Ramy Youssef is a firm believerfull stop.
Dont be mistaken; hes also into things like talk therapy.
(Youssef is a proud therapy-goer.)
Photo: Jesse DeFlorio/HBO
But his faith has gotten him through a lot.
And right now it feels like theres a lot to get through.
(Fans of the Hulu seriesRamywill not be disappointed.)
Muslim dudes, were going back to being Dominican, he says at one point in the special.
With everything going on, were like, Hamas?
No, no mas.
Youssef didnt choose this, but he acknowledges the weight of it.
Vogue: Im curious: How did you choose the White Eagle Hall as your venue this time?
Ramy Youssef:There was something really fun [in] doing the last special away from home.
This time it was nice to do something at home and something different.
You know, the Chicago taping was very grand.
Its more of a conversation and getting the material off your chest.
You had your friend Steve, who plays Steve inRamy, open for you.
I havent seen a lot of specials where theres an opener.
Why was that important?
That was something that we talked about early on.
And theres probably nothing I like more than Steve making fun of me or cursing me out.
That brings me a lot of joy, so its just a really fun way to open this.
I really think the world of Steve.
It is the wildest reaction of the night.
All of its just so surreal.
It was like seeing a rock star come on stage.
Everyones expecting to see me.
Its why they bought tickets.
He gets the oh-shit reaction.
The jacket was made by Stoffa.
I like the feeling of not fully drowning in something but being almost cuddled by something.
It makes me feel cozy and relaxed.
I rolled up to the venue with enough options to switch.
And the jeans are this old vintage pair of Levis.
I think theyre from the 70s.
This special is very much in conversation with the current global political landscape.
I know my audience is wide, which Im really grateful for in terms of who I reach.
Theres a Hollywood contingency, but theres also semi-hipsters.
Art can talk a lot, too, and thats a contribution I hope to be a part of.
Are there other artists you look to who create things that inspire you or speak to our time?
They just got nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize, and, man, they really inspire me.
We cast these kids in our show in the third season, and they were amazing.
Were on a tight schedule, and were moving fast, and these guys dont waste a take.
Even now Ill message them and theyre like, Were writing or Were trying to memorize some lines.
Those are my heroes.
I think people should be very aware of the termperformer.
Its literally in the description.
But then it gets simplified for the performanceit gets crystalized and turns into something that can be funny.
This interview has been condensed for clarity.
