Comedians: A force for soft diplomacy?

Can comedians help with diplomacy?

The other day one of my friends showed me a video of an Iranian-American comedian who was making light of several issues regarding Middle-Eastern foreign policy.  Since then, I have been considering the topic of soft diplomacy and how a comedian could be a force in diplomatic matters.

There are many different diplomatic approaches.  Over the years, we have seen hard diplomacy, soft diplomacy, and even no diplomacy at times.  Recently, a new wave of diplomacy has arisen with the digital age.  Some refer to it as new diplomacy, or soft diplomacy, but it mainly entails the sharing of information on a personal level.  Due to the wealth of information that the internet provides people are able to freely share information now more than ever.

This idea of soft diplomacy, leads us to a some diverse approaches though.  We have seen superstars, actors, and musicians travel to support troops and humanitarian causes or use their fame to endorse political candidates and ideology.  However, we rarely see people using their fame to speak candidly about tough issues.  It is unique for someone to be able to talk about such serious issues in an open yet comedic manner.

The comedian who I am speaking about is named Maz Jobrani.  Maz Jobrani is an Iranian-American comedian.  A few years back, Maz, and a few other comedians with Middle-Eastern descent, went on a world tour to raise awareness about certain topics relevant to Middle-Eastern foreign policy.  They named their tour, the Axis of Evil/Peace, or something along those lines.  The concept is an insightful prospect.

If you have a few minutes check out this clip of Maz’s tour and let me know your thoughts below. I think you’ll enjoy it:

My thoughts

Many believe that famous people don’t have a role in politics.  On this topic, I can see both sides of the argument.  Personally, I believe that what Maz and company are doing is noble.  They are speaking to something that they believe in wholeheartedly, and using their fame to promote peace and spread information.  One of the rarest qualities of humans is that they can speak jokingly about themselves, recognizing both faults and strengths.  So, one does not have to agree with a comedian fully, but can still hear what they have to say.  Conversely, one’s opinion can be changed through a powerful comedian using comedy to spread a message.  Ultimately, this approach to diplomacy will have mixed results, but nonetheless the prospect is still  intriguing.

 

What are your thoughts?

Do you think that comedians have a role in politics?  Or famous people in general? What are your thoughts on soft diplomacy?

 

Hey there amigo! Did you enjoy my article?  If you did and think that others will too, please take a moment to connect with me on social media. Let’s spread some diplomacy together!