Leading Middle East streamer MBC Shahid has picked up Lebanese comedian John Achkar’s stand-up comedy special “Tryin’” (“Aam Jarrib”) filmed at Paris’ legendary L’Olympia concert hall in what is being touted as a milestone for Arabic stand-up comedy.
Achkar’s performance of “Tryin’,” filmed in Paris on Oct. 23, marked the first-ever Arabic-language performance by a comedian on the iconic L’Olympia stage that has hosted world comedy greats such as Chris Rock, Gad Elmaleh, and Eddie Izzard.
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Achkar’s live stand-up comedy tour featuring sold-out shows across 85 cities around the world was produced by Dubai-based distributor and producer Front Row Filmed Entertainment that announced the deal with MBC on Monday.
MBC Shahid will be dropping the John Achkar special across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region exclusively starting from May 27. The “Tryin” special is the first of a planned six-title Arabic stand-up slate that Front Row currently has in development with other artists’ names yet-to-be revealed.
In “Tryin” Achkar uses an “unfiltered, fast-paced” approach and “dives headfirst into the hilarity and heartbreak of modern Arab life,” according to a statement. It noted that the show, performed in Arabic around the world, “speaks to both those who stayed and those who left; the Lebanese and Arab diaspora scattered everywhere.”
“For me, this special is bigger than comedy,” said Achkar in a statement. “It’s about proving that Arab stories, Arab humor, and Arabic stand-up deserve to stand shoulder to shoulder with the world’s biggest productions and performances,” he added. “We’ve spent years building this community around the world, and seeing an Arabic special reach streaming platforms like MBC Shahid feels like a huge step forward for the industry as a whole.”
Commented Front Row CEO Gianluca Chakra: “John managed to do something incredibly rare: create comedy that feels deeply personal to Arabs everywhere, while still being universally relatable.”
“This agreement with MBC’s Shahid is not only a milestone for John, but a milestone for Arabic stand-up comedy entering the streaming era at scale. MBC’s Shahid is the leading home for Arab content, and the fact that they believe in this vision, and are backing it properly, is a huge positive sign for comedic talent across the region and beyond.”
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