Bassem Youssef: Israel-Palestine, Gaza, Hamas, Middle East, Satire & Fame | Lex Fridman Podcast  

Here are the timestamps. Please check out our sponsors to support this podcast. 0:00 - Introduction & sponsor mentions: - AG1: drinkag1.com/lex to get 1 month supply of fish oil - Shopify: shopify.com/lex to get $1 per month trial - Eight Sleep: eightsleep.com/lex to get special savings - LMNT: drinkLMNT.com/lex to get free sample pack 1:21 - Oct 7 31:49 - Two-state solution 47:28 - Holocaust 55:15 - 1948 1:04:07 - Egypt 1:18:29 - Jon Stewart 1:20:42 - Going viral during the Arab Spring 1:44:45 - Arabic vs English 1:57:08 - Sam Harris and Jihad 2:02:16 - Religion 2:21:28 - TikTok 2:26:00 - Joe Rogan 2:27:58 - Joe Biden 2:32:23 - Putin 2:34:11 - War 2:39:07 - Hope

As a young American Jewish man trying to navigate the current conflict in Israel/Palestine, this man has been a breath of fresh air and a source of hope and inspiration to me

I can’t imagine being so well spoken in a second language. This is powerful and necessary dialogue

Thank you for inviting Bassem, Lex!

I've never watched Lex Fridman before. He really is holding on to that false equivalency and "both sides-erism." Impressed that Youssef could push back so delicately.

The story stuck with me; a Gazan mother who survived the bombardement and transferred to Egypt from Rafah border for medical treatment, tells a story to one of the UN members that she lost her all three children in the bombardement. She goes; Under the rubble one of her kids was screaming in pain, begging her to help stop the pain, daughters legs were shuttered, another one crying she’s stuck to her chest. A mother describes that she had to bear the her childrens crying voice and then to silence because they were slowly dying. She couldn’t move, she couldn’t help, she could do nothing. So eventually she’s rescued. She’s the only survivor. Yes she’s alive but she sure she’s dead inside. she says she hears her kids crying voice every day. There, I had to share the story I heard. I had to give the context of how horrific situation people of Gaza are going through to those who still defends Israel to this day.

I’m 70 now and definitely I have hope from the young. I’m getting my news from social media now and my eyes have been opened never to be closed again

Hearing Bassem speak his second language, English, so fluently inspires me as I learn my 4th language, Arabic. I can't wait to speak even broken Arabic. 😅

Being an immigrant is difficult no matter what the reason. I have get respect for Mr Youssef. 🌹🌹🌹❤️❤️❤️

Elham Farah, 84, had been sheltering inside the church for some time. On Sunday night she stepped outside the building to see if her house was still standing. She was shot in the leg and fell to the ground. People in the church were unable to rescue her, as each time they went out they came under fire. She lay in the street all night. On Monday morning it was reported that an Israeli tank ran over her body. Elham was a popular music teacher in Gaza, described as 'loving, calm and a true educator.' A devout Christian, she came from a strong Gazan Christian family. Her father Hanna Farah, was a well known Palestinian poet. She loved to travel to the West Bank when permission was given to the Gazan Christians to celebrate Christmas and Easter with the church there.

This felt like watching two friends have a conversation more than an interview. I mean, they could indeed be long-time friends for all I know.

i totally forgot Bassem was a salsa teacher in cairo, my roomie took lessons from him back in the early 2000. I never took lessons from Bassem nor did I ever dance with him, but we definitely did some social salsadancing in Cairo in general.

Easily the most impressive RU-vid video I've ever watched. Bassem Youssef is one of the most unique humans "being" that I have ever encountered. Wise beyond belief, humble without using his humility as a rationale for considering himself better than another, and funnier than most comedians. They say that they funniest jokes are based upon real life…and that's the magic of his humor. I wish he could run for president…heck I'd be willing to fake a US Birth Certificate for him! Seriously he is precisely what Lex called him, a wonderful human being! We need one hundred more just like him!

