Ms. Zayid Goes To Washington
June 8, 2021
On Friday June 4, 2021 I attended a meeting with Secretary of State Blinken. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss all things Palestine. I attended as an individual. I am not affiliated with any PAC or organization. I obviously do not speak for or represent the Palestinian people. There are 13 million Palestinians…
To C or Not to C
June 5, 2018
This past week, fans of Roseanne nationwide reached for their smelling salts because Samantha Bee called complicit Barbie the c-word. They immediately grabbed their tiki torches and insisted that like racist Roseanne, Sam Bee be fired. I performed at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland in 2016 and I remember these same people stirring around,…
Ramadan in the Deep South
April 16, 2018
In 2011, Dean Obeidallah my trustworthy co-producer at the New York Arab American Comedy Festival approached me with what seemed like a brilliant idea. He had partnered with an Iranian-American filmmaker and wanted to take a band of Muslim comics to the Deep South in August during Ramadan to perform in cities that had banned…
Before Beyonce
April 16, 2018
Before there was Beyonce, there was Tiger, Cherri, Sandy, and Lucy. Tiger, the cat pranced into our lives when I was seven. Her name was less than original but absolutely fitting. She looked like a tiny Tony the Tiger down to her big blue eyes. I do not know why my father brought home a…
My Origin Story
April 16, 2018
I often meet parents of kids with Cerebral Palsy who are afraid to let their children try to walk. When I ask them why they wonât just let their kid give walking a shot, the overwhelming response is that they are afraid their child will fall. No human being has ever learned to walk without…
Fight For Your Right to Carpet
August 21, 2017
Fight For Your Right to Carpet I am one of those people who has always dreamt of waltzing down the red carpet at an awards show. My first red carpet memory was Cher in her Bob Mackey gown at the 1988 Academy Awards. I decided at that moment that some day, that would be me.…
Somewhere Over the Separation Barrier
December 18, 2013
Article originally written for The Daily Beast, published on December 18th, 2013. I tweet too much. When tweeps follow me, I immediately warn them that I am super annoying and wonât take it personally if they unfollow me for flooding their feed. My addiction to expressing myself in 140 characters finally paid off when a…
‘Omar’ and the Oscars
December 16, 2013
Article originally written for The Daily Beast, published on December 16th, 2013. On Friday the 13th, the movie âOmarâ won Best Film at the Dubai Film Festival. There is very little I could tell you about the plot of Palestinian filmmaker Hany Abu Assadâs new thriller without turning this piece into one big spoiler. Abu…
Hey-Hey, Ho-Ho, Mahmoud Abbas Has Got to Go
December 3, 2013
Yesterday morning I woke up to the disturbing news that the Palestinian Authority (PA) had arrested both the father of one of my dearest friends in the world and my brother-in-law. Why, you ask? They dared to point out the fact that the emperor, Mahmoud Abbas, has been running all over Ramallah without clothes. To…
Gaza to Jersey: A Star is Born
November 25, 2013
Article originally written for The Daily Beast, published on November 25th, 2013. On Friday, November 15, I put on my favorite Palestinian-themed T-shirt and shimmied over to the Ritz Theatre in Elizabeth, New Jersey to witness Mohammed Assaf perform live. I first stumbled upon Assaf, dubbed the Rocket of Gaza, six months ago while watching clips of…