Loading ...Comic on a mission for laughter and unity
By SHANNON E. KOLKEDY
Toledo Blade
No politics. No religion. One love.
With that basic model, Lebanese-American comedian Nemr Abou Nassar established the stand-up comedy scene in the Middle East.
On Sunday, Nemr will bring that same routine of promoting unity through laughter to the Toledo Funny Bone in Perrysburg.
“Every show that I do, no matter how small or big — whether it’s 5,000 people or 50 — the intent is always, when you leave that show, I want you to see the world completely differently,” Nemr said in a recent phone interview from Tulsa. “I’m definitely out to change how people see things. I can say this confidently, you will laugh at my show like you’ve never laughed before, because you’ve never thought of these things before.”
Nemr, who uses a single stage name, brings to comedy an unusual perspective.
“I see things from a very different angle than anyone else does,” he said. “Especially having been through multiple wars and having lost friends to weird circumstances, you see things very differently. … So even the smallest stuff, like not having electricity 24 hours a day will make you look at Nintendo differently. The perspective is very different and that’s what, I think, makes the comedy very deep. I see things in a way that gives rise to amazing circumstances and punchlines.”
Nemr was born in Beirut in 1983, but his family emigrated to San Diego during the Lebanese Civil War. He was just 3.
“I don’t remember much from then, but I remember it wasn’t a happy time,” said Nemr. “My earliest memories of happiness was my parents laughing a lot and it was to standup comedy when they were here in the U.S. I must have been about 4 years old or something. My dad hadn’t seen standup before. My mom was familiar with it but my dad started watching HBO and recording these comedy specials and I would watch the VHS [tapes]. I would jump into bed with them and laugh with them, obviously not knowing what the hell was going on. It was happiness.”
A Dana Carvey special was the first to leave an impression with Nemr.
“He would bring up all these comics, and I would memorize the set, and I would recite it everywhere,” Nemr said. “I had no idea what he was talking about, but I would tell everyone, when I grow up I’m either going to be a ninja turtle or a standup comedian.”
His family returned to Lebanon when Nemr was about 11, but he kept his dream of comedy alive by watching old tapes that his mom had kept of Steve Martin, Woody Allen, Lenny Bruce, and others.
When Nemr went to college, he would host concerts and insert a bit of standup and began developing a following.
But it wasn’t until after the 2006 Lebanon War that Nemr decided to leave the family insurance business and dive into comedy full time.
“There was so much division in the country and no entertainment that you could go see that wasn’t political or religious — and it was divisive,” he said. “I had a following. I had already been developing standup comedy, but it was mostly in Lebanon, and I was like, I think I can take this across the Middle East.”
“I started it in Lebanon and basically established and pretty much spread the whole industry, from scratch across the Middle East from Beirut. That was just after the war, and I did it with a policy of no politics, no religion, and one love, so it was always about uniting people. It turned out to be what people really, really wanted.”
But his journey hasn’t always been easy.
Nemr said his decision to leave the insurance industry was tough on his father because he thought his son was making a mistake.
“I don’t think parents are supposed to be supportive of your dreams,” Nemr said. “For real, because if it’s something you really, really want, you don’t want their support. What you need is for them to constantly remind you of the risks involved, because that makes you aware of how you need to go forward.”
Still, Nemr credits his strict upbringing for allowing him to get as far as he has.
“[My father] always taught me that talking is your biggest weapon. You can’t use violence to survive in the Middle East; you have to use wit and you have to use your ability to talk to get out of touchy situations.”
Nemr acknowledges that “things got a little heavy” at times in the beginning, but ultimately his act spoke for itself.
“When I do no politics, no religion, one love, I mean, why would you hate me?” he said. “I never go up and say anything, I’m never naming politicians, I’m never making fun of Judaism or Islam or Christianity, I’m just talking about things we all experience.”
Despite the early struggles, Nemr said he is glad he took the chance.
“I went for it,” he said. “Now I’m 32, and it was one of the top three decisions of my life.”
Nemr has been credited with having the first comedy tour to successfully stretch from the United States to the Middle East. He has sold out clubs in New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, Cleveland, and other major U.S. cities. In 2014, he was featured on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine (Middle East) and he has plans to tour in Europe and Australia.
“I feel like I’m at home everywhere I go,” he said. “Growing up in two places made me more like a child of the world. If I’m in Lebanon, I’m proud to say I’m Lebanese. If I’m in America, I’m proud to say I’m American. … I feel so comfortable about the world we live in that anywhere you put me right now can feel like home.”
As for the future?
“I haven’t given up on the ninja turtle thing,” he said. “I’m still fighting for it.”
Nemr is scheduled to perform a show at 7 p.m. Sunday at the Funny Bone, 6140 Levis Commons Blvd., Perrysburg. Tickets are $30 to $50 and are available by calling 419-931-3474 or visiting toledo.funnybone.com. Must be 21 or older to attend.
Source: www.toledoblade.com