Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Muslim
Religious Music and Entertainment
The Past and Future of Muslim Comedy with Preacher Moss

The Past and Future of Muslim Comedy with Preacher Moss

Last updated on: October 4, 2024 at 9:44 pm by irfanrydhan

0 Comments

The Past and Future of Muslim Comedy with Preacher Moss 2024-10-04T21:44:09-06:00 irfanrydhan

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The Past, Present and Future of Muslim Comedy with Preacher Moss

Join us in this intimate chat with the OG Muslim comedian, practitioner of ‘protest comedy’, lover of jazz music, and our latest guest of honor: Preacher Moss. We talk about the art form of comedy, his history on building the Muslim comedy scene, as well as pontificating on the current and future states of comedy from within the Muslim community. Below is a brief transcript of what we discussed:

Abbas: but real quick I just want to ask you like within the comedy scene especially the Muslim comedy scene itself you know we see a lot more people popping up now 20 years ago it’s been 20 years since Allah made me funny was launched what changes have you seen within the Muslim comedy scene especially since since then

Preacher Moss: it’s not really the Muslim comedy scene

Abbas: it’s not?

Preacher Moss: it’s not really the Muslim comedy scene. 2003 2004 2005 it was it was an engagement um so I stopped doing comedy in the mainstream because you felt a Call of Duty and sense of urgency. Imam Warrith Deen Muhammad, May Allah be pleased with him, when I came up with the idea of Allah Made Me Funny, he thought it was great because it was still this fracture between the indigenous Muslim Community and the Immigrant Muslim Community and he made the point that we have a lot of Scholars

over here people who studied he said but we can’t get on these mimbars over here in these communities Pakistani, Indian, Arab you know we can sit but we have this knowledge and this knowledge is very valuable for what was going on after 911. but when I talked to the higher-ups about doing Allah made me funny uh he was like yes yes you should do it he said but here’s a caveat don’t start it in the Indigenous Muslim Community go over and and start it and I’m like hey you know. I’m like because I didn’t have a relationship with immigrant Muslims. I just didn’t have one and at times didn’t really want one from all the years I been touring and gone to these Masjids and some of the uh treatment I had gone through

some people are great some people really disrespectful I’m just gonna be honest I keep it 100% um but the Imam was like that comedy thing is is different and so he looks at and goes how many Muslim

comedians we have but I’m like in my mind I go hey man. I’m look I’ve been working with, I’m touring with George Lopez on the George Lopez show I said I go over here it’s like starting over and he he looks at me he goes well are you funny or not I’m like ?

Abbas: oh challenge accepted

Preacher Moss: yeah I’m like yeah but I mean I wrote my thesis about this whole thing what yeah had Arab comedians that were very funny Muslim comedians but we serve the moment right because in 2001 two three you have people you had Muslims afraid to go to the Masjid they were tired they were scared you know they you know that that pervasive thing of islamophobia uh what was being put on us

what we were putting on ourselves you know the whole world is against us I’m like no go outside you know people you know there are people that appreciate who we are but they’re not gonna do it if we don’t appreciate who we are and so the comedy was much more purposeful uh I’ve said this before but Allah made me funny was really a a curriculum.

Abbas: it was a curriculum how so? that’s fascinating that you call it that

Preacher Moss: was um it was protest comedy I learned it from from Dick Gregory that was my mentor

Abbas: wow

Preacher Moss: now if you don’t know protest comedy after hanging out with Dick Gregory then you’re just not paying attention protest comedy love that we and so it a very surgical man very surgical…

LISTEN TO THE FULL INTERVIEW HERE:

Religious Music and Entertainment

The Artistic Foodies Podcast

Previous Post

August 2, 2024

Muslim Unity Day 2024

Next Post

October 31, 2024 DEBATE: Why Muslims should Vote Stein over Harris

Recent Comments

0 | Leave a Comment

"Hi Barbara - thanks for your comments. Your information is historically incorrect and based on ..."

IrfanRydhan

Jesus Was Palestinian: A Historical and ..."

"Jesus was a Jew. Everything he taught was centered on the God of Judaism. Bethlehem ..."

Barbara_OBrien

Jesus Was Palestinian: A Historical and ..."

"I would be interested to know what the Quran has to say."

William T. Orr, Jr.

Cannabis in Islam: Halal or Haram?

"I noticed that you didn't mention labeling the packages. Was that intentional?"

Hard Body Haulers

How To Keep Your Stuff Organized ..."

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Activism Architecture Art Books/Magazines Business Education Event Planning Finance Food HalalEats Unplugged Podcast Interfaith Islam Media Politics Religion Self Help The Artistic Foodies Podcast Travel TV/Film Uncategorized

Select a Month September 2026 June 2026 February 2026 December 2025 July 2025 June 2025 January 2025 November 2024 October 2024 August 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 June 2023 November 2022 September 2022 April 2022 February 2022 November 2021 October 2021 August 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 April 2019 February 2019 December 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 January 2018 December 2017 June 2017 May 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 August 2016 May 2016 March 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 July 2015 May 2015 January 2015 December 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 September 2013 August 2013 June 2013 May 2013 March 2013 December 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 October 2010 August 2010 April 2010 February 2010 January 2010 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Be still, and know that I am ____.

Select your answer to see how you score.

Sovereign God Holy Faithful