Ramy is the most underrated comedian currently working. His TV series, RAMY on Hulu, did what THE BEAR did before it came out. Yet, outside of winning the Emmy and hosting SNL this past weekend, I hardly hear his name being used as the household name it should be.
MORE FEELINGS opens with everyone’s favorite RAMY supporting character, Steve Way. If you don’t know his story, I highly encourage you to read it here. After warming up the crowd, Ramy enters and does his usual cringe-humor. He doesn’t shy away from any of the big topics of today, including the Hamas war, Muslims, Israel, Trump, and Biden. He has this innate sensibility to take the most serious issues and make them funny. Think of Dave Chapelle substituting weed for prayer.
While the overall bits that Ramy walks the audience through can be hit or miss, he lands the plane so well at the end that I have to give this special a glowing review. The story he tells around shame from a lie is the thread that connects the entire set. And that story, with all the various side tangents, is comedic bliss. One minute, you may be in an Olive Garden therapy session, and the next, he’s discussing why you should never go inside a home with an American flag hanging. It’s all brilliant, subtle, and worthy of your time.
At one point in the set, Ramy discusses how, as a Muslim, he loves to date Jewish girls because if things work out between them, they “can solve it” (it being the feud between the two religions). And while Ramy doesn’t solve “it” in MORE FEELINGS, he does solve how to continue to deliver thoughtful comedy for the masses.
RAMY YOUSSEF: MORE FEELINGS is available on Max.
