BASSEM YOUSSEF, dubbed the “Jon Stewart of Egypt,” was the host of the popular television show Albernameg, which was the first political satire show in the Middle East. Originally presented as five-minute videos on YouTube, Albernameg grew to become the most watched television program across the region, with 30 million viewers tuning in every week. It received wide acclaim around the world, with coverage on some of the biggest media outlets, topping off with Youssef’s appearances on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart in June 2012 and April 2013. In June 2013, Youssef hosted Jon Stewart on Albernameg in Cairo, marking the second season’s peak.
Some of Youssef’s accolades include being named one of Time magazine’s most influential people of 2013, being recognized by Foreign Policy magazine as a leading global thinker of 2013, and being awarded the International Press Freedom Award by the Committee to Protect Journalists that same year.
Youssef’s most recent project is Democracy Handbook, a ten-part series exploring topics of democracy on Fusion.net. Youssef was also a visiting scholar at the Center of Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law (CDDRL), Stanford University, and continues to give talks around the United States.
Youssef majored in cardiothoracic surgery, passed the United States Medical License Exam (USMLE), and is a member of the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS).
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