THE QUESTION has always been where can Muslims and non-Muslims
go for social growth, and entertainment by us, for us, and about us?
The answer? "Allah Made Me Funny : The Official Muslim Comedy Tour."
“The concept of this tour is to make a comprehensive effort to
provide effective, significant, and appropriate comedy with an Islamic
perspective, which is both mainstream and cross-cultural. The idea is
to provide a venue whereby Muslims and non-Muslims can feel safe, relevant,
and inclusive of an experience where humor is used to bridge gaps of
bias, intolerance, and other social ills that are pre and post 9/11
relevant,” says Preacher Moss, co-founder, and one of the featured
comedians on the tour.
Preacher Moss and co-founder Azhar Usman have already made the international
radar, as they will debut the tour in Toronto, Ontario from May 26 to
29, at Yuk Yuk’s comedy club venue, during its first ever Muslim
Comedy Festival.
“This project means people are coming out to not only be entertained,
but also educated about the truths of Muslims and non-Muslims’
existence in America following 9/11, but also preceding it. It involves
the courage to step out of the shadows of silence, and fear and reach
out and build bridges. We’re building these bridges through humor,
and understanding to make that journey a little easier for all of us,”
explains Moss.
Reflecting the diversity of the Islamic religion, as well as the diversity
of this country, Azhar Usman, Preacher Moss, and Azeem Muhammad, a rising
comedy star, have put down ego and pride to show the world a cooperation
rarely seen in comedy. Through their commitment, they’ve brokered
“a project built not on competition, but a coalition.”
Says Moss, “We have a community tour designed to see not only
the Muslim community grow, and be self-actualized, but to see the world
community attain the same goals. This is done through dialogue, understanding
… and humor as the glue that heals us all.”
