Live from Beirut

Adel Karam leans heavily into bodily functions and cultural quirks for Netflix’s first Arabic-language stand-up special. Filmed at the Casino du Liban in Beirut, the set relies on broad, physical delivery and observational humor about Arab society rather than political satire. Karam focuses on the tactile and the profane, devoting segments to the agony of a colonoscopy, the complexities of traditional cheek-kissing greetings, and the visceral details of preparing and eating every part of a sheep’s head. The special arrived at a peak moment in his career, filmed while he was concurrently starring in the Oscar-nominated film The Insult. While Live from Beirut represented a historic milestone for regional representation, the material itself divided critics, with some observers pointing to his reliance on outdated racial stereotypes during a segment about a trip to Africa as a missed opportunity to offer something fresh for a global stage.