331: Ahmed Al-kadri and A Special Not Special

Ahmed Al-kadri! Comedian! Friend! Guy with a new special called "Special Not Special"! Delight! Here are some words straight from Ahmed's press release: Yemeni-American comedian, Ahmed Al-kadri is poised to release his first comedy special, Special Not Special on February 24th via YouTube. As a Yemeni-American navigating the cultural maze of an immigrant household in Dallas, Texas, Ahmed brings his striking goofy charm to tales that span the spectrum of life's absurdities from taking mushrooms at a Lizzo concert and playing Taboo with his brothers to the comedic nuances of dual cultural identities. The hour offers the telling of uproarious misadventures involving drug-dealing escapades, dating mishaps, and a slew of other silly situations as Ahmed turns the ordinary into the extraordinary.    In his own words the special "really just answers the question "who is Ahmed Al-kadri." But Special Not Special is more than just laughs; it's a rollercoaster ride through the complexities of growing up Yemeni-American, where every moment, whether it's special or not, is infused with Ahmed's unique brand of humor and cultural identity. Said Al-kadri:   "The motivation behind this special stems from a desire to bridge cultural gaps through laughter. Comedy has a remarkable ability to transcend boundaries and connect people on a human level. Writing this material involved mining my own life for humorous anecdotes, embracing vulnerability, and finding the universal truths in the specifics of my experiences."    Ahmed Al-kadri is a Yemeni-American comedian based in LA. As a young child in Dallas, Ahmed dreamed of being an accountant, but his immigrant parents forced him to be a comedian instead. Ahmed started developing his comedy skills early, doing impressions of his mom's Turkish soap operas and Mr. Bean, as well as spot-on imitations of his sister and brothers.  Ahmed's father was an extrovert who loved to help people. Ahmed credits this as one of the reasons he relates so well to everyone- his house was always full of visitors who his parents were hosting; often offering a place to sleep if it was needed. Consequently, Ahmed was one of those kids who was friends with everybody, memorizing one-liners from his dad and trying them out on the kids at school the next day. Between go-kart races and soccer with his five siblings, Ahmed had a classic American childhood, playing "ding-dong ditch" and throwing Taco Bell sauce packets at cars.    He started his career in 2016 taking an improv class at Dallas Comedy House and has been hooked ever since. He has performed in numerous improv, sketch, and stand up comedy shows at his old stomping grounds. With his improv troupe, Sunglow, he headlined Dallas Comedy House on weekends and traveled across the country performing in various comedy festivals before moving to Los Angeles in 2018 to pursue a career in Stand Up. Over the last year, Ahmed has gained a following on TikTok and Instagram with some of his most notable work such as "Roommates with Anxiety" , "F-Boi Rehab", or "Arab at an Indian Wedding" ; his was content featured on Buzzfeed and DankMemes. You may recognize him on Fox's Love Connection or "Liam" from the series "David Diamondhands."   Special Not Special is now available on YouTube for free.  And THAT'S what it is! Myq here again, letting you know that this is only the first HALF of our conversation. For the second bonus half, subscribe via Apple Podcasts or click on over here to Patreon! Thanks so much all!