Bassem Youssef, Egyptian Political Comedian

Bassem Youssef get's last minute touchups before his scene as Hazem Salah Abu Ismail, an ultra-conservative presidential candidate.

Bassem Youssef is the host of the satirical Egyptian news program Al Bernameg. He has been compared to American comedian Jon Stewart, whose satire program The Daily Show inspired Youssef to begin his career. Youssef began his first satirical show in response to the Egyptian Revolution, the program was uploaded to YouTube and gained millions of views. After the success of The B+ Show, Egyptian channel ONTV offered Youssef a deal to create the satirical show Al Bernameg which he has been working on to today.

David Degner / Bloomberg BusinessWeek

: Bassem Youssef get’s last minute touchups before his scene as Hazem Salah Abu Ismail, an ultra-conservative presidential candidate. Bassem Youssef is the host of the satirical Egyptian news program Al Bernameg. He has been compared to American comedian Jon Stewart, whose satire program The Daily Show inspired Youssef to begin his career. Youssef began his first satirical show in response to the Egyptian Revolution, the program was uploaded to YouTube and gained millions of views. After the success of The B+ Show, Egyptian channel ONTV offered Youssef a deal to create the satirical show Al Bernameg which he has been working on to today. David Degner / Bloomberg BusinessWeek

: Bassem Youssef sits with some of his researchers and writers on top of their temporary offices while their new offices are being renovated.

: Bassem Youssef is an Egyptian television comedian with his own show. The first season his politically tilted show was on OnTV and the upcoming season it will be on CBC. Dr. Bassem Youssef is an Egyptian doctor, satirist and the host of the satirical Egyptian news program Al Bernameg (The Program). The press has compared Youssef with American comedian Jon Stewart, whose satire program The Daily Show inspired Youssef to begin his career.

: Bassem Youssef sits in front of a whiteboard of ideas with his team of writers in Mohandiseen. They spend a few days a week researching news, preparing sketches, and compiling media. Bassem Youssef is the host of the satirical Egyptian news program Al Bernameg. He has been compared to American comedian Jon Stewart, whose satire program The Daily Show inspired Youssef to begin his career. Youssef began his first satirical show in response to the Egyptian Revolution, the program was uploaded to YouTube and gained millions of views. After the success of The B+ Show, Egyptian channel ONTV offered Youssef a deal to create the satirical show Al Bernameg which he has been working on to today. David Degner / Bloomberg BusinessWeek

: Usually Bassem Youssef satirizes Egypt’s political figures as himself, but for a special scene he was transformed by movie makeup specialists into 7 of Egypt’s presidential candidates. Bassem Youssef is the host of the satirical Egyptian news program Al Bernameg. He has been compared to American comedian Jon Stewart, whose satire program The Daily Show inspired Youssef to begin his career. Youssef began his first satirical show in response to the Egyptian Revolution, the program was uploaded to YouTube and gained millions of views. After the success of The B+ Show, Egyptian channel ONTV offered Youssef a deal to create the satirical show Al Bernameg which he has been working on to today. David Degner / Bloomberg BusinessWeek

: Bassem Youssef satirizes Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh, one Egypt’s Presidential candidates in the studios of OnTV. Bassem Youssef is the host of the satirical Egyptian news program Al Bernameg. He has been compared to American comedian Jon Stewart, whose satire program The Daily Show inspired Youssef to begin his career. Youssef began his first satirical show in response to the Egyptian Revolution, the program was uploaded to YouTube and gained millions of views. After the success of The B+ Show, Egyptian channel ONTV offered Youssef a deal to create the satirical show Al Bernameg which he has been working on to today. David Degner / Bloomberg BusinessWeek

: Bassem Youssef spends more time each with his team of researchers, writers and artists than filming. Researchers comb through the zeitgeist of Egypt’s political news, Facebook memes and Twitter chatter to find stories to riff off of. Bassem and his writers bounce ideas back and forth in a small room in their Mohandaseen office. David Degner / Bloomberg BusinessWeek

: Bassem Youssef appears on a TV monitor in OnTV’s control room. Bassem Youssef is the host of the satirical Egyptian news program Al Bernameg. He has been compared to American comedian Jon Stewart, whose satire program The Daily Show inspired Youssef to begin his career. Youssef began his first satirical show in response to the Egyptian Revolution, the program was uploaded to YouTube and gained millions of views. After the success of The B+ Show, Egyptian channel ONTV offered Youssef a deal to create the satirical show Al Bernameg which he has been working on to today. David Degner / Bloomberg BusinessWeek

: In the main room Bassem Youssef keeps an eye on the whole process as he and writers parse ideas for the upcoming season.

: Bassem Youssef’s researchers and writers time code TV programs for anything of interest that can later be used in the program. With about 30 researchers they cull a weeks worth of a wide variety of media from the middle east into snippets for a one hour show.

: Bassem Youssef gets the final touches after his transformation into Mohammed Salim Al-Awa an Egyptian presidential candidate. Bassem Youssef is the host of the satirical Egyptian news program Al Bernameg. He has been compared to American comedian Jon Stewart, whose satire program The Daily Show inspired Youssef to begin his career. Youssef began his first satirical show in response to the Egyptian Revolution, the program was uploaded to YouTube and gained millions of views. After the success of The B+ Show, Egyptian channel ONTV offered Youssef a deal to create the satirical show Al Bernameg which he has been working on to today. David Degner / Bloomberg BusinessWeek

: One of Bassem Youssef’s researchers time codes TV programs for anything of interest that can later be used in the program. With about 30 researchers they cull a weeks worth of a wide variety of media from the middle east into snippets for a one hour show.

: Bassem Youssef sits with some of his researchers and writers on top of their temporary offices while their new offices are being renovated. Bassem Youssef is an Egyptian television comedian with his own show. The first season his politically tilted show was on OnTV and the upcoming season it will be on CBC. Dr. Bassem Youssef is an Egyptian doctor, satirist and the host of the satirical Egyptian news program Al Bernameg (The Program). The press has compared Youssef with American comedian Jon Stewart, whose satire program The Daily Show inspired Youssef to begin his career.

: Bassem Youssef keeps a toy surgeon duck on his desk through his show, referencing his other job as a cardiothoracic surgeon. Bassem Youssef is the host of the satirical Egyptian news program Al Bernameg. He has been compared to American comedian Jon Stewart, whose satire program The Daily Show inspired Youssef to begin his career. Youssef began his first satirical show in response to the Egyptian Revolution, the program was uploaded to YouTube and gained millions of views. After the success of The B+ Show, Egyptian channel ONTV offered Youssef a deal to create the satirical show Al Bernameg which he has been working on to today. David Degner / Bloomberg BusinessWeek

Bassem Youssef is the host of the satirical Egyptian news program Al Bernameg. He has been compared to American comedian Jon Stewart, whose satire program The Daily Show inspired Youssef to begin his career. Youssef began his first satirical show in response to the Egyptian Revolution, the program was uploaded to YouTube and gained millions of views. After the success of The B+ Show, Egyptian channel ONTV offered Youssef a deal to create the satirical show Al Bernameg which he has been working on to today.

The original Businessweek story can be read here and there is also a video by Willem Marx.