"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power". Abraham Lincoln

There is a very short list of people I could legitimately listen to all day. Bassem is most definitely on the list. What an amazing human

33:46 "When you hear so many numbers , numbers become numbers" Sad truth about many... thanks Bassem

I am googling his quotes cause I need to save everything he’s saying. Shookran Bassem you are a breath of laughter and lightness to us all

I was born and raised in Morocco. My father was a French colonial fundamentalist christian, a very fervent zionist. What I heard of Oct 7 sounded so familiar. I had heard the same hate, dehumanizing talk about the Arabs in my childhood 65 yrs prior... So I didn't believe it. But I couldn't say it publicly. Bassem is a beautiful human. ❤

"I am worried that the end is going to be by someone who wants to meet God a little bit earlier" - Bassem Youssef

From Algeria 🇩🇿 thank you 3 hrs went like 5 min thank you sooo much

Jew here. I love this man. Caring. Reasonable. Humorous.

If Bassem wasn't forced to leave Egypt, we would have lost this great conversation. Its Lovely how universe put you in bad situation to come back with stronger role and mission.

As a frequent viewer, I’ve never seen this guy laugh so much on the podcast. Bassem, u must be the funniest comedian to make this guy smile. Respectfully

As an Egyptian following Bassem for over a decade since the Arab spring. I remember how he was criticizing Muslim brotherhood and they way the were labeling their opponents as worthless creatures comparing them with how the west (including USA) in the 20th, 30th were mocking the Jews by drawing them as those greedy people with hooked nose and how this was beginning of what we all know about what happened to them later. He was one of the first in that turbulent time who was trying to change the narrative of the extreme Jews hatred and antisemitism in Egypt. Funny/sad that now he is being labeled as an antisemitic….

When I searched for "lex fridman bassem youssef" this video was nowhere to be found (only some clips on the second channel). I had to go manually to the "Video" section of this channel to whats this video.

After a long week of getting sucked into Twitter spats and losing faith in humanity - this is just what I needed to listen to. There is hope. These two have demonstrated how two people from such different backgrounds can have a civil discourse and retain mutual respect. Beautiful. Lex is a great interviewer and Bassem is multi-talented.

I just love two people sitting having mutual respect and laughing together. I wish every single person in the world could do this regardless of their background, heritage and beliefs.

The stunning look on their faces when they ask Basssem what would you do if you were Israel " I would do exactly what Israel is doing, if you can get whatever I can without accountability " Absolute brilliance.

I have to say we should not be hopeless in the future of humanity the younger generation and people like Bassem Youssef. Lexfridman and Bassem hats off to you guys!

every 5 words of this man can be made as a quote.....unbelievable speaking talent

Bassem Yousef seems like a man that has a good hart without being naive

The most beautiful and fun dark conversation ever. Thank you to both of you. ❤️🙏

Couldn't stop myself from listening the whole podcast in one go. Bassem is an interesting man.

What Lex does really well is to ask questions without appearing to judge the guest. It really allows the guest to go deep in his response, which is how we can really understand their point of view. It's brilliant stuff.

In a crazy World we live in, where the TV screens are scarecrows, Lex Fridman Podcast is a therapy. From the bottom of my heart Thank you Lex.

This man’s intelligence and memory to recall facts is remarkably!

I love the chemistry between them. This is when you discuss deep burning issues with some form of humour. I enjoyed the interview and got educated as well...

