Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi
Since taking office on June 30, 2012, Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi has been called many things, from “Morsillini” and “the new Mubarak” on twitter and the blogosphere to “the new pharaoh” by Egyptian democracy advocate Mohamed El Baradei.
As Egypt’s first democratically elected president, Morsi doesn’t have time to pay name calling any attention. He has more important things to worry about, such as public security and Egypt’s international standing.
According to the Egyptian state prosecutor, it was these reasons that on March 30, 2013 Morsi issued an arrest warrant for the iconic host of the popular satirical television show El Bernameg (or “The Program”): Bassem Youssef.
Inspired by comedian Jon Stewart’s “The Daily Show,” Youssef began his comedic career less than a month after former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak resigned in the face of massive protests against his 30-year autocratic rule.
Youssef’s first show, “The B+ Show,” was an instant success. A heart surgeon by occupation and a comedian by avocation, he was soon thrust into the limelight with his own primetime television show following the initial post revolution consolidation and the relaxation of pre revolution controls on the media.
Borrowing heavily from his American counterpart in regards to format and style, Youssef has managed to keep his show relevant, hysterically funny, and despite its borrowed aspects, decidedly Egyptian in flavor.
Now in its second season, the show has an ever-increasing cult following both in Egypt and abroad, and when rumors of Youssef’s arrest warrant went viral shortly afterwards, the reaction was as fierce as it was unexpected. With advocates for his release ranging from El Bernameg’s inspiration himself, Jon Stewart, to the United States State Department, Youssef was released on a bail of 15,000 Egyptian pounds (roughly 2,000 USD) the next day in the face of massive public protests across Egypt for his release that resulted in several injuries.
Now a free man, Youssef is back on televisions and laptops all over the world mercilessly mocking the Morsi regime and those who arrested him as never before, indeed following the advice of Lord Byron nearly some 200 years ago: “oh by satire kept in awe, do shrink from ridicule, though not from law.”
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