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Table of Contents
About The Book
“A funny, insightful memoir” (Kirkus Reviews) about growing up Iranian in America, and the quest to make it as an actor in Hollywood without having to wear a turban, tote a bomb, or get kicked in the face by Chuck Norris.
After he emigrated with his family to the US during the Iranian Revolution, Maz Jobrani spent most of his youth trying to fit in with his adopted culture—learning to play baseball and religiously watching Dallas. But none of his attempts at assimilation made a difference to casting directors, who only auditioned him for the role of kebab-eating, bomb-toting, extremist psychopath.
When he first started out in show business, Maz endured suggestions that he spice up his stand-up act by wearing “the outfit,” fielded questions about rising gas prices, and was jeered for his supposed involvement in the Iran hostage crisis. In fact, these things happened so often that he began to wonder: Could I be a terrorist without even knowing it? And when all he seemed to be offered were roles that required looking menacingly Arabic, he wondered if he would ever make it in America.
This laugh-out-loud memoir chronicles a lifetime of both killing it and bombing on stage, with “plenty to say about matters of race, assimilation, embarrassing family members, life in America for brown-skinned people before and after 9/11, the vagaries of international pop culture, and making it in big, dumb, fizzy, sometimes beautiful America” (The New York Times).
After he emigrated with his family to the US during the Iranian Revolution, Maz Jobrani spent most of his youth trying to fit in with his adopted culture—learning to play baseball and religiously watching Dallas. But none of his attempts at assimilation made a difference to casting directors, who only auditioned him for the role of kebab-eating, bomb-toting, extremist psychopath.
When he first started out in show business, Maz endured suggestions that he spice up his stand-up act by wearing “the outfit,” fielded questions about rising gas prices, and was jeered for his supposed involvement in the Iran hostage crisis. In fact, these things happened so often that he began to wonder: Could I be a terrorist without even knowing it? And when all he seemed to be offered were roles that required looking menacingly Arabic, he wondered if he would ever make it in America.
This laugh-out-loud memoir chronicles a lifetime of both killing it and bombing on stage, with “plenty to say about matters of race, assimilation, embarrassing family members, life in America for brown-skinned people before and after 9/11, the vagaries of international pop culture, and making it in big, dumb, fizzy, sometimes beautiful America” (The New York Times).
Product Details
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster (February 17, 2015)
- Length: 240 pages
- ISBN13: 9781476750002
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Raves and Reviews
“Jobrani has plenty to say about matters of race, assimilation, embarrassing family members, life in America for brown-skinned people before and after 9/11, the vagaries of international pop culture and making it in big, dumb, fizzy, sometimes beautiful America.” —The New York Times
“Maz Jobrani is challenging extremist ideology and Muslim stereotypes, one punchline at a time.”
– The Atlantic
“I didn’t even know Maz was Persian. I thought he was Mexican. You learn so much when someone writes a book about themselves. Now read it so you can understand why Maz is hands down my favorite bald headed, goateed, Persian comedian named Maz.” —Whitney Cummings, stand-up comedian and creator of Two Broke Girls
“I have witnessed hundreds of thousands of people come to my club, and adore Maz. I highly recommend this book. It’s an incredible story about an incredible comedian. You will love it!” —Jamie Masada, Owner, The World Famous Laugh Factory
“Maz Jobrani is no Jabroni. If you don't read his book I will find you, put you in a camel clutch, and break your neck! Oh, and his book is funny too.” —The Iron Sheik, WWE Champion and Social Media God
“A heartfelt and laugh-out-loud hilarious memoir about growing up an immigrant in America. Maz Jobrani is not just one of the funniest comics out there. He's a keenly perceptive voice on what it even means to be American.” — Reza Aslan, author of Zealot and No god but God
"The struggles and successes of ‘the Persian Eddie Murphy.’ Iranian-American comedian, actor and first-time author Jobrani tells a fish-out-of-water story. . . . A funny [and] insightful memoir" —Kirkus Reviews
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- Book Cover Image (jpg): I'm Not a Terrorist, But I've Played One On TV eBook 9781476750002
