Contents
Bassem Youssef
Creating Al Bernameg, the Egyptian political satire programme that grew from an online show.
The B+ Show · Al Bernameg
- Born
- 21 March 1974
- Birthplace
- Cairo, Egypt
More people
Bassem Youssef
Bassem Youssef left heart surgery for comedy during Egypt’s revolutionary period. He later built an international stand-up career after political pressure ended his television programme.
Early life
Cairo upbringing
Born and raised in Egypt before studying medicine at Cairo University.
Medical training
Specialised in cardiothoracic surgery and undertook further training abroad.
Career
- 1990s–2011
Medicine
Worked as a heart surgeon before becoming a full-time entertainer.
- 2011
Online beginnings
Created The B+ Show in the wake of Egypt’s revolution.
- 2011–2014
Television satire
Hosted Al Bernameg, challenging politicians and media personalities.
- 2015 onward
International career
Hosted the International Emmy Awards and developed English-language stand-up.
Selected work
The B+ Show
Short online satire filmed with a small team.
Al Bernameg
A studio programme mixing news parody, sketches and interviews.
Revolution for Dummies
A book reflecting on Egyptian politics and his television experience.
Beyond work
Emergency care
Helped treat injured protesters in Tahrir Square in 2011.
Children’s writing
Co-wrote The Magical Reality of Nadia with Catherine R. Daly.
Sources & photo credit
Life, career and references ↗Laugh Factory: comedian biography ↗Scholastic: The Magical Reality of Nadia ↗Photo: Saha Notlari. CC BY 3.0 · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
