It's the Brian Laird Show on WNYC. I'm Tiffany Hanson filling in for Brian who is out today and now will wrap the show by looking at the upcoming Arab American comedy festival. This Sunday is the festival.

It's back with its 20th anniversary celebration tour

at Town Hall featuring a variety of recognizable comedians.

Their goal is to quote, build empathy and understanding through the power of laughter.

I think we can all agree that empathy and understanding is desperately needed right now so joining us to talk about that and provide a sneak peek into the festival is Dean Obidala, who is the comedian

and co-founder of the New York Arab American Comedy Festival and host of the Dean Obidala

show on Sirius XM. Hi Dean.

Hi Tiffany, thanks for having the odd.

Absolutely, okay and listeners we want to take your questions for Dean as well.

Do you have questions about how to laugh in hard times?

I'm sure we're going to bring that up with Dean.

And also, do you have a question or comment in particular

about Arab American comedians?

You can call us 212 433 9692433 WNYC. You can also text that

number. Dean, let's talk about you're celebrating the 20th anniversary of this

festival so take us back to the origins what prompted you to start it well myself

and mason zayads my good friend another comedian the co-founder of the festival I met her a short

time before 9-11 I was doing comedy for a few years not full-time but doing comedy in

the clubs here in New York and at the open mics and I met her at an open mic

before 9-11.

After 11 we started talking about can we do some shows with Arab American comedians

to try to show who we are?

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