informal
conversation (at the show), that will lead to more conversations
down the road,” said Obeidallah.
College campuses can be very polarized, Obeidallah said. He
noted that during their last show at Yale University, leaders of
the Arab student associations and their Israeli counterparts had
never even met each other before the groups planned the show.
In some ways, UCLA faces the same type of polarization. The
campus lacks any formal Israeli-Arab dialogue group, and student
groups like Bruins for Israel and the Muslim Student Association
have assumptions and ideologies that are sometimes offensive to
each other.
“The attack against Israel on campus comes off as an
attack against the Jewish people,” said Ross Neihaus,
president of Bruins for Israel. Neihaus added that the MSA supports
terrorism in its literature and misrepresents Zionism.
MSA external vice president Yousef Tajsar argued that his
organization condemns terrorism and that Neihaus misstated the
MSA’s principles.
“We (at MSA) see the issue of Israel as an issue of
Zionism. We see Zionism as a manifestation of colonial thoughts and
the theories of imperialism that started in Europe in the early
19th century,” said Tajsar.
Such disagreements about each other’s philosophies and
ideals are common, but both Tajsar and Neihaus agreed that
disagreeing is OK, and that the real issues are educating the
general public and bringing people together in dialogue ““
exactly what Standup For Peace is all about.
Obeidallah and Blakeman began Standup For Peace about two years
ago, as a series of benefit shows. This year, the two decided to go
on a college tour, hoping to use students as trendsetters for
progressive dialogue and as a means to change public opinion.
While the political sway of Standup for Peace is blatantly
left-wing and progressive, both Blakeman and Obeidallah say they
are not preachers. They focus much of their act on their own
experiences.
“I’ve always talked about what I’m all
about,” said Blakeman. “I’m a single, liberal,
Jew.”
Much of Obeidallah’s comedy derives from stories of his
cousins on the West Bank and his experience growing up in New
Jersey with a Palestinian father.
Neither comedian intends to bar any jokes for sensitivity
reasons, and the show is done in a very tasteful manner, taking
into account the seriousness of the issue at hand.
“You need comedy,” said Blakeman.
“There’s humor in any situation. Any group that’s
going through a tough time, humor is what gets you through
it.”
To Obeidallah, the show is a small gesture and a baby step. He
jokes that maybe he could have more of an effect if he was
President of the United States or a senator.
“Hopefully it’ll get people talking on campus.
It’s nice to do a lot of laughing first,” said
Obeidallah.
“The frustrating thing for me is that Dean and I
performing together is more progress than they’re making in
the Middle East right now,” said Blakeman. “No one is
showing an interest on either side, including the United States.
You can’t stop talking ““ talking is the only way to
achieve a solution.”
Standup For Peace performs at the Charles E. Young Grand
Salon on Monday, Jan. 26, from 7:30-9 p.m. Admission is
free.