Andrew Schulz returned to perform at Etihad Arena as part of the inaugural Abu Dhabi Comedy Week. Photo: Abu Dhabi Comedy Week
Andrew Schulz returned to perform at Etihad Arena as part of the inaugural Abu Dhabi Comedy Week. Photo: Abu Dhabi Comedy Week
Andrew Schulz returned to perform at Etihad Arena as part of the inaugural Abu Dhabi Comedy Week. Photo: Abu Dhabi Comedy Week
Andrew Schulz returned to perform at Etihad Arena as part of the inaugural Abu Dhabi Comedy Week. Photo: Abu Dhabi Comedy Week

Andrew Schulz in Abu Dhabi review: Comedian doesn't hold back in UAE return


Evelyn Lau
  • English
  • Arabic

It's rare for a comedy show to leave you tearing up with emotion, but that’s exactly what happened when I saw Andrew Schulz at Etihad Arena on Tuesday. He’s no stranger to Abu Dhabi, having performed to a packed audience in the same venue in October as part of UFC Showdown Week.

Back then was also the first time I had heard of Schulz. Curious to know who this American comedian was that had sold out Etihad Arena, I came across a short clip he uploaded on to his YouTube channel from his UAE show. I instantly became a fan. After all, who wouldn’t be impressed by someone from the US learning and joking about chammakis, an Arabic slang used to describe teenagers who hang around malls in groups?

When I went home to Boston for the holidays in late December, he happened to also be performing a show in the same city, so I immediately got tickets. Unsurprisingly, it also sold out. I was impressed seeing him live on stage as he brought his The Life Tour to the MGM Music Hall. I was captivated by his compelling way of telling stories and interspersing them with impressive, localised jokes made for a night of hilarity.

Andrew Schulz brought The Life Tour back to Abu Dhabi for a second time. Photo: Abu Dhabi Comedy Week
Andrew Schulz brought The Life Tour back to Abu Dhabi for a second time. Photo: Abu Dhabi Comedy Week

So, when it was announced he would be performing at the inaugural Abu Dhabi Comedy Week only a few months after I saw him in Boston, I knew I had to go. I was also curious to see if he would hold back on anything.

I was surprised to see the same opening acts I had watched in the US, comedians Deric Poston and Mark Gagnon, who took to the stage and warmed up the crowd. While they were both entertaining, I had already seen them perform the same jokes a few months previously, making me worry that Schulz might do the same.

However, I was relieved to learn that would not be the case as he stepped out on to the stage with a thin bamboo stick or as he joked, his "chammaki stick" – something to defend himself from them and keep them at bay.

Schulz began his set with jokes that were obviously geared and catered to the region. In the two times I have now seen him live, I am continually impressed at just how good he is at what he does. As he personalises his sets based on what city he’s in, he has a seamless way of knocking out jokes in such a natural way that you'd already think he was quite familiar with the region.

The diverse crowd at the show were all laughs during his set. Photo: Abu Dhabi Comedy Week
The diverse crowd at the show were all laughs during his set. Photo: Abu Dhabi Comedy Week

During his show, it was obvious he took the time to do his research, making references that were not only incredibly funny but relatable enough for a diverse crowd to understand. He made quips about neighbouring countries but also threw out some Arabic words and phrases including using the Lebanese dialect for "shou baddak?" (What do you want?) and the Khaleeji dialect "ghanati" (my dear/my beloved).

While most of his jokes were hits, I did have to turn to my partner at one point to see if he understood a quip about the “UAE beating Saudi Arabia in football” as there seemed to be some confusion – even with Schulz asking the crowd if that was true. My partner clarified he thought it was a reference to Al Ain beating Al Nassr in the AFC Champions League a couple of months ago. Even if some jokes flew over our heads, it was nice to know he cared enough to begin with.

The most impressive part of the entire night was how Schulz seemed not to filter or hold himself back at any point. There was no sense that he wasn’t completely himself on stage. Comparing his show to the one I saw in the US, it was equally compelling and amusing on many levels despite the performances being in quite different places.

In the Boston show, the focus for Schulz was explaining the infertility struggle he and his wife were going through before ending with the announcement that she had finally gotten pregnant. While there were jokes, it was also a very real and tough subject he chose to tackle, making it all the more impressive he was able to do so in a light-hearted manner.

In Abu Dhabi, he continued with the same theme but moved it forward, ending his set with an emotional and touching montage that showed their struggles in trying to conceive to the recent birth of their daughter, which received lots of cheers and applause from the audience as well as caused me to tear up.

Listening to Schulz speak is like catching up with an old friend – albeit with more raunchy humour. His ability to personalise his shows based on the location adds to that sense of familiarity and connection. You feel compelled by his storytelling and root for him and his wife as he shares their struggles. As Schulz finishes his set, you realise the payoff of a happy ending makes everything worth it.

Abu Dhabi Comedy Week continues at Etihad Arena until Sunday

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Profile of Tamatem

Date started: March 2013

Founder: Hussam Hammo

Based: Amman, Jordan

Employees: 55

Funding: $6m

Funders: Wamda Capital, Modern Electronics (part of Al Falaisah Group) and North Base Media

Tips to stay safe during hot weather
  • Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
  • Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
  • Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
  • Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
  • Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
  • Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
  • Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
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We are bringing you the inside story from the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos, a gathering of hundreds of world leaders, top executives and billionaires.

Ruwais timeline

1971 Abu Dhabi National Oil Company established

1980 Ruwais Housing Complex built, located 10 kilometres away from industrial plants

1982 120,000 bpd capacity Ruwais refinery complex officially inaugurated by the founder of the UAE Sheikh Zayed

1984 Second phase of Ruwais Housing Complex built. Today the 7,000-unit complex houses some 24,000 people.  

1985 The refinery is expanded with the commissioning of a 27,000 b/d hydro cracker complex

2009 Plans announced to build $1.2 billion fertilizer plant in Ruwais, producing urea

2010 Adnoc awards $10bn contracts for expansion of Ruwais refinery, to double capacity from 415,000 bpd

2014 Ruwais 261-outlet shopping mall opens

2014 Production starts at newly expanded Ruwais refinery, providing jet fuel and diesel and allowing the UAE to be self-sufficient for petrol supplies

2014 Etihad Rail begins transportation of sulphur from Shah and Habshan to Ruwais for export

2017 Aldar Academies to operate Adnoc’s schools including in Ruwais from September. Eight schools operate in total within the housing complex.

2018 Adnoc announces plans to invest $3.1 billion on upgrading its Ruwais refinery 

2018 NMC Healthcare selected to manage operations of Ruwais Hospital

2018 Adnoc announces new downstream strategy at event in Abu Dhabi on May 13

Source: The National

RESULTS

ATP China Open
G Dimitrov (BUL x3) bt R Bautista Agut (ESP x5)
7-6, 4-6, 6-2
R Nadal (ESP x1) bt J Isner (USA x6)
6-4, 7-6

WTA China Open
S Halep (ROU x2) bt D Kasatkina (RUS)
6-2, 6-1
J Ostapenko (LAT x9) bt S Cirstea (ROU)
6-4, 6-4

ATP Japan Open
D Schwartzman (ARG x8) bt S Johnson (USA)
6-0, 7-5
D Goffin (BEL x4) bt R Gasquet (FRA)
7-5, 6-2
M Cilic (CRO x1) bt R Harrison (USA)
6-2, 6-0

Updated: May 25, 2024, 6:12 AM`