Comedians Mo Amer and Azhar Usman ask the big questions the modern world makes you forget. Are we living in a simulation? What is money? What is life after death? They get real when it gets uncomfortable and funny when it gets serious. Are they joking . . . or not? New episodes drop every Thursday.
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What I Did Next is a show that explores lives’ pivotal moments. Host Malak Fouad welcomes guests from our region and across a variety of industries to bring you conversations of success, failure, and everything in-between. New episodes every second Tuesday. You can connect with us on Instagram, X and on LinkedIn, and watch extended clips from our interviews on our YouTube channel.
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Hope you’re having a great summer so far. We’ll be back with new episodes in September. In the meantime, here’s another one from our archive: my conversation with author, entrepreneur & tech giant, Mo Gawdat. Mo was Chief Business Officer at Google X, and is now the popular author of Solve for Happy, Scary Smart, and more recently, That Little Voic…
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We’ll be back with new episodes in September. In the meantime, here’s one from our archive–actor and comedian Ramy Youssef. Ramy is the starof the eponymous hit show, Ramy, which has won Golden Globes and Peabodies, as well as Emmy nominations. He's also the co-creator of Mo with Mo Amer, and can be seen later this year in Poor Things with Emma Sto…
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I’m joined by the show’s producer, Chirag Desai, to look back at some of the season’s highlights & themes from our latest line-up of incredible guests. You’ll also hear from Mostafa Gad, Global Head of Investment Banking at EFG Hermes, an EFG Holding Company. EFG Holding has been an incredible partner for the show & I talk to Mostafa about his life…
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As a multidisciplinary artist, Ghada is as comfortable working with a needle and thread as she is with a paintbrush, or forging steel for sculptures or working on one-of-a-kind garden installations. She began exhibiting her work in the 90s, and her art continues to focus on women equality and female sexuality. Ghada’s work has been shown at the wor…
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Mohamed Al Fayed is the co-founder & CEO of Grubtech, he's a digital advisor as well as a mentor, and he calls himself a tech disruptor. Even if you may not have heard of him directly, you’ll have come across some of his work. Beginning his career with Macy’s, one of the largest retailers in the U.S., Moe led the launch of Mamas & Papas and Gap in …
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Becky Anderson is the Managing Editor at CNN Abu Dhabi, and one of the channel’s most visible international anchors. From being the first team to broadcast from Riyadh after the ban on women driving was lifted to Tunisia during the Arab Spring, she has spearheaded special shows from Tehran, Jerusalem, Istanbul, Beirut and many more region capitals.…
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Dr. Mounir Neamatalla is the founder of Environment Quality International, EQI, which he founded in 1981. EQI started out as the first environment-focused advisory in Egypt and went on to become a pioneer in the world of micro-finance. Then in 1996, Dr. Mounir’s visit to the remote oasis of Siwa led to the launch of the pathbreaking Siwa Sustainabl…
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I’m joined this week by Malak El Baba, Egypt Country Manager for Visa, and a leader and role model for so many in her industry. We had a wonderful conversation that spanned different countries and phases of her life. Although she has spent nearly two decades in banking and finance, she actually started out wanting to become a diplomat. But destiny …
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Hatem Alakeel is an award-winning Saudi designer, fashion entrepreneur and podcast host. He has designed for global icons including Mattel’s Barbie, Evian, Lexus, Fairmont, Raffles, and the Ritz Carlton among others, and he was among the first regional artists to create and celebrate Saudi traditions. With his first company, Toby Hatem Alakeel, Hat…
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Janan Shihadeh has made her mark creating bespoke pieces for clients all around the world—from murals in Washington D.C., to furniture and candles in Cairo, to transforming old handbags into little arm-candy jewels in Dubai. To say that Janan is versatile is an understatement. She brings passion, imagination and dynamism to whatever art medium she …
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His Excellency Amr Moussa has had a distinguished career in the world of international diplomacy and cooperation. He served as the Ambassador of Egypt to India for 3 years in 1983, he was the Permanent Representative of Egypt to the UN in 1990, he was the Foreign Minister of Egypt for 10 years until 2001, when he became Secretary-General of the Lea…
