By Ahmed Sharma
AsAmNews Staff Writer
Still riding high on his first Netflix special, The Vagabond, comedian Mo Amer is wrapping up his U.S. tour in New York and ready to take his show to England. His stand up features hilarious stories on his upbringing and his struggle to find a national identity.
Amer was born in Kuwait to Palestinian parents, who fled to Houston during the Gulf War when he was just nine years old.
Fans of Amer will note, he has been in the business for a long time. In 2003, Amer was featured in a world wide tour called, Allah Made Me Funny with other fellow Muslim comics. Additionally, he became the first Arab American comedian to perform for U.S. and coalition troops.
For those not familiar with his stand-up, they might remember Amer from his viral Instagram photo back in 2016, of him sitting next to Eric Trump on a flight to Scotland. Amer says in the photo’s caption that his ticket got upgraded to first-class and when he took his seat, was astonished to find the president’s son right next to him.
Since then, Amer has received a lot of recognition. Last year alone, Rolling Stone featured Amer as one of its top ten rising comedians. Furthermore, Dave Chappelle took him under his wing and toured with Amer.
Ultimately, Amer’s stories are an open love letter to his mother, who coincidentally, was sitting in the front row of his Netflix special, The Vagabond. Before pointing her out to the audience, Amer commends his mother for her bravery during their escape from the turmoil in Kuwait. As a result, he tells the audience how grateful he is for everything and is proud to tell his story. Throughout all his travel experiences, his life struggles and attempting to find somewhere to identify, Amer has proved without a doubt, he finally found where he belongs: on a stage, as a comedian and storyteller.
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