Comedy Central Preps First Local Production in the Middle East

MILAN: Production has begun on Comedy Central’s first local stand-up special filmed in the Middle East and featuring talent from across the region.

Comedy Central Presents كوميدي عالواقف will feature 30 Arab comedians performing in English and Arabic. The show is fronted by Ali Al Sayed, an Emirati who has performed on stages such as Comic Strip Live and Broadway in New York, and Mo Amer, a pioneer of Arab-American stand-up who has supported Dave Chappelle.

The show will debut on February 5 on Comedy Central HD on OSN. It will run for ten half-hour episodes, each featuring three new artists.

“VIMN is committed to growing our business and investing in new projects in the Middle East,” said Raffaele Annecchino, the president and managing director of VIMN Southern and Western Europe, Africa and the Middle East. “CC Presents كوميدي عالواقف is the first local production for Comedy Central in MENA since we launched the channel less than a year ago. This is a great achievement for the brand and we look forward to continued success, with the goal to make Comedy Central the home of standup in the region, both for our audiences and local talent.”

“Comedy Central is the leading comedy brand around the world and we are committed to elevating local talent. Programs like CC Presents… and support of other local standup is a key part of our business in our other markets including Africa, Italy and Spain,” said Amalia Martinez de Velasco, the senior VP of entertainment brands for VIMN SWEMEA. “When we launched Comedy Central in MENA, we were determined to accomplish the same success here in the Middle East. We have brought together 30 comedians from all across the region and hope that CC Presents كوميدي عالواقف is just the beginning of our collaborative work with local comics.”