It was a full circle moment for Palestinian-American Mo Amer as he stood on the stage of Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on Saturday evening.
“This is a dream come true,” he told the audience after a thunderous welcoming applause. He was the last act of the night, after four hit-and-miss local comedians and an impressive set from Iranian-American comic Maz Jobrani.
It was truly heartfelt in the first few minutes as Arab fans showed pride and support for Amer, who of course, would crack jokes in Arabic occasionally.
Right off the bat, his Arab heritage, delivered with observational humour and slapstick comedy, took the spotlight as he joked about his Palestinian mom who would have him bring an entire Arabic buffet during a “bring food to school day”.
“Other kids would bring pizza and pies,” he quipped to a chuckling audience, “but my Arab mom, of course, would cook mansaf and prepare Arabic bread with zaatar.”
Although such jokes are almost formulaic among the numerous comedians from the region who have moved to the West at some point in their lives, Amer's charm made them sound novel. His life, after all, growing up in Texas as an Arab immigrant, provided him with enough material to launch a comedy career.
He also has two Netflix comedy specials, Mo Amer: The Vagabond and Mo Amer: Mohammed in Texas and is the creator and star of Mo, a comedy-drama loosely based on his life.
Born in Kuwait, Amer fled to the US with his family in 1990, and finally obtained US citizenship in 2009. His Arab identity has always been central to his brand. At one point in his set, he joked about creating a hijabi superhero “who whips people with her headscarf”.
“Did you see her hair? No, because she is too fast, that's her superpower,” he says.
One of the highlights of Amer's set was his story about doing a comedy gig at a small town in Louisiana, where he brought a white guy to open for him and “for when things go wrong” he joked.
After a long set-up, the joke ended with him being racially profiled, with a handful of police officers arriving at the venue. The story was the perfect opportunity to be poignant, similar to the thought-provoking styles of other comedians such as Hannah Gadsby or Trevor Noah.
Interestingly, Amer's conclusion was not as strong as the story itself, leaving you wanting a heavier punchline. This was repeated on occasion throughout where he would spend some time setting up a joke, but would almost always end up lacking a sharp hit.
When comedians go for narrative style, where the jokes are longer and are based on a story, the payoff as an audience member is delayed. You wait for the joke, and if you're lucky, there is one. Amer had the jokes and a naturally engaging comic charm, but his punchlines could have been stronger.
Despite a treasure trove of Arab material, Amer injected random stories in between, presumably as he tried to test new “international” material for another Netflix special. Although they were funny, they felt out of place, making the set feel a bit incoherent.
Touring with Dave Chapelle has seemingly influenced Amer's comedy, and it was visible throughout his set. His jokes are designed to put the audience on the edge, often satirising real social issues that people, especially those of colour, face in the US.
Amer's career is important, and the positive response of the Abu Dhabi audience demonstrated that. He represents the Arab immigrant experience that seems to resonate with most people in a country such as the UAE.
As a non-Arab but someone who also moved to another country, I also found it sentimental that Amer was able to rise up the ranks of the American comedy scene, and find a distinct and hilarious voice that could serve as an inspiration to people who are also named Mohammed, however many they are, as he joked.
ON%20TRACK
%3Cp%3EThe%20Dubai%20Metaverse%20Assembly%20will%20host%20three%20main%20tracks%3A%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEducate%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Consists%20of%20more%20than%2010%20in-depth%20sessions%20on%20the%20metaverse%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EInspire%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Will%20showcase%20use%20cases%20of%20the%20metaverse%20in%20tourism%2C%20logistics%2C%20retail%2C%20education%20and%20health%20care%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EContribute%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Workshops%20for%20metaverse%20foresight%20and%20use-case%20reviews%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
If%20you%20go
%3Cp%3EThere%20are%20regular%20flights%20from%20Dubai%20to%20Kathmandu.%20Fares%20with%20Air%20Arabia%20and%20flydubai%20start%20at%20Dh1%2C265.%3Cbr%3EIn%20Kathmandu%2C%20rooms%20at%20the%20Oasis%20Kathmandu%20Hotel%20start%20at%20Dh195%20and%20Dh120%20at%20Hotel%20Ganesh%20Himal.%3Cbr%3EThird%20Rock%20Adventures%20offers%20professionally%20run%20group%20and%20individual%20treks%20and%20tours%20using%20highly%20experienced%20guides%20throughout%20Nepal%2C%20Bhutan%20and%20other%20parts%20of%20the%20Himalayas.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Abaya trends
The utilitarian robe held dear by Arab women is undergoing a change that reveals it as an elegant and graceful garment available in a range of colours and fabrics, while retaining its traditional appeal.
