The icon of intelligent comedy, Bassem Youssef, is returning to the regional audience through his participation in 'Bridge Summit 2025', the largest global event in the media, content, and entertainment sectors. On December 10, he will present a session titled 'A Decade of Smart Comedy: Did It Succeed?'. During his talk, he will explore how humor has transformed into a tool for impact and shaping new readings of the cultural and social reality. During the session, held on the 'Summit' platform, Youssef will reflect on the path satire has taken over the past decade, and how it has evolved from entertainment content into a critical language capable of analyzing reality and revealing its contradictions, as well as keeping pace with the changes witnessed in media and the content economy in the region. Bassem Youssef is widely regarded as the Arab world's version of Jon Stewart. What began as a five-minute experimental clip on YouTube quickly became one of the most prominent media phenomena in the region, with over 30 million weekly views, contributing to changing the shape of public discourse and bringing satire to an unprecedented audience through his show 'Al-Bernameg'. Before becoming one of the most prominent comedic voices, Bassem Youssef worked as a cardiothoracic surgeon for 13 years, a member of the Royal College of Surgeons—a rare career transition from medicine to media. The summit, organized by the 'Bridge' alliance—an independent, non-profit global organization dedicated to developing the global media, content, and entertainment ecosystem by building credibility, enhancing trust, and supporting responsible innovation in these sectors—will take place from December 8 to 10 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC).
