You have to be an anglophile to get some of Omid Djalili’s jokes and references on his first stand-up comedy DVD No Agenda.
Much like Guiness, Djalili’s humor on this show in front of a British audience show does not travel well but it is unique and there is no such thing as enough.
After Djalili establishes the accent is just a stage character trait the comic opens with a couple of current affairs barbs before Djalili embarks on a long routine about multiculturalism that takes on Iranians and Persians, Greeks, Turks, the Irish, and Indians. It closes with a jab at the multiethnically correct.
Omid Djalili has great audience control. This is obvious in the ethnic catch phrase bit which includes one hell of a great set-up and killer punchline right at the beginning. His attack on how the media depicts Muslims is dead on and viciously accurate. His example comes from the BBC but it is true everywhere. His take on what it would be like if Al Jazeera had the same approach is also quite good. The title of this stand-up comedy DVD may be No Agenda but Djalili has one at the beginning.
A routine a North American audience will get much more easily is the stand-up comic’s routine on Iran and the July bombings in London.
There has been a lot of discussion over here (Quebec) about what is reasonable accommodation towards newcomers. Djalili’s answer is there should be no such thing as it prevents the immigrant culture to understand how the majority operates. At the same time, the British Iranian comic points out all cultures are fairly ignorant of other and that too is a problem
I know this sounds like heavy duty stuff and it is but Omid Djalili has the talent to make it interesting and funny.
The last twenty or so minutes of No Agenda are more light hearted fare. They are just as funny and Djalili’s bit on making a sitcom in the States is the most American audience friendly moment on this DVD.
If you like Omid Djalili you might like Ahmed Ahmed
No Agenda Live at the London Palladium
Omid Djalili
Stand-up Comedy DVD
Starz Home Entertainment
77 minutes plus extras
Related Posts
- 75The special feature Norwich show is better than the main on this DVD
- 75Late Late Show and Drew Carey Show star's first stand-up comedy special.