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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The biog
First Job: Abu Dhabi Department of Petroleum in 1974
Current role: Chairperson of Al Maskari Holding since 2008
Career high: Regularly cited on Forbes list of 100 most powerful Arab Businesswomen
Achievement: Helped establish Al Maskari Medical Centre in 1969 in Abu Dhabi’s Western Region
Future plan: Will now concentrate on her charitable work
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
RESULTS
Bantamweight title:
Vinicius de Oliveira (BRA) bt Xavier Alaoui (MAR)
(KO round 2)
Catchweight 68kg:
Sean Soriano (USA) bt Noad Lahat (ISR)
(TKO round 1)
Middleweight:
Denis Tiuliulin (RUS) bt Juscelino Ferreira (BRA)
(TKO round 1)
Lightweight:
Anas Siraj Mounir (MAR) bt Joachim Tollefsen (DEN)
(Unanimous decision)
Catchweight 68kg:
Austin Arnett (USA) bt Daniel Vega (MEX)
(TKO round 3)
Lightweight:
Carrington Banks (USA) bt Marcio Andrade (BRA)
(Unanimous decision)
Catchweight 58kg:
Corinne Laframboise (CAN) bt Malin Hermansson (SWE)
(Submission round 2)
Bantamweight:
Jalal Al Daaja (CAN) bt Juares Dea (CMR)
(Split decision)
Middleweight:
Mohamad Osseili (LEB) bt Ivan Slynko (UKR)
(TKO round 1)
Featherweight:
Tarun Grigoryan (ARM) bt Islam Makhamadjanov (UZB)
(Unanimous decision)
Catchweight 54kg:
Mariagiovanna Vai (ITA) bt Daniella Shutov (ISR)
(Submission round 1)
Middleweight:
Joan Arastey (ESP) bt Omran Chaaban (LEB)
(Unanimous decision)
Welterweight:
Bruno Carvalho (POR) bt Souhil Tahiri (ALG)
(TKO)
The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
Match info:
Manchester City 2
Sterling (8'), Walker (52')
Newcastle United 1
Yedlin (30')
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
More coverage from the Future Forum
Biog
Age: 50
Known as the UAE’s strongest man
Favourite dish: “Everything and sea food”
Hobbies: Drawing, basketball and poetry
Favourite car: Any classic car
Favourite superhero: The Hulk original
Fixtures
Tuesday - 5.15pm: Team Lebanon v Alger Corsaires; 8.30pm: Abu Dhabi Storms v Pharaohs
Wednesday - 5.15pm: Pharaohs v Carthage Eagles; 8.30pm: Alger Corsaires v Abu Dhabi Storms
Thursday - 4.30pm: Team Lebanon v Pharaohs; 7.30pm: Abu Dhabi Storms v Carthage Eagles
Friday - 4.30pm: Pharaohs v Alger Corsaires; 7.30pm: Carthage Eagles v Team Lebanon
Saturday - 4.30pm: Carthage Eagles v Alger Corsaires; 7.30pm: Abu Dhabi Storms v Team Lebanon
If you go
The flights
Return flights from Dubai to Santiago, via Sao Paolo cost from Dh5,295 with Emirates.
The trip
A five-day trip (not including two days of flight travel) was split between Santiago and in Puerto Varas, with more time spent in the later where excursions were organised by TurisTour.
When to go
The summer months, from December to February are best though there is beauty in each season
