In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Actor-Comedian Maz Jobrani. In addition to his comedy specials, Maz Jobrani has appeared on many of television's most popular shows, including Grey's Anatomy, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Better Off Ted, and Shameless. He is also a regular on Stephen Colbert's late show, and he starred as the title character in the award-winning indie comedy, Jimmy Vestvood, which he co-wrote and co-produced.
Maz Jobrani spoke about his early days in Iran and upbringing in the US. How he fell in love with being on stage and why he decided to pursue acting and standup comedy full time. Maz Jobrani also shared his thoughts on the role of politics in comedy, why he has become a more vocal advocate for social justice, and how he wants to change perceptions many hold toward people of middle eastern descent.
Some highlights:
- How Maz Jobrani's upbringing impacted his acting and comedy
- Maz Jobrani talks about his desire to work toward normalizing the image of Muslims, Middle Easterners, and "brown people" in Western media
- Why Maz Jobrani takes on bullies and advocates for the underdog
- Maz Jobrani on making a mark by bringing people together through humor and connecting them with their common humanity
- Maz Jobrani shares the challenges of defying prejudices in the aftermath of September 11th
- Maz Jobrani on how we can all play a role and make a difference
Also mentioned:
- David Rubenstein, co-founder & co-chairman of Carlyle Group & President of the Economic Club of Washington DC ( Listen to David's episode on Partnering Leadership Podcast ) (https://www.partneringleadership.com/best-of-leadership-lessons-from-billionaire-philanthropist-david-rubenstein-greater-washington-dc-dmv-changemaker/)
- Tehran Von Ghasri
- Rabia Chaudry
- Frank Figliuzzi
Connect with Maz Jobrani:
Maz Jobrani on MazJobrani.Com (https://www.mazjobrani.com/)
Maz Jobrani on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/mazjobrani/)
Maz Jobrani on Twitter (https://twitter.com/MazJobrani)
Back to School Podcast with Maz Jobrani (https://www.mazjobrani.com/back-to-school-with-maz-jobrani-podcast/)
Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:
MahanTavakoli.com (https://mahantavakoli.com/)
More information and resources available at the Partnering Leadership Podcast website:
PartneringLeadership.com (https://www.partneringleadership.com/)
Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:
Mahan Tavakoli Website (https://mahantavakoli.com/)
Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mahan/)
Partnering Leadership Website (https://www.partneringleadership.com/)
