Egypt satirist returns to TV at a touchy time

[unhappycamper]

http://www.latimes.com/world/worldnow/la-fg-wn-egypt-satirist-20140202,0,7017058.story



Bassem Youssef in a frame grab from his show. The comedian has run afoul of both the current ruler, Abdel Fattah Sisi, and the previous government, headed by Islamist Mohamed Morsi.

Egypt satirist returns to TV at a touchy time
By Laura King This post has been corrected. See note at the bottom for details.
February 2, 2014, 5:22 a.m.

CAIRO -- One of Egypt’s edgier comics is again dancing close to the precipice.

Amid a sweeping crackdown on freedom of expression in Egypt, Bassem Youssef, a political satirist whose brand of humor is often likened to that of Jon Stewart, is bringing his “Daily Show”-style program back to the airwaves this week.

Youssef’s new season, which was to have begun airing last fall, was yanked from the air after only one show amid editorial differences with the private satellite channel CBC. The show is to resume Friday night on a different outlet, MBC Egypt.

The comic is making his comeback at a sensitive time. The program -- which Youssef waggishly calls “The Program,” or “El Bernameg” in Arabic -- had poked fun at the cult of personality surrounding Field Marshal Abdel Fattah Sisi, the defense chief and de facto ruler who is widely expected to run for president. A formal announcement could come this week.

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Video from The Daily Show:

Published on Apr 2, 2013
The Egyptian government issues an arrest warrant for comedian Bassem Youssef.