Bassem Youssef is back in his element thanks to his new programme.
After deftly skewering regional and international politics on his satirical TV show Al Bernameg and the 2018 semi-biographical documentary Tickling Giants, the Egyptian comedian and physician brings both career strands together with Ask Bassem.
Screening Thursdays at 6.30pm on the fledgling Saudi news channel Asharq News, the Arabic programme melds current affairs with humour as Youssef discusses various ways to achieve a healthy lifestyle.
Speaking to The National from Dubai, where he will present a live version of the show on Saturday, January 16, Youssef admits the concept didn't initially scream funny. However, it is all delivered with a light touch to keep you chuckling but, perhaps more importantly, thinking.
"There is a little bit of a misconception where people look at what I'm trying to do now with Ask Bassem and they think I have given up on comedy and politics," he says.
“This programme talks about things I am passionate about. With my medical background and experience, we will be looking at different topics in the show and hopefully a lot of people can benefit from that.”
Back on the streets
To make the knowledge palatable to viewers, the show employs a lot of the techniques Youssef is known for. There are zany comedy sketches, sardonic commentary and off-the-cuff interviews with the public.
The latter is an aspect of the show Youssef relishes the most.
For the Dubai episode, Youssef will venture around the emirate and chat with cosmopolitan residents about their health journeys.
“We have already filmed these amazing success stories here,” he says. “And the reason why we shot in Dubai is [because of] how international it is. We had people from the UAE, Argentina, Holland and Lebanon speaking about their own experiences. This all makes the show more universal.”
A bigger perspective
While their inspiring stories can prove particularly stirring at this time, Youssef says the programme does not exclusively deal with the Covid-19 pandemic.
When it does touch upon the unfolding situation, it will be viewed from a wider perspective.
For example, Youssef cites a coming episode that explores the links between global pandemics and the controversial treatment of animals.
“I try to make this an evergreen show. However, the pandemic has accentuated some of the topics that we talk about,” he says.
“I do talk about things like the pandemic in relationship to the animal farming industry and how we are going to see more pandemics if we continue with how the industry treats animals. And this is not from an ethical point of view, but a medical and economic one.”
Youssef says the show intends to discuss these issues with regional government officials in the future.
No laughing matter
Similar to his previous success with Al Bernameg, Youssef hopes Ask Bassem has the right mix of fact and funny to reach a wide global audience. Considering what is discussed and the state of the world today, the stakes couldn't be higher.
“People have been searching for solutions to maintain a healthy lifestyle more than ever. But the downside now is that the internet is a place for misinformation and conspiracy theories,” he says. “And it just breaks my heart that we can be dismissing decades of scientific research and advancement because someone did a YouTube video where they edited together stupid ideas and conspiracy theories in a totally ignorant way.”
This is a particular aspect Youssef is keenly aware of.
He's been living in Los Angeles for the past five years, as well as touring the US as a stand-up comedian, and he has seen first-hand the societal damage false information can wreak.
With Donald Trump's US presidency nearing its end, Youssef says the last four years underscored the importance of responsible speech – even when it comes to comedians.
“Comics couldn’t even catch up with how stupid things have become,” he says. “Comedy now cannot be about people saying stupid things. That is lazy and we need go to beyond that. You have to show people not only the ridiculousness of what you're saying but make them aware how dangerous it is. It can’t be just for laughs. That’s the challenge.”
Ask Bassem screens every Thursday at 6.30pm (UAE time) on Asharq News. To register for the special live Dubai episode on Saturday, January 16, visit asharqwithbassem.com
Silent Hill f
Publisher: Konami
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Rating: 4.5/5
Important questions to consider
1. Where on the plane does my pet travel?
There are different types of travel available for pets:
- Manifest cargo
- Excess luggage in the hold
- Excess luggage in the cabin
Each option is safe. The feasibility of each option is based on the size and breed of your pet, the airline they are traveling on and country they are travelling to.
2. What is the difference between my pet traveling as manifest cargo or as excess luggage?
If traveling as manifest cargo, your pet is traveling in the front hold of the plane and can travel with or without you being on the same plane. The cost of your pets travel is based on volumetric weight, in other words, the size of their travel crate.