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A new season of What I Did Next begins March 5. I’ll be welcoming a new guest from our region every other Tuesday, and we’ll take a deep-dive into their lives’ pivotal moments. We’ll cross-cross the region and cut across a variety of industries to bring you conversations of success, failure, and everything in-between. This season, I’ll be talking t…
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We’re currently on a season break and will be back with new episodes in March. In the meantime, I wanted to share my conversation legendary ad-man, Tarek Nour. Tarek told me about the trials and tribulations of the advertising world, and how he continued to adapt to the constantly changing industry. Today Tarek is semi-retired, active in some aspec…
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We’re currently on a season break and will be back with new episodes in March. In the meantime, I wanted to share my conversation with soprano sensation Fatma Said. Fatma talked to me about her incredible achievements, burning out and a lot more. You can find her album, El Nour on various streaming platforms here. Learn more about your ad choices. …
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We’re currently on a season break and will be back with new episodes in March. In the meantime, I wanted to share my conversation with Prince Abbas Hilmi, who told me about his unique life journey and the Egyptian royal family. Through his father, Prince Mohamed Abdel Moneim, he is a descendent of Mohamed Ali of Egypt, while his mother, Neslishah S…
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We’re currently on a season break and will be back with new episodes in March. In the meantime, I wanted to share my conversation with journalist and author Kim Ghattas. Kim, who is half Lebanese and half Dutch, shot to prominence as a BBC reporter, first covering Lebanon and then reporting on U.S. foreign policy from the United States. Lately, she…
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Born Ricky D. Mitchell in Berkeley, CA in 1956, Imam Zaid Shakir converted to Islam in 1977 while serving in the United States Air Force. He studied the religion of Islam extensively, and today is popularly regarded as “America’s Imam,” and one of the most prominent Muslim preachers alive. Imam Zaid was Muhammad Ali’s spiritual leader, guide, and d…
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Comedians Ahamed Weinberg and Paul Elia are back with Mo & AZ to discuss Clown School: how it’s affected Ahamed’s standup routine, and how it shaped his rise as a comedian in Los Angeles. Clown is fast emerging as a fourth genre of comedy (after standup, sketch, and improv). Also: a message for Bill Cosby (Spoiler: the disgraced legend may owe Mo a…
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Mo and AZ are joined by Grammy-nominated rapper, singer, and actor Tobe Nwigwe and filmmaker, producer, and screenwriter Bassam Tariq to discuss Alief: what it was like growing up in a suburb of Houston, and its lasting impact on who they are today. Alief (aka “SWAT” - Southwest Alief Texas) also gave the world Beyoncé, Lizzo, and a bunch of other …
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Today’s episode is a deep-dive with our partners, EFG Holding. As a long-time sponsor of the show, EFG Holding have been avant-garde and frontier-breaking, keeping with their own ethos of being a trailblazing financial institution with a Universal Bank in Egypt and the leading investment bank in Frontier and Emerging Markets. This week, I’m sitting…
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Mo’s hit Netflix show “MO” is making waves globally, and people are talking. Fellow comedian Paul Elia (Conan, Ramy, Lowkey Comedy) joins Mo and AZ to further discuss their backstories, and the process of the Come Up. Palestine-based standup phenom Adi Khalefa delivers a dispatch from the Arab streets. Guests: Paul Elia, Adi Khalefa ORIGINAL AUDIO …
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This week, I’m joined by the show’s producer, Chirag Desai, to look back at the highlights of our latest season, some common threads among our guests, as well as general insights from our recent conversations. We also discuss the issue of crisis management. This is a big picture conversation that impacts all of us and comes on the heels of discussi…
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“Making it” in show biz is different for everyone. Mo shares the story behind his rise in the entertainment industry: from doing standup in high school to becoming a nationally, then internationally, touring comedian and award-winning actor/creator. AZ shares a bit about his own winding path–from lawyer to startup founder to comic–and the duo remin…
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Aristotle said: “It is the mark of an educated mind to entertain a thought without accepting it.” Mo and AZ discuss some known, and many lesser-known, conspiracies. But let’s be clear: AZ doesn’t believe in conspiracy theories; he believes in conspiracy facts. (For example, it turns out Aristotle never said that fake quote above. Seriously, Google …
