Egyptian Comedian Youssef Accused of "Promoting Homosexuality"

Egyptian comedian Youssef recently accounced that he will be hosting an Egyptian gay singer on his show “El Bernameg”.

 

On January 1, an Egyptian prosecutor was investigating Bassem Youssef, a satiric comedian in Egypt, on charges of maligning President Mohammed Morsi by "circulating false news likely to disturb public peace and public security and affect the administration.” On March 30, an arrest warrant was issued for Youssef for “insulting Islam and Morsi”. Youssef confirmed the arrest warrant on his Twitter account and said he would hand himself in to the prosecutor’s office. The following day, he was questioned by authorities before being released on bail of 15,000 Egyptian pounds. The move was seen by opponents as part of an effort to silence dissent against Morsi’s government.

 

The event sparked international media attention as well as a segment on Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show where he declared his support for Youssef. Despite all of the controversy it sparks, El Bernameg has been a major success after the Egyptian political change. It is constantly topping the regional YouTube charts, making Bassem Youssef’s YouTube channel the most subscribed to in Egypt.

 

In addition to insulting Islam, the President Morsi and the Egyptian identity, Youssef has been recently accused of “promoting homosexuality” and “insulting the state of Pakistan”.

 

Despite all the accusations, Youssef discussed his decision to host an openly gay performer on his "El Bernameg" satirical news program. Of his experience with Mashrou Leila, which is lead by gay frontman Hamed Sinno, Youssef recalled, "I heard their songs and I didn’t ask about his orientation ... Did we discuss [his] being openly gay on the show? We didn’t."