‘The media and politicians are failing’: comedian Bassem Youssef on Piers Morgan, satire and ‘Genocide Joe’

Once known as ‘Egypt’s Jon Stewart’, Youssef doesn’t want to be defined as an activist – but he will take risks and go with his gut

When the comedian Bassem Youssef arrives on stage for a sold-out show in Washington DC, four young women wearing keffiyehs bow their heads and begin waving their hands up and down as if he is a divine being.

The 49-year-old, who first found fame with a satirical show panning the Egyptian regime, is on the US leg of his Middle Beast tour. He is still in the afterglow of a viral appearance on Piers Morgan in October that garnered 22m views on Morgan’s YouTube channel and significantly expanded Youssef’s fan base. A two-hour follow-up was viewed 3m times within hours of its release.