Leading Middle Eastern streamer MBC Shahid has featured Lebanese comedian Jon Ashkal’s stand-up comedy special “Tryin'” (“Aam Jarrib”), filmed at Paris’ legendary L’Olympia concert hall, which is touted as a milestone for Arabic stand-up comedy.
Ashkal’s performance of “Tryin’,” filmed in Paris on October 23, was the comedian’s first Arabic-language performance on the iconic L’Olympia stage, which has hosted some of the world’s comedy greats such as Chris Rock, Gad Elmaleh and Eddie Izzard.
Ashkar’s stand-up comedy live tour, which is playing sold-out shows in 85 cities around the world, is produced by Dubai-based distributor and producer Front Row Filmed Entertainment, which announced the deal with MBC on Monday.
MBC Shahid will be broadcasting a special program with John Ashkal exclusively in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region starting May 27th. The “Tryin” special is the first of six Arabic stand-up shows currently being planned by Front Row, with the names of other artists yet to be revealed.
In a statement, Ashkal takes an “unfiltered, fast-paced” approach with “Tryin,” which “cuts headlong into the hilarity and heartbreak of modern Arab life.” It noted that the show is performed in Arabic around the world and “speaks to the Lebanese and Arab diaspora, both those who remain and those who have left.”
“For me, this special is more important than comedy,” Ashkar said in a statement. “The aim is to prove that Arab stories, Arab humor and Arab stand-up deserve to stand alongside the world’s biggest productions and performances,” he added. “We have spent years building this community around the world, and we feel the arrival of an Arabic special reach streaming platform like MBC Shahid is a huge step forward for the industry as a whole.”
Gianluca Chakra, CEO of Front Row, said: “John has achieved something incredibly rare: creating comedy that feels deeply personal to Arabs around the world, yet universally relatable.”
“This deal with MBC’s Shaheed is not only a milestone for John, but also for Arabic stand-up comedy as we enter the massive streaming era. MBC’s Shaheed is the leading home for Arab content, and the fact that they believe in this vision and are properly supporting it is a very positive sign for comedic talent in the region and beyond.”
