Jamil Abu-Wardeh: The Axis of Evil Middle East Comedy Tour

翻译人员: Angelia King 校对人员: Jenny Yang

This talk is about righting writing wrongs.

这个演讲是关于纠正写错的内容。

No, the sound's not faulty -- righting writing wrongs.

不，你没听错--纠正写错的内容。

The Middle East is huge,

中东潜力巨大，

and with all our problems, one thing's for sure: we love to laugh.

但也有我们自身的问题，一件事可以确定：我们喜欢欢笑。

I think humor is a great way to celebrate our differences.

我认为幽默是最好的方法来融合我们的不同。

We need to take our responsibilities seriously,

我们要认真地肩负起我们的责任，

but not ourselves.

不仅仅是我们自己的。

Don't get me wrong: it's not like we don't have comedy in the Middle East.

不要误解我：在中东我们并不是没有喜剧。

I grew up at a time when iconic actors

在我成长的年代，有来自科威特，叙利亚，

from Kuwait, Syria, Egypt

埃及的喜剧演员

used laughter to unite the region,

用笑声征服了整个中东地区，

just as football can.

唯有足球也可以达到这效果。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Now is the time for us to laugh at ourselves,

现在和别人众乐乐前，

before others can laugh with us.

现在是时候该嘲笑我们自己一下。

This is the story of the rise and rise of stand-up comedy in the Middle East --

在中东随着脱口秀喜剧的发展，

a stand-up uprising, if you will.

只要大家捧场，一个喜剧团就可以诞生了。

Working in London as TV maker and writer,

我曾在伦敦做过电视制作人和编剧，

I quickly realized

我很快意识到

that comedy connects audiences.

喜剧让大众产生共鸣。

Now, the best breeding ground for good comic writing

现在，优秀喜剧写作的最好创作

is the stand-up comedy circuit,

是脱口秀喜剧巡演，

where they just happen to say that you kill when you do well

在巡演中的行话，要是你喜剧好，你会征服所有人，

and you bomb when you do badly.

当你喜剧不搞笑，你就倒大霉了。

An unfortunate connection for us maybe,

恐怕对于我们来说最不幸的联系，

but it reminds me

但它提醒我

that we'd like to thank one man for, over the past decade,

我们在过去的十年得感谢一个人，

working tirelessly

不知疲倦地工作

to support comedians all around the world,

全力支持全球的喜剧演员，

specifically comedians

特别关爱

with a Middle Eastern background.

带有中东背景的喜剧演员。

(Applause)

（掌声）

Like my good friends, Dean and Maysoon, at the bottom of the screen,

像我的好朋友，迪恩和梅森，就是屏幕下方那两个，

who, two years after 9/11,

他们在九一一事件后过2年，

started a festival to change the way

组建一个喜剧节来改变

Middle Easterners are perceived in the world.

世人对中东人的印象。

It's still going strong, with positive press to die for.

他们的喜剧节做大了，正大力推广中东正面形象。

Also, three guys working for years in Los Angeles,

还有在洛杉矶工作多年的三个喜剧演员，

an Iranian, a Palestinian and an Egyptian,

他们背景是来自伊朗，巴勒斯坦和埃及，

created the aptly named Axis of Evil comedy act.

创造并取名邪恶轴心喜剧巡演。

And wherever they went,

无论他们到哪

they killed.

他们都征服了当地观众。

Now, I didn't start this fire, but I did pour petrol on it.

现在，我不是要炒作，而是要再火上浇油一下。

I moved to Dubai as the head of original content

我搬到迪拜，担任一个西方电视节目的原创内容

for a Western TV network.

的总监。

My job was to connect the brand with a Middle Eastern audience.

我的工作是推广喜剧赢得中东地区广大观众的喜欢。

Now, the American head of programming

那时节目的美国老板

wanted new local Arabic comedy.

想要新鲜的，当地阿拉伯的喜剧。

In a thick Arabic accent, my brain went,

我一想到带有浓重的阿拉伯口音喜剧，

"Berfect."

“太完美了。”

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Now, I had friends in the U.S.

而我在美国有朋友

who had started a successful new tribe.

开始一个成功的喜剧新尝试。

And I had every intention of taking this tribe

他们的喜剧

from being outliers in the Middle East

原先在中东被孤立，

and pushing them over the tipping point

我们把它们引进中东，把他们

towards success.

推向成功

Now, as with any new idea, it wasn't easy.

当然， 和推广其他新想法一样，做起来并不容易。

I had four phases to this plan.

这计划有4个步骤。

First, we'd need to buy content from the West and air it.

第一，我需要从西方购买，播放喜剧节目

Then I'd bring my friends, and we'd show local amateurs how it's done.

然后我让我的朋友表演，当地业余演员观摩喜剧是怎么创作的。

We would film that and air it,

我们得录制和播放它们，

and then I could work with the local amateurs and write new comedy.