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My final guest of this season is the one-and-only Youssra, who tells me about her life’s journey from key decisions that led to her breakout success to her ground-breaking acting career that took on societal taboos. With over 80 movies, countless serials and theatre performances, her career has spanned seismic shifts in society, culture and politic…
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OOPSIE DOOPSIE! Seems like the U.S. Military might have accidentally, kinda, sorta maybe, allegedly misplaced trillions of dollars?! Comedian Amir K joins Mo and AZ, as they call up serial tech entrepreneur and Silicon Valley insider Furqan Rydhan (www.f.inc) to get the inside scoop on money: What does it really buy us (besides, like, nice cars and…
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Mo and AZ discuss what’s happening to culture, as technology and interconnectedness continue to shrink the world. Also, we get a throwback to September 2001, when AZ felt the need to check Oprah as to whether America is a ‘melting pot’ or a ‘salad bowl’—on live TV. Finally, “Ozzie Patel” is concerned about his depressed dog and calls up psychic rea…
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I’m joined this week by Ramy Adeeb, founder and Managing Partner of 1984 Ventures, a firm that specialises in providing seed funding to start-ups. Ramy’s is a quintessential What I Did Next story, he moved to Canada for high school, went on to have early jobs at Microsoft and then as an investor in Silicon Valley, before launching his own start-up,…
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Relationship concerns? They got you. Time travel? Absolutely worth discussing. Aliens? Get ready for the hottest takes. Taped recently at a secret location in Houston, TX, this episode features Mo and AZ delivering incredible answers to the questions you didn't even know you had. [Originally recorded and published in September, 2023] Joking Not Jok…
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Does anything mean anything? If so, how do we know? And if all we have are words to define other words, what is the origin of language itself? Poet Amir Sulaiman and rapper Brother Ali are back with Mo and AZ to discuss the origins of the universe, language evolution, and, well, everything. Guests: Amir Sulaiman, Brother Ali ORIGINAL AUDIO PRODUCTI…
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In case you missed my conversation with fitness entrepreneur Amina Naguib, here’s a quick clip from our conversation. You can listen to the full episode in your podcast app, and we’ll have a bonus episode out for our members soon! This episode was brought to you by: EFG Holding, a trailblazing financial institution with a universal bank in Egypt an…
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ENERGY VACUUM! AZ calls up a man whom The New Yorker described as “perhaps the most influential Islamic scholar in the Western world,” but forgets to mention that the call is being recorded. Can Mo ever forgive the blunder? Comedian Amir K joins the guys as they catch up with their dear friend and collaborator, indie rap pioneer and host of The Tra…
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I’m joined this week by Amina Naguib, fitness entrepreneur and founder of B-URN. Amina always wanted to explore the human body and health—she studied sports science in Washington and then physiotherapy in Amsterdam before returning to Egypt. With B-URN, she has created a community of people looking to improve their health and wellbeing. Amina and I…
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Mo, AZ, the Professor, and Guruji discuss the pornification of the modern world—its impact on society, mental health, and how it affects dating, marriage, and relationships today. The genie’s out of the bottle, and in everyone’s pocket. More Info: Book: Pornified: How Pornography Is Damaging Our Lives, Our Relationships, and Our Families by Pamela …
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Mo and AZ razz Lebanese-Canadian standup comedian, actor, and dear friend Dave Merheje (Ramy, Sometimes I Think About Dying) on not only being from Canada, but wanting to move back. Their roast of Canada takes a very important, very relevant pit stop on their journey towards Realness. Guest: Dave Merheje ORIGINAL AUDIO PRODUCTION, MUSIC & SOUND DES…
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Mohammed Hefzy is the award-winning film producer behind mega hits such as Clash, Sheikh Jackson, Microphone, Paranormal, and Perfect Strangers, to name but a few of the films that make up his incredible catalogue of work. Hefzy began his career as a screen writer but made the transition to producing quite quickly, realising he wanted more control …
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Elon Musk supposedly believes in Nick Bostrom’s “Simulation Hypothesis,” the notion that we are living in a hyper-realistic computer simulation. Are we? Mo and AZ consult with 3x Grammy-nominated poet and Marvel screenwriter Amir Sulaiman about whether we’re currently, at this moment, right now, living in a simulation, or if it’s just a mindf*ck of…
