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Ramy Youssef and being Muslim on TV

Actor, writer, and comedian Ramy Youssef is having a moment. His TV show’s popularity is growing in the U.S. Abroad, critics are calling it “vital.” In “Ramy,” he plays a fictionalized version of himself — a young, Muslim-American man in New Jersey navigating life, relationships, and faith.

But Muslims aren’t a monolith and “Ramy” is just one new show dedicated to shattering stereotypes. Despite shows like “Mo,” “Ms. Marvel,” and “We Are Lady Parts,” Muslims are still underrepresented on screen.

A new report by the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative found that Muslims only comprise 1 percent of characters in popular television series in the U.S., the U.K., Australia, and New Zealand. 

We talk to Ramy Youssef and discuss the state of Muslim representation on screen.

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Arfie Ghedi