Palestinian standup comedian, veteran journalist; authored the first-ever Arab American Humor Book "I’m Glad I Look Like a Terrorist: Growing Up Arab in America," & 8 other books. themediaoasis.com
I began standup after Sept. 11 starting at Zanies Comedy Club after only 3 Open Mikes at Riddles Comedy Club. Zanies gave me a 9 show run. The club owner thought it would be cute to partner me up with Jewish comedian Jackie Mason. Why not? (Even though he’s lame; made a lousy Ardvark.) I asked if they told Mason I was "Palestinian" ... not just "Arab." They said get past all that crap. This is comedy. Theater. Entertainment. It’s all a paper moon (as my best friend Harry Golden Jr. would often tell me at Chicago City Hall.) Opening night, Mason and his wife/manager went ballistic when he found out I was a Palestinian and ordered me booted off MY SHOW.
Since then I have worked with other Jewish & Israeli comedians to promote Middle East peace. My entire comedy act is based on my life growing up Arab in America on Chicago’s Southeast Side, Arab cultural funnies and my unusual marriage to my wife Alison, who is Jewish.
Jerry Seinfeld (my favorite Arab comedian), Jackie Mason (my favorite schmuck), Zanies Comedy Club (where I learned comedy is politics and politics is comedy), Riddles Comedy Club (which gave me my first real break before they converted). Louis Black and David Brenner. Ahmed Ahmed. Aaron Freeman. Charley Warady. Yisrael "Zionist Entity" Campbell. Shachar Chason. MC Deuce.
Members
RSS Feed, Arab American Writers Group
www.ArabWritersGroup.com
RSS Feed
TV Shows
Israeli-Palestinian comedians "fight"
Israeli-Palestinian
Comedians "fight"
Appeared news and feature interviews shows such as the Today Show, Good Morning America, ABC Nightly News, Donahue, Hannity & Colmes, CBS Morning News, FOX TV News, CNN with Aaron Brown, CNN Reports, MSNBC, WGN TV, more than 550 million television and broadcast radio impressions and more than 375 broadcast TV and radio reports since April 2002.
Films
Actually, my morning radio show podcasts. Find and click a segment to listen to online.
Albums
Ray Hanania Photo Slide Show
Ray Hanania's Interests
General
Journalism, blues and heavy metal guitar, writing, Arab American history, newspaper publishing,radio and TV production, and standup comedy. Standing up to the extremists and fanatics in Israel, Palestine, the Arab World and the United States.
Music
Led Zeppelin
Movies
Power of Humor: 30 Minute Power Point
Ray Hanania and Aaron Freeman talk funny
Holy Land Humor Comedy Tour Information
Veteran comedians Aaron Freeman, Sandy Shea and Ray Hanania sit down and rif on the Middle East, being Jewish, Christian and Muslim, Arab, Israeli, Palestinian and American, and offering samples of their standup acts. Book this trio today. Visit hanania.com or call 847-951-9437 to book the Holy Land Humor Comedy Tour today for your Church, Synagogue, Mosque, university, library, book club, cell. (Above 30 minutes, full interview ... Below 9 minute demo)
Entourage, Studio 60, Knights of Prosperity, Dirt, Still Standing (Jami Gertz), King of Queens, Sopranos (new seasons only). And, one day, "Everyone Loves Abdullah."
Books
102 Minutes; I'm Glad I Look Like a Terrorist: Growing Up Arab in America;
Heroes
Comedians Ahmed Ahmed -- breaking the profile barrier in Hollywood; M.T. Mehdi, pioneer in journalism; Ibrahim Abu-lughod, for mentoring me when I was a young peace activist; Harry Golden Jr., best friend during my heydays covering Chicago's City Hall politics from Daley to Daley; Britney Spears -- take the abuse, the critics are all f'in ugly; Yasir Arafat and Yitzhak Rabin and Shimon Perez for believing despite all the hate.
Journalist/Columnist, Standup comedian, radio host
Ray Hanania's Schools
Reavis High School
Burbank, IL
Graduated: 1971
Student status: Alumni
Degree: High School Diploma
Clubs: Previously attended Bowen High school in Chicago, and Bogan High school in Chicago, and Little Flower High school in Chicago.
Greek:
Theta Chi
1969 to 1971
Bogan High School
Chicago,Illinois
Graduated: N/A
Student status: Alumni
Degree: None
Clubs: After "fleeing" the Southeast side of Chicago during the White Flight that year with nearly every other White family -- really dumb thing to do if you ask me but I was only 15, we moved west to the Bogan High school district. That's where I discovered what it was like being black in 1968. The school was not just white it was "WHITE" and I, being Arab, was considered too dark. The school administration, led by Mr. Avers, chased me down for two months giving me demerits every day for everything un
1968 to 1968
Bowen High School
Chicago,Illinois
Graduated: N/A
Student status: Alumni
Degree: None
Clubs: I attended Bowen High school after graduating from Warren Elementary school and spent two years helping the leader of the Spanish King make it through math and science class. (He'd wear a bandana under his chemistry cap and white apron. Was blackballed from the Jewish fraternity Achates (wasn't Jewish and was Palestinian) so that was an issue. Fell in love with Hollis Levin, but never dated until serving two years later in the military. Had fun. Miss my friends Sherry Weingarten, Laura Badner, J
Palestinian standup comedian and veteran journalist; authored the first ever Arab American Humor Book "Ya Habibi: Growing Up Arab in America," and 8 other books. hanania.com
I began standup after Sept. 11 starting at Zanies Comedy Club after only 3 Open Mikes at Riddles Comedy Club. Zanies gave me a 9 show run. The club owner thought it would be cute to partner me up with Jewish comedian Jackie Mason. Why not? (Even though he’s lame; made a lousy Ardvark.) I asked if they told Mason I was "Palestinian" ... not just "Arab." They said get past all that crap. This is comedy. Theater. Entertainment. It’s all a paper moon (as my best friend Harry Golden Jr. would often tell me at Chicago City Hall.) Opening night, Mason and his wife/manager went ballistic when he found out I was a Palestinian and ordered me booted off MY SHOW.
Since then I have worked with other Jewish & Israeli comedians to promote Middle East peace. My entire comedy act is based on my life growing up Arab in America on Chicago’s Southeast Side, Arab cultural funnies and my unusual marriage to my wife Alison, who is Jewish.
A veteran Chicago political reporter, and syndicated columnist, I've been performing standup comedy since Sept. 11, 2001 to promote the idea of bringing Palestinians and Israelis together. I continue to write for many newspapers including the Southwest News-Herald, the Arlington Heights Daily Herald, YnetNews.com, and more. I also am building a new career in filmmaking and short documentaries. My web page is www.TheMediaOasis.com.
I perform with the Israeli-Palestinian Comedy Tour with Aaron Freeman, Charley Warady, Yisrael Campbell, Shachar Chason, MC Deuce and others who believe in genuine peace between Israelis and Palestinians. www.IPComedyTour.com The Official Israeli-Palestinian Comedy Tour MySpace page is www.MySpace.com/IPComedyTour
Who I'd like to meet: I'd like to connect with other Jews, Arabs, Palestinians, Israelis, Americans, Christians and Muslims who would like to push hard to restore peace negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis. We need to set aside our differences, remember that we are all human, and push to bring sanity back to the relationship between Palestinians and Israelis.
I am also interested in performing for groups interested in promoting peace.
