Bassem Youssef says his fame suggests 'circus more trusted than senate'

Abu Dhabi forum hears from Egyptian-American satirist and Barcelona legend Gerard Pique

Bassem Youssef at the Bridge Summit in Abu Dhabi. Antonie Robertson / The National

Controversial comedian Bassem Youssef has told an Abu Dhabi audience his rise to global prominence is an example of how “the circus is more trusted than the senate”.

The Egyptian-American comedian has courted controversy during stand-up routines on subjects such as freedom of speech, anti-Semitism and the Israel-Gaza war.

He said political satire should always have a place in any free-minded society.

“When the revolution in Egypt broke out, I did the one thing that made sense to me – I left medicine and became a comedian,” he said, on the final day of the Bridge Summit in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.

“I am in this very peculiar position where I'm a comedian, but my name is associated with wars, revolutions and human tragedy. For some reason, people take my jokes more seriously than they should.”

In a highly charged 2023 interview with British broadcaster Piers Morgan, Youssef criticised Israel’s actions in Gaza and the western media, sparking huge online debate.

The interview went viral, while follow-ups attracted an even wider audience and significantly expanded his international fan base, leading to sold-out shows across Europe and the US.

“We live in a world where a TikTok video gets more engagement than a UN resolution, and where a comedian's Instagram post about Gaza gets more traction than a 50-page Amnesty International report,” he said.

“I am invited to political forums, hard talk interviews and serious events, but I don't know if this says more about how seriously people take comedians or how much of a joke serious discourse has become.

“Is it because comedians are brilliant? Absolutely not.

“It's because somewhere along the way, the circus became more trusted than the senate, and jesters became more credible than the journalists.

“People have found more truth in comedy clubs than in the outlets of the free press.”

Egyptian comedian Bassem Youssef became a global sensation after his interview with Piers Morgan in 2023. Photo: Talk TV

Pique's goal

The Abu Dhabi media and technology event attracted media personalities and technology experts during three days of discussion and debate.

Among the stars also appearing on the final day was former footballer Gerard Pique, who won the World Cup with Spain in 2010.

He told the summit that, almost three years on from its launch, his King’s League seven-a-side football series was set for a big expansion.

The former Barcelona defender said his modern slant on the beautiful game is to launch in the US in 2026 to coincide with the Fifa World Cup in July.

The football format designed for the YouTube generation, fast on action with plenty of goals, was an example of how industries must adapt to survive, Pique said.

Twelve teams currently compete in 40-minute matches live-streamed on the gaming platform Twitch.

They feature unlimited substitutions, sin bins for yellow or red cards and special bonus golden cards picked before kick-off to offer teams an advantage.

In the first three months after its launch in 2023, the league attracted 92,000 online subscribers and has continued to grow.

Pique said he had the idea of a faster-paced game shortly after retiring in 2022.

“Every day when you wake up, you need to adapt to whatever is happening and you need to read what's happening in the world,” he said.

“It is important to understand how this new generation is consuming because people are saying, 'No, these kids, they don't like football any more, they don't follow sports'. Well, this is not true.

“They follow and they consume sports, but they consume it in another way.”

Top stars

Pique launched the format with Twitch streamer Ibai in a bid to attract a younger audience – and more women – to watch football.

Teams are made up from a mix of gamers and online influencers, and former pros, including Manchester City legend Sergio Aguero, Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas and Mexican striker Javier Hernandez.

Matches never end in a draw, and must be decided by a beat the keeper penalty score similar to ice hockey. They also feature mystery players who wear face masks to hide their identity.

Gerard Pique after winning the 2010 World Cup with Spain. Getty Images

“We do a lot of voting and polls where we listen to the audience,” said Pique, who won the World Cup with Spain in South Africa in 2010.

“If they want to change a rule, change a game day or kick-off time, even the colour of the grass, we ask people what they want.

“The audience needs to be heard, and it's one of the keys to our success.

“Even if they don't have equity in the business or they are not partners, they build with us, the community and the sport itself.”

King’s League matches currently take place in Spain, Mexico, Italy, Brazil, France, Germany and the Middle East and North Africa region.

Pique has high hopes of taking football to a new generation of young fans.

“2026 for us is a very important year because we want to focus on the US – it is a totally different beast,” he said.

“There is a lot of interest from countries like the Netherlands, Portugal, Turkey, Japan and South Korea. Our idea is to start licensing our concept in those countries.”