Never listened to over 2 hours debate that I did not want to miss a second of it, amazing

As a dedicated fan of Bassem Youssef since his days in Egypt, I can attest to his unparalleled humor in Arabic, though he's gradually mastering English comedy. Following the military coup, he was misunderstood and criticized from all sides: Islamist supporters accused him of allying with the military, while the military labeled him a traitor. However, Bassem's comedy goes beyond political divisions; he is enlightened, mocking all sides with equal fervor. In the sole episode aired amidst the tense post-coup atmosphere, he brilliantly joked about his own fears, delivering what I believe to be one of the greatest jokes in the history of television. Despite having watched countless hours of comedy legends like George Carlin, Dave Chappelle, and Louis C.K., that episode stands out as a unique masterpiece of comedic artistry. The English-speaking world has yet to fully witness Bassem's comedic talent; he has only recently begun to grasp comedy in English. I am confident that in the future, he will reach the same level of acclaim.

He's so vulnerable, intelligent, and handsome. Really enjoyed this interview. Thanks algorithm bc I had no idea who anyone was in this video but I do now.

Thank you for this perspective. As an Arab American it is clear Palestinians in particular and Islam in general are poorly understood from a human aspect.

As far as I am aware, Bassem is the first Egyptian ever to be hosted by Lex, and what an introduction to this hilariously obnoxious breed of humans. Over their long history, Egyptians have fought injustice and oppression with laughing and sarcasm over their own misery and plights. Mix that with light hearted kindness, genuine humbleness, natural aversion to violence, millennia of bitter wisdom and weird love of life. Bassem's humour is an embodiment of these chatacters, sharpened by the untold sorrows of post failed revolution Egyptian intelligentsia. This comes from an Egyptian doctor and a big fan of these 2 gentlemen.

This should be GREAT! Both people have a love of humanity, and a love of humor!

This guy is so expressive…he has the best hand gestures and body language …just watch…..

This was incredibly refreshing in the sea of disinformation. Two men talking.

90% of relationships between Muslims and Jews is just like this, but those in power with clout have to create enemies. We're just people. We struggle. I look at both of these people and care about them. Nixon said it best, "Those who hate you don't win, until you hate them back, and then you destroy yourself" (before leaving the WH), and Bassem makes the point how we find scapegoats. The group is the problem. We're individuals who love things.

Bernie Sanders said at the beginning that Israel has a right to defend itself Richard does not under international law because it is an occupier

Lex, you're doing an amazing job. No gimmicks, just great guests, and stimulating conversations. Thank you for the podcasts!

40 years ago I took a summer youth employment program which had us enroll and take six weeks of basic, militia training. In my platoon, there was an Iraqi, and an Iranian. Both were name Rafi, althoughbit was pronounced differently in each case. At the start, both hated each other and would not talk to one another. After a couple of weeks, being the only "brown" guys, they began to bond. Several weeks later, they were inseperable, and we would overhear them telling stories about how many similarities their families had regarding beliefs, customs, meals, occupations, etc, at which point they both realized just how ridiculous their "learned" behaviors and hatreds actually were. If you could get the youth to talk and hang out, free of the influence of media, family, school, and outside influences, they could change all this hatred.

Wow Bassem Youssef is so much more intelligent, generally well-read, and well-versed in history than I'd ever imagined! Thanks

This was one of the most beautiful conversations you've had. Amazing guy and I love the fact that he has faith in young people, so do I. That's where the answer is.

A meaningful and funny, courageous and humble conversation between friends. Thank you. I needed that.

Lol, for Arabic as being so diverse, I can attest to this even as an American. I was friendly with a Palestinian guy in Asia who had a restaurant with cooks, and one of his cooks was Moroccan, and I got a call from the Palestinian guy saying, "Come down and talk to this chef I got from Morocco. He'll make you a tagine, but he's super lonely and can't talk to anyone," 'cause he couldn't speak the local language or English, and the Palestinian guy said, yeah, his Arabic communication with the other Arabs in the kitchen is not easy. Well, I studied in France and speak French fluently, and given Morocco's history, he could speak French, and we sat and had a talk, and he just had so much to talk about, it was like a relief valve of months of him basically isolated in this foreign country. He was so happy just to have a conversation for a while (and he was a good chef, haha).

