The Divided States of America

Armando Anto brings a classical violin onto the stage, but his instrument is less of a prop and more of an argumentative partner. The self-funded 2023 release leans into his hyper-specific identity as a French-born, Iranian-heritage comedian living in Los Angeles with a Mexican wife. He targets the absurdity of modern American tribalism, contrasting the political neuroses of the United States with the cultural quirks of his European and Middle Eastern roots. Rather than offering standard political commentary, he punctures the self-seriousness of contemporary social debates by punctuating his punchlines with classical riffs and physical comedy.

Filmed live in Los Angeles, the hour-long set focuses on topics like the bizarre logistics of pandemic-era unemployment (noting that even terrorists found themselves out of work due to empty flights) and the cultural differences in prejudice, arguing that French racists at least have a better grasp of global geography. He spends considerable time on his household’s multilingual confusion, joking about his children’s multi-hyphenate French-Mexican-Iranian background and how his young son manages to cry with different regional accents. The show culminates in an extended violin performance that serves as an encore, showcasing the technical conservatory training he received in France before pivoting to stand-up.