“Nobody wants there to be people getting bombed indiscriminately, and nobody wants there to be hostages.”
SNL/Youtube
Ramy Youssefis reflecting on his remarks about Palestine onSaturday Night Livelast year.
“It’s more nerve-racking to venture to shield yourself from whatever criticism is gonna come.
Ramy Youssef delivers his ‘Saturday Night Live’ monologue in March 2024.Credit:SNL/Youtube
And plenty of it has come.
But I get more tense if I’m sitting quietly, trying to stay safe.”
YouTube/NBC
In the monologue, Youssef recalled his friend Ahmed asking him to pray for his family in Gaza.
Ramy Youssef on ‘Saturday Night Live’ in March 2024.YouTube/NBC
“‘just stop the suffering.
c’mon free the people of Palestine, c’mon.
And yo free the hostages, all the hostages, yo.'”
Youssef then insisted that he stands by his monologue.
“What I said is completely inoffensive,” he toldThe New York Times.
“People are sensitive about it.
Or people might say: ‘Well, why didn’t you say this?
Or why didn’t you do that?’
But there’s nothing controversial about any of it.”
Ramy Youssef.Nicola Gell/Getty
Youssef also explained why he doesn’t think the conflict in Gaza should be referred to as a war.
“Look, there are false equivalencies in terms of power,” he said.
“That’s what people are talking about.
They’re talking about dynamics of power.”
Youssef elaborated on his reasoning.
He sneaks a few PowerBars that you didn’t know about."
Ultimately, Youssef doesn’t think anyone should support the violence in Gaza.
“Nobody wants there to be people getting bombed indiscriminately, and nobody wants there to be hostages.
There is nothing controversial in saying it,” he stressed.
“Anything I’ve said sincerely, I could tattoo it to myself because there’s no problem.”
“That’s why I’m not afraid,” he said.
“Because it’s like: What did I say?
‘Stop killing kids.’
‘Oh, my God, this guy’s crazy.’
It’s not a thing.”
