Culture Bites: Why it’s time for Ramy Youssef’s satire based on the Muslim-American experience in post-9/11 America

With Ramadan on its way, Enas Refaei and Farah Andrews take inspiration from the cultural happenings in the UAE and the region to reflect on the most important traditions of the holy month. They give a preview of Alserkal Avenue’s coming Interrupting Patterns programme, which features poetry, theatre and film as platforms for community building and contemplation. They also discuss the role of Ramadan TV entertainment in bringing people together. The hosts pay tribute to the power of community in the UAE and the charitable initiatives it brings out in people. A new animation coming to Amazon Prime Video this April has already stirred up a buzz. #1 Happy Family USA, created by Egyptian-American actor and director Ramy Youssef, is an animated satire that centres on a Muslim family in the early 2000s trying to adapt toa post-9/11 America. Enas and Farah comment on the power of comedy and animation in particular to portray the struggles of Arabs and Muslims in the diaspora and to engage diverse audiences who otherwise may not have been exposed to their stories.