If traveling as excess luggage, your pet will be in the rear hold of the plane and must be traveling under the ticket of a human passenger. The cost of your pets travel is based on the actual (combined) weight of your pet in their crate.
3. What happens when my pet arrives in the country they are traveling to?
As soon as the flight arrives, your pet will be taken from the plane straight to the airport terminal.
If your pet is traveling as excess luggage, they will taken to the oversized luggage area in the arrival hall. Once you clear passport control, you will be able to collect them at the same time as your normal luggage. As you exit the airport via the ‘something to declare’ customs channel you will be asked to present your pets travel paperwork to the customs official and / or the vet on duty.
If your pet is traveling as manifest cargo, they will be taken to the Animal Reception Centre. There, their documentation will be reviewed by the staff of the ARC to ensure all is in order. At the same time, relevant customs formalities will be completed by staff based at the arriving airport.
4. How long does the travel paperwork and other travel preparations take?
This depends entirely on the location that your pet is traveling to. Your pet relocation compnay will provide you with an accurate timeline of how long the relevant preparations will take and at what point in the process the various steps must be taken.
In some cases they can get your pet ‘travel ready’ in a few days. In others it can be up to six months or more.
5. What vaccinations does my pet need to travel?
Regardless of where your pet is traveling, they will need certain vaccinations. The exact vaccinations they need are entirely dependent on the location they are traveling to. The one vaccination that is mandatory for every country your pet may travel to is a rabies vaccination.
Other vaccinations may also be necessary. These will be advised to you as relevant. In every situation, it is essential to keep your vaccinations current and to not miss a due date, even by one day. To do so could severely hinder your pets travel plans.
Source: Pawsome Pets UAE
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
Januzaj's club record
Manchester United 50 appearances, 5 goals
Borussia Dortmund (loan) 6 appearances, 0 goals
Sunderland (loan) 25 appearances, 0 goals
Where to buy
Limited-edition art prints of The Sofa Series: Sultani can be acquired from Reem El Mutwalli at www.reemelmutwalli.com
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
Pari
Produced by: Clean Slate Films (Anushka Sharma, Karnesh Sharma) & KriArj Entertainment
Director: Prosit Roy
Starring: Anushka Sharma, Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Ritabhari Chakraborty, Rajat Kapoor, Mansi Multani
Three stars
Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha
Starring: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Shantanu Maheshwari, Jimmy Shergill, Saiee Manjrekar
Director: Neeraj Pandey
Rating: 2.5/5
Key changes
Commission caps
For life insurance products with a savings component, Peter Hodgins of Clyde & Co said different caps apply to the saving and protection elements:
• For the saving component, a cap of 4.5 per cent of the annualised premium per year (which may not exceed 90 per cent of the annualised premium over the policy term).
• On the protection component, there is a cap of 10 per cent of the annualised premium per year (which may not exceed 160 per cent of the annualised premium over the policy term).
• Indemnity commission, the amount of commission that can be advanced to a product salesperson, can be 50 per cent of the annualised premium for the first year or 50 per cent of the total commissions on the policy calculated.
• The remaining commission after deduction of the indemnity commission is paid equally over the premium payment term.
• For pure protection products, which only offer a life insurance component, the maximum commission will be 10 per cent of the annualised premium multiplied by the length of the policy in years.
Disclosure
Customers must now be provided with a full illustration of the product they are buying to ensure they understand the potential returns on savings products as well as the effects of any charges. There is also a “free-look” period of 30 days, where insurers must provide a full refund if the buyer wishes to cancel the policy.
“The illustration should provide for at least two scenarios to illustrate the performance of the product,” said Mr Hodgins. “All illustrations are required to be signed by the customer.”
Another illustration must outline surrender charges to ensure they understand the costs of exiting a fixed-term product early.
Illustrations must also be kept updatedand insurers must provide information on the top five investment funds available annually, including at least five years' performance data.
“This may be segregated based on the risk appetite of the customer (in which case, the top five funds for each segment must be provided),” said Mr Hodgins.
Product providers must also disclose the ratio of protection benefit to savings benefits. If a protection benefit ratio is less than 10 per cent "the product must carry a warning stating that it has limited or no protection benefit" Mr Hodgins added.