Lex is the definition of the center. Dude refuses to give up his actual political leanings. And, if any of his opinions are clear, it is that: - He promotes Free Speech - He promotes diversity of thought - He promotes discussion - He promotes debate This was what the Ancient Greeks knew was the foundation of Democracy. All ideas were promoted, and disagreement was encouraged. That is how they built the greatest generation of thinkers to this day, and it all happened in just a few hundred years. And, judging by the view count, long form discussions are winning out over the 15 second mindless garbage that is everywhere else. I am not sure what this means for the next generation, but all I know is what Lex is doing is invaluable to the world. “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” - More of this today would be good.

Thank you very much for making this episode. I hope more people spend some time listening and understanding.

As Stalin said, “If only one man dies of hunger, that is a tragedy. If millions die, that's only statistics.”

Holy smokes, what a beautiful person. I don't think I'd survive his comedy show, he had me rolling with laughter with this conversation!

Bassem has truely become a treasure to all of us.

As an Iranian in exile, I totally agree with Lex and Bassem that our hearts are with Iranians not with the regime.

Bassem needs to heard over and over and over again by all

Wow lex actually let’s him speak and respected him how refreshing.

I used to watch Bassem's shows as a new student in Jordan, they were some of the most hilarious stuff I've seen. This interview introduces you to the actual human behind it. Thank you Lex, You my good sir can bring out the calm, reflective, and even beautiful side of people. Keep building bridges please, and thank you again.

Thanks Lex for mentioning Buddhism and Jainism. A true teaching of life and conscious creatures which has potential to end all suffering without any violence.

Lex summed it up by saying "You're a beautiful human being!" Thanks for bringing Bassem on your show!

Bassem is a great communicator and I hope he continues to speak to westerners about this. He may have started in comedy but he is perfect for this.

Power to the people. F all corrupt "leaders" and war mongering

I already need a second round of Bassem and Lex talking to each others

As a Muslim I approve Bassem to speak on behalf of us ❤

Lex Friedman always bridges the gap between two opposing views. Keep up the good work, man.

Thank you Lex, for bringing Bassem on!

Its a small planet, very small, we need to stop the slaughter.....

Bassem Youssef ! You are more than a humoriste, you're humaniste and a kind of prophecy to this generation, thanks always

This podcast will be viewed by millions soon. Mark my words.

Lex and Bassem : THANKYOU🙏🏿 From Istanbul.

The mutual respect between Lex and Bassem is amazing. Could listen to both for hours. Love from South Africa 😍

Very humbling, well there was a time when Amir Abdel Kader Al Jazairi in the 1860s, fought on behalf of Christians to protect them & choosing to stand for humanity.

Hearing Bassem is the best therapy in this madness!

The last Friday of Ramadhan was yesterday. Worshippers were flocking to Al Aqsa Mosque to pray. Just to pray. Their only crime that they wanted to worship God in a house of prayer beloved and holy to them, in their holiest of months. With everything going on in Gaza, their hearts especially heavy, no doubt. I saw video footage from Friday of these worshippers being hit with tear gas, security beating worshippers, the usual thing. It’s sad of course but these are men, they probably expected this, they have to deal with this all the time, don’t let your heart break too much, they must deal with what they have to deal with I told myself as a way to self console. But then I saw in the same clip something which honestly made my jaw drop. The security standing on flat wide steps, as they pushed an elderly man who’s body dropped flat to the ground like a domino. He was stood on the same step, his only crime that he was present. And I saw in that guards face something that was clearly evident… for a millisecond it looked as though he was ashamed, as the crowds around him gasped he seemed almost embarrassed even, but just for a millisecond. It instantly and quickly turned into defiance. And what? So what? Who is he to me? Deal with him. He’s not my problem. I have no desire to feel for this old man, he is nothing to me. That was the expression on his face. That’s what it said to me. Perhaps I read into it too much. But the guard didn’t even stop to look down at him let alone help in any way. Just went about their day. I don’t know the elderly man’s name. I don’t know if he is okay, or if he is seriously injured. I probably will never know. But I witnessed this injustice against him on tape. He is important and he matters and I wanted to share.

this guy is so amazing and yet he still humble.

