Comedian Maysoon Zayid, who is co-organiser of the New York Arab-American Film Festival, spoke to fans following the first-ever online screening of her 2017 show at NYU Abu Dhabi. Courtesy Maysoon Zayid
Comedian Maysoon Zayid, who is co-organiser of the New York Arab-American Film Festival, spoke to fans following the first-ever online screening of her 2017 show at NYU Abu Dhabi. Courtesy Maysoon Zayid
Comedian Maysoon Zayid, who is co-organiser of the New York Arab-American Film Festival, spoke to fans following the first-ever online screening of her 2017 show at NYU Abu Dhabi. Courtesy Maysoon Zayid
Comedian Maysoon Zayid, who is co-organiser of the New York Arab-American Film Festival, spoke to fans following the first-ever online screening of her 2017 show at NYU Abu Dhabi. Courtesy Maysoon Zay

Maysoon Zayid on tap dancing and figuring out stand-up comedy in a virtual world


Razmig Bedirian
  • English
  • Arabic

“I’m trying to figure out how to do stand-up comedy in the virtual world,” Maysoon Zayid said on Wednesday night.

The American-Palestinian comedian used to spend 200 days a year touring the US with her cat, Beyonce.

But this was in the “before time”.

Before comedy shows – like most public gatherings – were cancelled in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic that brought the globe to an anxious standstill.

I always wanted that three-week writing retreat. Not the three-month one, with no salary and a global virus

“It’s unbelievable not to have shows, to just wake up one morning and have no stand-up comedy,” Zayid says. But she does think humour is a necessity in trying times. “Laughter is healing. And we need it right now.”

Zayid – whose Ted Talk I Got 99 Problems… And Palsy is Just One has garnered more than ten million views – spoke to fans via Zoom in a live event organised as part of NYU Abu Dhabi's Reconnect, a new online series.

"The pandemic is changing the way we do entertainment for the future. Maybe it's going to open the door for people like me to do more international work. But still, I hope it doesn't make the live stage obsolete because there's nothing like it."

The comedian told moderator Alana Barraj, that even though she has not left her New Jersey home since Saturday, March 14, she’s still found ways to stay busy and productive. She's tap-dancing to full-length concerts, weaving latch-hooks of the Disney character Stitch, and working on her new comic book.

Her new comic book

“It’s a fantastical comic book," Zayid says as Beyonce climbs the cat tree behind her.

"The central character is disabled, and even though she lives in a fantasy land, her disability doesn’t disappear. So she has superpowers and magic and all that other stuff and she’s still disabled. And I think that’s really important."

It was vital for Zayid – who has cerebral palsy – to have a powerful central character in her comic book who is disabled and who isn’t miraculously healed by her powers.

“We see that too often in the superhero world. You usually see actors who are not disabled play those characters or we see that having the superpower eliminates whatever the disability took away.”

Although Zayid did not divulge the title of her comic book, she did say that the book was aimed at 10 to 12-year-olds and was scheduled to be released in October 2021.

“It’s taking a long time to do because all the drawings are hand drawn,” she says. “I’m super excited. Right now we’re finalising the text but soon I’ll get to meet artists.

"I can’t think of a better way to spend this strange time-warp snapshot in history than writing a book. So I can say that I wrote this book during the great pandemic of 2020 and, by the way, it wasn’t that great.”

Self-isolating, Zayid says, has given her “more time to write than ever. I always wanted that three-week writing retreat. Not the three month one, with no salary and a global virus. But this is a variation on it,” she joked. “And I get to hang out with my cat, Beyonce, which is good for the soul.”

The comedian revealed that she's been busy in the three years since her Abu Dhabi show. In October 2019, she released an audiobook Find Another Dream, published on Audible by Reese Witherspoon's company Hello Sunshine. Written and narrated by Zayid, the memoir explores her hilarious and poignant journey as she creates her own path to stardom.

The book tells of how, as a child, Zayid dreamed of dancing on Broadway one day, until a choreographer told her to “find another dream.” Zayid, undeterred by the odds stacked against her, set her sights on becoming a soap opera star instead. While chasing fame, she found her voice in stand-up comedy, performing in multiple languages at sold-out shows all over the world.

“The memoir is available as a PDF as well, in case you can’t listen to it,” Zayid said. “I wanted to make sure it was accessible to everyone.”

Even though Zayid may have given up on her dreams of dancing on Broadway, she still tap dances as often as she can. Her metal-soled shoes have been seeing more wear time now, as she is self-isolating in her home in New Jersey.

“My parents couldn’t afford to send me to physical therapy, so they sent me to tap dancing lessons,” she says, adding that there’s nothing like tap dancing “when you’re trapped indoors, with the fear of death looming. Just put on some metal shoes and start banging on the floor like a tabla.”

Results

4.30pm Jebel Jais – Maiden (PA) Dh60,000 (Turf) 1,000m; Winner: MM Al Balqaa, Bernardo Pinheiro (jockey), Qaiss Aboud (trainer)

5pm: Jabel Faya – Maiden (PA) Dh60,000 (T) 1,000m; Winner: AF Rasam, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel

5.30pm: Al Wathba Stallions Cup – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: AF Mukhrej, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel

6pm: The President’s Cup Prep – Conditions (PA) Dh100,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: Mujeeb, Richard Mullen, Salem Al Ketbi

6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club – Prestige (PA) Dh125,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Jawal Al Reef, Antonio Fresu, Abubakar Daud

7pm: Al Ruwais – Group 3 (PA) Dh300,000 (T) 1,200m; Winner: Ashton Tourettes, Pat Dobbs, Ibrahim Aseel

7.30pm: Jebel Hafeet – Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: Nibraas, Richard Mullen, Nicholas Bachalard

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
A new relationship with the old country

Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates

The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:

ARTICLE 1 The relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates shall be governed by a spirit of close friendship. In recognition of this, the Contracting Parties, conscious of their common interest in the peace and stability of the region, shall: (a) consult together on matters of mutual concern in time of need; (b) settle all their disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.

ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.

ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.

ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.

DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.

Signed

Geoffrey Arthur  Sheikh Zayed

Gothia Cup 2025

4,872 matches 

1,942 teams

116 pitches

76 nations

26 UAE teams

15 Lebanese teams

2 Kuwaiti teams

Korean Film Festival 2019 line-up

Innocent Witness, June 26 at 7pm

On Your Wedding Day, June 27 at 7pm

The Great Battle, June 27 at 9pm

The Witch: Part 1. The Subversion, June 28 at 4pm

Romang, June 28 at 6pm

Mal Mo E: The Secret Mission, June 28 at 8pm

Underdog, June 29 at 2pm

Nearby Sky, June 29 at 4pm

A Resistance, June 29 at 6pm 

 

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Gender pay parity on track in the UAE

The UAE has a good record on gender pay parity, according to Mercer's Total Remuneration Study.

"In some of the lower levels of jobs women tend to be paid more than men, primarily because men are employed in blue collar jobs and women tend to be employed in white collar jobs which pay better," said Ted Raffoul, career products leader, Mena at Mercer. "I am yet to see a company in the UAE – particularly when you are looking at a blue chip multinationals or some of the bigger local companies – that actively discriminates when it comes to gender on pay."

Mr Raffoul said most gender issues are actually due to the cultural class, as the population is dominated by Asian and Arab cultures where men are generally expected to work and earn whereas women are meant to start a family.

"For that reason, we see a different gender gap. There are less women in senior roles because women tend to focus less on this but that’s not due to any companies having a policy penalising women for any reasons – it’s a cultural thing," he said.

As a result, Mr Raffoul said many companies in the UAE are coming up with benefit package programmes to help working mothers and the career development of women in general. 

Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The specs

Engine: 4 liquid-cooled permanent magnet synchronous electric motors placed at each wheel

Battery: Rimac 120kWh Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (LiNiMnCoO2) chemistry

Power: 1877bhp

Torque: 2300Nm

Price: Dh7,500,00

On sale: Now

 

Citizenship-by-investment programmes

United Kingdom

The UK offers three programmes for residency. The UK Overseas Business Representative Visa lets you open an overseas branch office of your existing company in the country at no extra investment. For the UK Tier 1 Innovator Visa, you are required to invest £50,000 (Dh238,000) into a business. You can also get a UK Tier 1 Investor Visa if you invest £2 million, £5m or £10m (the higher the investment, the sooner you obtain your permanent residency).

All UK residency visas get approved in 90 to 120 days and are valid for 3 years. After 3 years, the applicant can apply for extension of another 2 years. Once they have lived in the UK for a minimum of 6 months every year, they are eligible to apply for permanent residency (called Indefinite Leave to Remain). After one year of ILR, the applicant can apply for UK passport.

The Caribbean

Depending on the country, the investment amount starts from $100,000 (Dh367,250) and can go up to $400,000 in real estate. From the date of purchase, it will take between four to five months to receive a passport. 

Portugal

The investment amount ranges from €350,000 to €500,000 (Dh1.5m to Dh2.16m) in real estate. From the date of purchase, it will take a maximum of six months to receive a Golden Visa. Applicants can apply for permanent residency after five years and Portuguese citizenship after six years.

“Among European countries with residency programmes, Portugal has been the most popular because it offers the most cost-effective programme to eventually acquire citizenship of the European Union without ever residing in Portugal,” states Veronica Cotdemiey of Citizenship Invest.

Greece

The real estate investment threshold to acquire residency for Greece is €250,000, making it the cheapest real estate residency visa scheme in Europe. You can apply for residency in four months and citizenship after seven years.

Spain

The real estate investment threshold to acquire residency for Spain is €500,000. You can apply for permanent residency after five years and citizenship after 10 years. It is not necessary to live in Spain to retain and renew the residency visa permit.

Cyprus

Cyprus offers the quickest route to citizenship of a European country in only six months. An investment of €2m in real estate is required, making it the highest priced programme in Europe.

Malta

The Malta citizenship by investment programme is lengthy and investors are required to contribute sums as donations to the Maltese government. The applicant must either contribute at least €650,000 to the National Development & Social Fund. Spouses and children are required to contribute €25,000; unmarried children between 18 and 25 and dependent parents must contribute €50,000 each.

The second step is to make an investment in property of at least €350,000 or enter a property rental contract for at least €16,000 per annum for five years. The third step is to invest at least €150,000 in bonds or shares approved by the Maltese government to be kept for at least five years.

Candidates must commit to a minimum physical presence in Malta before citizenship is granted. While you get residency in two months, you can apply for citizenship after a year.

Egypt 

A one-year residency permit can be bought if you purchase property in Egypt worth $100,000. A three-year residency is available for those who invest $200,000 in property, and five years for those who purchase property worth $400,000.

Source: Citizenship Invest and Aqua Properties

The specs

AT4 Ultimate, as tested

Engine: 6.2-litre V8

Power: 420hp

Torque: 623Nm

Transmission: 10-speed automatic

Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)

On sale: Now

THE BIO: Mohammed Ashiq Ali

Proudest achievement: “I came to a new country and started this shop”

Favourite TV programme: the news

Favourite place in Dubai: Al Fahidi. “They started the metro in 2009 and I didn’t take it yet.”

Family: six sons in Dubai and a daughter in Faisalabad

 

MATCH INFO

Barcelona 5 (Lenglet 2', Vidal 29', Messi 34', 75', Suarez 77')

Valladolid 1 (Kiko 15')