Parazit in Berkeley

Photo essay: Kambiz Hosseini and Saman Arbabi meet fans

by Nazy Kaviani & MPD
24-May-2011
 
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yolanda

.........

by yolanda on

Kambiz hosted a radio show at the age of ten....Peter Jennings hosted a radio show at the age of nine.......Kambiz came to US just 11 years ago, he is so successful already!

Good for him!

Thank you, Nazy & MPD, for sharing!

Look all the hits here!


Souri

Thank you Nazy and MPD

by Souri on

heif ke vaght nadaram ke hama ro bekhounam.

But I see, you did a great job.

I will be back to read it carefully. Pictures are splendid.

Thanks to both of you.


bahmani

Ki Een? Parazit in Berkeley?

by bahmani on

The VOA's hit show Parazit came to visit the Bay Area yesterday.

The latest in a series of excellent guests of the 70 year old Berkeley Lecture Series, the hosts and co-creators of Parazit, Kambiz Hosseini and Saman Arbabi showed the standing room only crowd, why the show has been such a huge success, the Iranian diaspora's version of the Daily Show with John Stewart.

Kambiz made a surprisingly academic and well-detailed presentation on the break down of political Satire versus, slapstick comedy and even more impressive than that, traced the roots and tradition of Iranian political and social satire through the ages.

Who knew we aren't all that new at this?

Hosseini explained that the original idea of the show was to do fake location reports like those occasionally staged on The Daily Show, but that the feedback on them initially was less than expected, even though they personally loved doing them a lot. A sample proved to the audience why the current format is much much better.

Although present in the audience Saman was finally asked onstage in what was to be a mock interview by Kambiz of his venerable partner in crime. Yes what they do is technically illegal in Iran, so crime.

The audience was obviously pleased to be there and certainly fans of the pair, who have taken the concept of Iranian political satire and comedic critique to an unprecedented level.

Although most certainly blocked most of the time inside Iran, the show has been able to occasionally get past the Net Curtains and greater information Skirt covering Iran, when it momentarily sways and swings open allowing glimpses of the show to slip in and do it's nasty deed.

Proof it is some kind of a force to be reckoned with, is that the Parazit website was recently hacked by Iranian government hackers who apparently determined that it was a force to be reckoned with.

The combination of Hosseini's dead on impression of Roberto Benigni's best deadpan expressions, and comedic channeling of physical humor, combined with Arbabi's visual video presentations of assorted stingers, and complimentary effects, music and always astute and cerebral commentary, offers the viewers of this wonderful show one of the best combined laugh out loud, and truly educational experiences available to Iranians anywhere.

Given the laughter in the event yesterday, it is obvious that the show needs to be done in front of a live audience, so that the sheer response of a willing crowd can be conveyed along with the pithy and blessedly delicious humor that un-apologetically and boldly cuts the status cleanly and straight right away from the quo, exposing the heart.


farshadjon

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by farshadjon on

Thanks for the photo essay, Nazy khanum.

I was watching the event live from Balatarin. 

P.S. Sorry, I missed MPD. Thank you, MPD jan.


Anahid Hojjati

Thanks Nazy jan and MPD for the photo essay

by Anahid Hojjati on

I was not able to attend this event so it was great to be able to see the pictures and read the text about work of Kambiz and Saman. thanks.