I recently heard an interview with Maz Jobrani (Terry Gross Show, NPR). Jobrani, an Iranian living in the US, makes jokes about Jews, Arabs, Asianns, Americans, and everybody else who is stereotyped by the society. I greatly admire his wit and courage for being so outspoken, and breaking so many stereotypes that still prevail. A part of me wishes he ran out of material, but this is only dream. As soon as some stereotypes are broken, the new ones are already born. They're like weeds that grow, even in a well-tended garden; they are innate to the fabric of the society.

On a different note, I am happy that Jobrani had the courage to include "Axis of Evil" as part of the title of his performances. It actually helps to promote the countries that are part of the "Axis" and bring them closer to the general audiences. I am thinking of a wonderful book, which was published a couple of years ago, and which was a collection of beautiful stories from Syria, North Korea, and other countries that are not supposed to exist in the public consciousness. People like Maz not only remind us about these countries, but also close the gap that exists between diverse audiences. In every society, whether it is labeled "Evil" or otherwise, there are stereotypes and there is laughter. Great work, Maz. Keep it up!