Lex you just gained a new follower coz of hosting bassem Youssef..

I never got bored of listening to history with Bassem. What a decent humble human and what a hateful world we live in! Sad

OMG 🎉 Bassem and Lex! How come? Great duo! wanna see Bassem more often in international podcasts 😊

what a conversation you guys look best friends the chemistry is amazing ❤

He's such a great guy! I liked his explanation a lot about the rhythm, when he was listening to an american comedian and he didn't understand the context, but he followed the rhythm of his speech. So inspiring. Thank you Lex Fridman for this guest. And also that he was choosing the hardest way. It's contradictory to what you can usually hear about the way of living, smth like follow your gut, but maybe this was the way of him following it. So cool!

I see Bassem, I see Lex, I click play

lex i really hope you read this. i have complained for years about the state of the media and over entitled "journalists" shouting at there guests and dumbing down scenarios to simple statements, asking there guests to say yes or no. thank you for making this channel

First time getting introduced to you Lex, loved how you handled the interview; loved how you were very open to Bassem's responses. Not a big fan of Bassem, but he's definitely worth a round of applause. Well done, Lex. Thank you!

Lex, I may have misjudged you. I love you, man. Your utmost respectful approach to Bassem and holding him in high regard and having a respectful conversation with him and providing a stronger voice to the Palestinian plight in the face of a superpower suppressing them is beautiful to watch. Or at least, that's the impression I got.

That's the 1st time in my life to watch a 3 hour interview without feeling bored, Bassem is a great story teller and 1st time seeing Lex and by far the best interviewer ever, he gives all the space to the guest to speak his mind and ideas without judgment or interruption with a strange great sense of humor❤❤ Loved it ❤️❤️

Lex, I can’t believe a good human being like you exists!

What gives me hope? People like Lex, those who are strong enough to be compassion towards others and who don't fear having conversations. People with real curiosity who are willing to listen despite anything. As an Egyptian myself that was a very fascinating conversation. Listening to Bassem is like breathing fresh air after very long time under the ground. I'm not particularly a fan of him nor I agree 100% with everything he says, but just how open he is to discuss and acknowledge the other perspectives is refreshing to listen to. That's something we surely lack in the Middle East.

Thank you Lex...you have the most amazing guests and conversations. It was a pleasure listening to 2, amazing human beings and gentlemen on the day of Eid. Love and peace from South Africa.

Love this conversation. Well done Lex for teasing out this man's TRUE agenda:! Respect, Dignity, and Empathy!!!! It's so sad that we have to engage in mental gymnastics to get people to realise that they're human!

Bassem Youssef is the truth❤❤❤

This thoughtful debate is truly remarkable; the world would benefit from more discussions of this philosophical nature.

A very wonderful interview, thank you! This is something incredible, a doctor, a very famous comedian, a salsa teacher. By the way, please invite ivanna sakhno, a very interesting actress who has come a long way. Thank you!!

bassem has a very sharp mind and it serves him quite well. i'm glad that i got to know about him through piers morgan's show, which might've been one of the rare times his show did something good... introducing us to someone better and more human.

Thank you Lex for inviting Bassem Youssef. I think it is the best interview he ever done .

It took Fridman 6 months and ~40k dead to get Bassem on - the most vocal and clear voice in solidarity with the Gazans. For this channel the conflict began with the Kushner interview. Yes, I know that the interview came before the Oct 7 attack, but it's just so telling that this is the sort of a person Fridman has a closer relationship with - a nepotism appointee under Trump, who oversaw elevation of Netanyahu, the move of the embassy ot Jerusalem, etc. Centrism is spineless.

Lex, you are a beautiful human being ❤Thank you for a great podcast with the amazing Bassem, who makes me proud ❤