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Brick Wall Comedy
Brick Wall Comedy
Maz Jobrani

Maz Jobrani

Geopolitical tension deflated by constant motion and a permanent smile.

Portrait credit:

Source

4 specials · 2004–2023

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Maz Jobrani performs with a wide, permanent smile that serves a specific purpose: it signals to the audience that no matter how tense the geopolitical premise, the punchline will be safe. He paces the stage, throwing his body into rapid act-outs. When he slips into an accent—often the slow, heavy cadence of a strict Iranian father—his posture drops, only to snap immediately back into his natural, fast-talking California rhythm.

Specials

On stage

As a founding member of the Axis of Evil comedy tour in the mid-2000s, he helped carve out a mainstream space for Middle Eastern-American standup. He now operates as a veteran of cross-cultural comedy, playing large theaters to deeply diverse crowds.

Crowd work drives the middle of his sets. He leans over the mic stand, polls the front rows on their heritage, and uses the answers to map the room. He points out the overlapping strictness in different cultures’ parenting styles or the shared quirks of immigrant households. He leans hard on broad national stereotypes, a move that occasionally feels like a throwback to an older era of club comedy. He gets away with it because the framing is affectionate rather than cynical. Instead of lecturing the room on international relations, he points out the mundane absurdities of border security and diplomacy.

Born in Iran and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Jobrani uses that exact cultural collision as his baseline. He builds his material on the friction between traditional expectations and relaxed American suburban life, keeping the tone fast, bright, and wide open.

Turning points

  1. 2000s

    Founding the Axis of Evil Comedy Tour

    In response to post-9/11 geopolitical tensions, Jobrani co-founded the Axis of Evil Comedy Tour, bringing Middle Eastern standup comedy to Comedy Central and international audiences.

  2. White House Performance for Michelle Obama

    In spring 2016, Jobrani performed at the White House and had the honor of introducing First Lady Michelle Obama.

At a glance

Born
, Tehran, Iran
Style
observational, satire, crowd work
Breakout
Axis of Evil Comedy Tour
Topics
Elsewhere
Website, Wikipedia

Fans also like

  • Al Madrigal

    Fellow All Things Comedy standup comic and regular collaborator who co-hosts the parenting-focused podcast Minivan Men alongside Jobrani.

  • Chris Spencer

    Standup comedian and fellow co-host on the All Things Comedy fatherhood podcast Minivan Men.

  • Aaron Aryanpur

    Comedian and fellow co-host on the podcast Minivan Men, sharing comedic reflections on parenting and family life.

Podcasts

  • Back To School with Maz Jobrani · host

    Maz Jobrani and his co-hosts interview professors and experts across various fields to audit subjects and expand their knowledge.

    Apple Podcasts

  • Minivan Men · co-host

    A podcast chronicling the lives and experiences of the comedian hosts with a central focus on fatherhood.

    Apple Podcasts

Also on screen

2003–2004
Life with Bonnie Maz
Friends with Better Lives Henry
Descendants Jafar
The Detour Gupta
Bajillion Dollar Propertie$ Farsi-speaking Client

A clip to start with

A clip of Maz Jobrani