🎙️ In this episode of the Sumud Podcast, Palestinian-American comedian Rami Abushhab opens up about growing up in Chicago as one of the only Palestinians in his community and navigating Hollywood as an Arab actor. He shares personal stories about identity, representation, and the pressure to hide who he is, while reflecting on the emotional toll of witnessing the ongoing tragedy in Palestine. Rami explores how comedy serves as both a coping mechanism and a form of resistance, and speaks on generational trauma, privilege, and his mission to create space for future Palestinian creatives. The episode also features a moving letter to his future children, capturing grief, hope, and pride.
🌍 Rami Abushhab is an award-winning Palestinian-American actor and stand-up comedian. As an actor, he’s known for his work on TV shows like Law & Order and Chicago Fire, as well as his role in BJ’s Mobile Gift Shop, an official selection of the Sundance Film Festival. Beyond acting, Rami writes, directs, and produces his own short films, using storytelling to highlight Palestinian narratives and challenge stereotypes. As a comedian, he has toured internationally and been featured on platforms like WGN and Forbes. His style blends sharp storytelling with political satire, tackling difficult topics with humor, honesty, and purpose. Rami continues to tour and create, with a mission to represent his people authentically and open doors for the next generation of Palestinian artists.
🔑 In this conversation, we explore
→ Growing up Palestinian in Chicago and discovering identity
→ Realizing Palestine wasn’t on the map
→ Navigating Hollywood and pressure to hide his identity
→ Comedy as resistance and storytelling
→ The emotional toll of witnessing tragedy in Palestine
→ Representation, art, and humanizing Palestinians
→ A powerful letter to future children about being Palestinian
⏱ Chapters:
00:00 Opening reflection: privilege, dreams, and global reality
01:00 Introducing Rami: comedy, acting, and early career
05:00 Growing up in Chicago: identity and being Palestinian
09:00 Acting breakthrough: Maqluba and representation impact
16:30 Theater school & Meisner method: emotional transformation
21:00 Stand-up journey: bombing, crowd work, and finding confidence
32:00 Career struggles, identity, family, and future ambitions (to end)
This video is for educational purposes only. It offers personal testimony and political analysis meant to inform and document.
Sponsored by The Karate Attorney (@karateattorney) fighting for justice inside and outside the courtroom. Visit KarateAttorney.com
🎬 Full episode on https://sumudpod.com
📲 Follow @dredhasan | @sumudpod | @ramiabushhab