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Actor Quintessa Swindwell (Black Adam, Trinkets) and the hosts get into one of the core questions of The Lexicon: What *is* realness? Can we find objective truth in the modern world? How do we remain authentic to ourselves, while steering clear of counterfeit truth claims? Guest: Quintessa Swindell ORIGINAL AUDIO PRODUCTION, MUSIC & SOUND DESIGN BY…
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I’m joined this week by Sir Magdi Yacoub, ground-breaking cardiologist and founder of the Chain of Hope charity. Professor Yacoub has almost single-handedly revolutionsed cardiology from his early days as a junior doctor in London in the 60’s, to retirement from his beloved NHS in 2001. As someone who has been on my Top 10 list of dream guests sinc…
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Mo, AZ, and comedian Ahamed Weinberg discuss the demonic forces they’ve encountered in childhood basements, AirBnBs, and at Coachella!? Comedian homie Paul Elia also chimes in. Oh, and Bollywood agent “Ozzie Patel” calls up the Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre International with some questions re: devil worship. Guests: Ahamed Weinberg, Paul …
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Do most people live in a state of ‘death denial’? Should we all aspire to live to a healthy 102; or shoot for a more modest, albeit blessed, 63 years? Are therapy, astrology, and deep breathing the keys to a longer, happier life? Actor, comedian, and writer Ramy Youssef joins Mo and AZ for some light AF banter. Guest: Ramy Youssef ORIGINAL AUDIO PR…
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I’m joined this week by curator Nadine Abdel Ghaffar, founder of Art d’Egypte. From humble beginnings in 2017, their annual event has become a celebration of art, installations and global partnerships. Nadine is also an art curator with a passion for one of Egypt’s most celebrated artists, Mohamed Nagy, and manages their art estate along with his f…
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Meet “The Professor” (the defacto guide through the Joking Not Joking universe), who introduces The Realness Lexicon (a shorthand meta-language co-created by the hosts). Mo and AZ discuss the central importance of “keeping it real,” the purported existence of aliens, the moon landing, proper drying techniques after relieving oneself, and the inhere…
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Join comedians Mo Amer and Azhar Usman on a journey—towards uncovering the sometimes funny, sometimes terrifying Big Answers to life’s Big Questions (Are we living in a simulation? What is money? Where did the world come from?)—all while remaining really real with yourself and your friends. ORIGINAL AUDIO PRODUCTION, MUSIC & SOUND DESIGN BY SALT Ex…
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Welcome to a new season of What I Did Next! I’m joined by fashion entrepreneur Imran Amed, one of the leading voices in fashion and CEO of The Business of Fashion. Today, BOF employs 75 people with a presence in London, New York, Paris and Shanghai. It also boasts a community of 800,000 email subscribers and 100,000 paying members across 120 countr…
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I’m excited to be bringing you a new season of the show starting September 6, with new episodes every second Monday. I’ve had incredible guests over the past five seasons, leaders in their fields from a wide range of industries such as business, art, design, fashion, medicine, and entertainment. These conversations keep reminding me that each perso…
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We’re currently on a season break and will be back with new episodes in September. In the meantime, I wanted to share my conversation from last year with renaissance man Samih Sawiris. Samih and his brothers, Naguib and Nassef continue to be icons in the business world in Egypt and the Middle East. Samih is the founder of Orascom Development Holdin…
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We’re currently on a season break and will be back with new episodes in September. In the meantime, I wanted to share my conversation from last year with reconstructive surgeon Dr. Nadine Hachach-Haram, who told me about her shift to entrepreneurship with Proximie, to revolutionise the world of surgery. Dr. Nadine saw the horrors war inflicts on pe…
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We’re currently on a season break and will be back with new episodes in September. In the meantime, I wanted to share my conversation from last year with businessman, art collector, activist and academic Sultan Sooud Al Qaseemi. Sultan’s story starts out as a proud son of Sharjah in the UAE before he came to the attention of a wide audience around …
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We’re currently on a season break and will be back with new episodes in September. In the meantime, I wanted to share my conversation from last year with Amy Mowafi, a dynamo in the region’s media space, and an inspiring role model for the younger generation of empowered Egyptian and Arab women. Amy and her team are the digital publishers of CairoS…
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