Allah Made Me Funny

But not that funny. Muslim comedy is still a work-in-progress, to judge by this videotaped rendition of a three-man stand-up comedy show of Muslim-American jokesters. None of their routines is a barrel of laughs, though you wouldn’t know it from the many cutaways to the audience braying and guffawing at the lamest of jokes. The best of the group: Azhar Usman, a Indian-American from a Moslem family who grew up as a class cut-up among Jewish high-schoolers. His obvious “Moslem getting on a plane” routine is still humorous. And Mo Amer, a Palestinian-American from Houston, has some good lines about how, when his nine-year-old cousin ran wild in Wal-Mart, he was afraid to call out the boy’s name: “Osama!” The Black Muslim weatherman of African-American convert Preacher Moss is also good for a chuckle. The jokes are clean, and definitely ecumenical, Jews and Christians and Muslims getting together. It’s a good message, but a bit safe for the anarchic spirit of true comedy. 83 Minutes | Kendall Square