Joking about with Allah

Preacher Moss

Preacher Moss used to shake his head at Muslims - especially at Ramadan, the time of fasting.

"I was like, 'You ain't eating on purpose?' I didn't realise how critical fasting was," he laughs.

Preach, as the American comedian is known, wasn't born Muslim, but he is now. Three years ago, along with fellow comedian Azhar Usman, he founded the Muslim comedy show, Allah Made Me Funny, which is at the Aotea Centre on Sunday, November 12.

Because of its name, the show provokes controversy and, at times, outrage in the Muslim community. In Sydney show posters have been torn down, but there's been no such reaction in New Zealand.

"For a lot of people Muslim and comedian just don't go together. They go together like George Bush and peaceful resolution. But people see that we are Muslims, who don't have to give up our values, and we're funny."

The idea behind Allah Made Me Funny is to provide a forum where Muslims and non-Muslims can "build bridges". It's also about countering negative stereotypes by poking fun at themselves. Moss says in that way it's more like a community project than a comedy show.

"I'm from a Muslim community, and the operative word is community. The community has problems and ills and the show means those can be addressed in a way that isn't threatening, and they feel like they come out empowered and enlightened.

"We're not trying to be politically correct, we're not trying to be right or wrong, we're just trying to be sincere."

Moss says the show is not a reaction to 9/11 - "Because life began a long time before 9/11". But he admits they held off on putting the show together too soon after the World Trade Centre attacks.

"With the title, and with the environment [post 9/11], I had to take time out to make sure I found the right people to help me do this thing properly. And also, mentally and spiritually, all the people involved in Allah Made Me Funny, and not just the comedians, but the scholars, our families, and our friends, had to be ready and focused for what we were trying to do."

For Moss, the worst stereotype about Muslims is that they are not civilised.

"You may have your Osama Bin Ladens and Saddam Husseins, but there are a whole plethora of Muslims and non-Muslims who are healthy, fully-functional and they all get along with each other. Unfortunately, it's the bad things that are homed in on.

"But sometimes you've got to deconstruct it and making it funny can be a release. And," he says, with a giggle, "one day we'll go to Saudi Arabia and have fun, too."

LOWDOWN

What: Muslim comedy show Allah Made Me Funny

Who: Comedians Preacher Moss, Azhar Usman, and Azeem

Where: Opera House, Wellington, November 11 at 7pm; Aotea Centre, Auckland, November 12 at 7pm

Tickets: $49.90 with concessions for students, children and pensioners from Ticketek