然后我们和当地演员合作，再创造新喜剧。

I excitedly presented this to the big boss,

我很兴奋地给我打老板看，

and his reaction was, "Um, I don't get it."

但他的反应是“哦，我看没戏。”

So I retreated back to my cave

所以我返回到我的穴居

and continued to support and produce comedy

继续支持和创作喜剧，

and let my friends use my couch

让我的朋友们使用我的沙发

as a regional operations hub.

最为地区运营中心。

Now, fast forward two years, to early 2007.

现在，又过了两年，在2007年初。

The earth rotated, as did our management,

地球变化一样，我们的管理也发生变化。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

and as if by divine intervention,

仿佛有神的干预，

things came together

事情撮合到一块

to help this revolution take shape.

帮助这个喜剧革命成型。

Here's how the dots connected.

这些事物是这样一点点链接而成

First, the Axis guys recorded a Comedy Central special

首先，轴心演员们在美国喜剧中心特别频道表演

that aired in the States,

在美国播放，

and it was getting great hits on YouTube.

表演在Youtube变得异常火爆。

Our new French CEO

我们新上任法国首席执行官

believed in the power of positive PR ...

相信积极的公众关系的力量...

(Laughter)

(笑声)

and ideas du bon marche.

想法要尽量搞笑恶搞。

Let's just say "value for money."

我们就说“钱生值财源滚滚来。”

I produced in Dubai a show for Ahmed Ahmed

我在迪拜制作了艾哈迈德·艾哈迈德的一个节目

to showcase his new Axis special to a packed room.

让他的新轴心喜剧在一屋子人群前表演

I invited our new CEO,

我邀请了我们新首席执行官，

and as soon as he realized we had a room packed full of laughing infidels,

不久他了解到我们有一整屋子的笑料点子，

his reaction was very simple:

他的反应非常简单：

"Let's make this happen.

“让我们把这变成现实。

And one more thing: No, don't F it up."

另外一件事：不要搞砸。”

So I quickly went to work

所以，我马上组织了一支

with a great team around me.

优秀的团队。

I happened to find

我意外地发现

a funny guy to present it in Arabic,

在阿拉伯还有一个有趣的演员，

who is originally Korean,

他竟然来自韩国，

a perfect fit for the Axis of Evil.

非常适合邪恶轴心喜剧团。

This is all true.

真的。

Now, while preparing for the tour,

当我们为巡演做准备时

I had to remind the guys to be culturally sensitive.

我提醒演员们要文化上敏感一些。

I used the three Bs of stand-up don'ts

我使用3个禁忌规则，

as I call them in the Middle East:

在中东我称它们为脱口秀3个禁忌规则：

blue content, keep it clean; beliefs, not religion;

避免性话题，要纯净；避免宗教话题；

and the third B, bolitics.

第三个是政治敏感话题。

Stay away from bolitics in the Middle East.

在中东得远离政治敏感话题。

Oh course, you might think, what's left

当然，大家可能会想，除了

without bolitics, sex and religion, how can you make people laugh?

政治敏感话题，性话题和宗教话题，你怎样才能把人们逗乐呢？

I'd say, watch any successful well-written,

我要说，看看任何西方优秀编剧，

family-friendly sitcom in the West

以家庭朋友为核心的情景喜剧

for your answers.

就是答案。

Now, were the Axis successful?

现在，轴心喜剧成功了吗？

In five countries, in just under a month,

在五个国家，不到一个月，

we had thousands of fanatical fans come and see them live.

数以千计狂热粉丝来看他们现场秀。

We had millions see them on TV and on TV news.

我们在电视和电视新闻报道也有数百万观众。

In Jordan, we had His Majesty the King come and see them.

在约旦，国王陛下亲自来看我们的表演。

In fact, they were so successful

他们的表演大获成功，

that you could buy a pirated copy of their DVD,

他们节目在中东地区播放之前，

even before it was released in the Middle East.

你就可以买一个他们的盗版DVD碟。

Anywhere you go.

无论你走到哪。

So everywhere we went,

我们所到之处，

we auditioned amateurs.

我们为当地业余喜剧爱好者举办试演会，

We filmed that process and aired a documentary.

我们拍摄了全过程，录制成一个纪录片。

I called it "Three Guys and Wonho."

名叫：三个伙计和钟袁浩

It really is his name.

这就是他的名字。

And all this TV and Internet exposure

所有这电视和网上曝光

has led to a great many

使得我们团队有了

recruits to our cause.

很多优秀招募人员的机会

In Dubai this year, we've just had

今年在迪拜，我们刚有了

the first all-women's, homegrown stand-up show.

第一个全女子土产脱口喜剧秀。

And notice two of them are wearing headscarves,

请注意她们中的两个人还带着面纱，

and yes, even they can laugh.

