Noam Shuster-Eliassi is a self-described “traitor comedian” – an Israeli artist, activist, and all-around cultural troublemaker who isn’t afraid to push the boundaries of what’s possible. Growing up in Israel’s only intentional Jewish/Palestinian community called Neve Shalom / Wahat as-Salam (‘Oasis of Peace’), Noam refused to join the Israeli army and instead became an organizer against the occupation. Now, she’s turning her unique perspective into comedy that takes on everything from Israeli censorship to the contradictions of what she calls the “peace industry.” Think of her humor as the antidote to Israel’s polished PR—challenging, honest, and unapologetically bold.

In this episode, Noam breaks down her one-woman show, Coexistence My Ass (yes, that’s really the name), the reactions to her pro-Palestine material, and the toll of being a loud voice for human rights and equality from Gaza to the West Bank and inside present-day Israel itself. She also dishes out some wild stories from her time at East Jerusalem’s “Corona Hotel” quarantine, shares what it’s like to speak at international peace summits without pulling punches, and dives into her own, not-so-sanitized take on Israel’s official narratives. This conversation gets real about the risks (and occasional rewards) of using comedy to cut through apartheid, dehumanization, and the unspoken hierarchies baked into Israeli society.

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In this episode of Friday Night Semites, legendary comedian and political satirist Bassem Youssef joins us for a no-holds-barred conversation that blends sharp humor with sobering truths. From Israel’s so-called “right to exist” to the media’s favorite pastime of dodging tough questions, Bassem takes aim at the absurdities of occupation, hypocrisy, and Western double standards. With plenty of laughs and some seriously deep moments, we explore everything from hummus diplomacy to why nation-states shouldn’t have rights (but maybe pickles should). Tune in for a conversation that’s as insightful as it is hilarious, as Bassem tackles Palestine, propaganda, and Piers Morgan like only he can.

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In this episode of Friday Night Semites, we sit down with the brilliant Viet Thanh Nguyen, Pulitzer Prize-winning author and professor, to get real about cancel culture, the politics of Palestine, and the colonial origins of how we talk about the Middle East. Viet opens up about the backlash he’s faced for standing in solidarity with Palestine, sharing the messy reality of navigating the literary and academic worlds when your politics aren’t mainstream. We dive into the myths and propaganda shaping public perception, talk about why language matters, and even throw in some laughs (because if we don’t laugh, we’ll cry). It’s a no-BS conversation on solidarity, history, and what it means to speak truth to power in a world that’d rather cancel you for it.

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