Dubai: MBC Shahid has acquired global rights to Lebanese comedian John Achkar’s stand-up special “AAM JARRIB (Tryin’)” as part of a wider partnership with Front Row to produce six Arabic comedy specials for streaming audiences.
On Monday, the official poster artwork and trailer for the show was released. The one-hour special, which premieres worldwide on May 27 as a Shahid Original, was filmed live at the historic L’Olympia theatre in Paris, making Achkar the first comedian to perform a full Arabic-language stand-up show at the iconic venue.
Known for blending candid storytelling with observations about Arab identity, relationships and family expectations, Achkar’s latest special explores the anxieties and contradictions of life in one’s 30s through fast-paced and deeply personal comedy.
“For me, this special is bigger than comedy,” Achkar said in a released statement. “It’s about proving that Arab stories, Arab humor and Arabic stand-up deserve to stand shoulder to shoulder with the world’s biggest productions and performances.”
Originally launched as a live touring show, “AAM JARRIB (Tryin’)” travelled to more than 85 cities worldwide, including Beirut, Dubai, Riyadh, Cairo, London, New York and Sydney.
The agreement marks a push to bring Arabic stand-up comedy to mainstream streaming audiences at a time when regional comedy continues to gain momentum globally.
“John managed to do something incredibly rare: create comedy that feels deeply personal to Arabs everywhere while still being universally relatable,” said Gianluca Chakra, CEO of Front Row.
Achkar first gained widespread popularity through viral online sketches during the COVID-19 pandemic before building an international audience through sold-out tours and digital content.
He is also preparing to launch a new world tour for his upcoming stand-up show “Feena Nehke?” later this year.