是的，她们也可以搞笑。

Dubai, to me, is like a hand

迪拜对我而言就是

that supports anyone who wants to make things happen.

一双支持任何人想做成大事的手

20 years ago,

20年前，

no one had heard of it.

没人听说过这喜剧团。

Look at it now.

眼下看看，

With an inspirational leader, I think this year,

我想今年，伴随着令人振奋的

the opening of the tallest tower in the world

世界最高的迪拜塔的开幕

is like adding a finger to that hand,

就好比在那双大手上加上了手指

that points at all those

直指向

who spread fallacious stories about us.

那些关于我们的荒谬的故事。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

(Applause)

（掌声）

Now, in three short years, we've come a long way

现在，短短三年，

with stand-up comedy shows happening even in Saudi Arabia.

甚至沙特阿拉也有了脱口秀表演

These comics are now going to the New York festival.

这些喜剧现在在纽约艺术节上表演

And the Lebanese, brilliant Lebanese,

一个绝顶聪明的黎巴嫩人，

Nemr Abou Nassar, we featured in our first tour,

纳米尔·阿布·纳赛尔，我们第一次巡演中的一员

has just been performing in L.A.'s legendary comedy clubs.

他刚在洛杉矶传奇喜剧俱乐部演出。

So clearly, from the inside, we are doing our best to change our image,

很明显，发自内心，我们尽力改变我们的形象，

and it's exploding.

造成喜剧爆炸哦。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

So, as for the outsiders looking in,

好吧，从旁观者角度看，

watch the CNN report on the second Amman Comedy Festival.

看看CNN对第二届安曼喜剧节报道就知道我们的喜剧。

The reporter did a great job, and I thank her,

我要感谢CNN，报道非常棒。

but somebody forgot to send the positive PR email

但是有人忘记发送积极的公共关系邮件

to the person operating the automatic news ticker that appears at the bottom.

好在底部自动播放新闻字幕搭配出现。

For example, when Dean talks,

例如，当迪恩脱口秀，

the ticker says, "U.S.: Suspect gave 'actionable intel."

自动播放新闻字幕：美国消息：可疑分子投诉英特尔。

Well, if you're used to listening to comedians,

如果你曾听过喜剧，

then I'm not surprised.

就一点不惊奇。

Sadly, this leads me to another three Bs

可悲的，这让我引申

that represents how the media in the West

在西方媒体怎么谈论我们中东的另外3个禁忌规则

talks about us as bombers, billionaires

这是有关炸弹引爆者，百万富翁

and belly dancers.

和肚皮舞。

Enough.

够了。

We're not all angry fanatics

并不是所有中东人都是愤怒狂热分子

who want to kill the infidel.

想杀死异教徒。

We have a positive story to tell

我们要讲振奋人心的故事

and image to sell.

和展示我们自身形象。

In fact, one thing's for sure, in my experience,

事实上，在我的经历中，首肯的一件事是

we love to laugh like hell.

我们热爱喜剧搞笑的要死。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Here are three questions that I like to use

我喜欢用三个问题

to test the truthiness of our representation

来测定媒体上展现我们自身形象的

in any media story.

真实性。

One: Is the Middle East

第一：现代中东

being shown in a current time

得到了真实的展示吗？

and correct context?

报道是否基于正确的上下文

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Two: Do the Middle Eastern characters

第二：中东喜剧人物

laugh or smile

欢笑或微笑的时候，

without showing the whites of their eyes?

能不翻白眼吗？

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Three: Is the Middle Eastern character

第三：中东喜剧人物

being played by one?

是由一个人创作表演的吗？

Clearly, there are wrongs that need to be righted.

显然地，这里有错需要被纠正。

We've started in our region.

在我们的地区我们开始纠正。

My challenge to the rest of the world

至于其他国家的人，

is please, start using

请在你的故事中应用

positive Middle Eastern images in your stories.

积极的中东形象素材。

For inspiration, go to one of our festivals,

请到我们任何喜剧节日来获取灵感，

go online, drop us a line.

上网，请给我们留言。

Let's change the narrative together

让我们一起改变现状，

and let's start righting writing wrongs.

并开始把错误的内容纠正过来。

I'd like to end, before going back to the Middle East,

在我赶回中东之前，我很高兴在此

with a quote from one of the greatest Sheikhs

引用一位伟大长老用鹅毛笔

to put quill to parchment.

写在羊皮纸上的话结束演讲，

As my father likes to call him, "Asheikh Azubare;"

我父亲称他为“”阿祖巴长老，

as my mother would say, "Shakespeare."

我的母亲却说“莎士比亚”。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

"And now we go in content

现在我们所追求的

to liberty and not to banishment."

是自由，而不是被驱逐。”

Thank you.

谢谢。

(Applause)

（掌声）