Many people believe humor is inappropriate in conflict zones such as the Middle East. That these are not laughing matters. They are profoundly skeptical whether laughter can make a difference to this long bloody struggle.
They are right to be skeptics. But skepticism and cynicism are no longer enough.
The conflict in the Holy Land matters deeply to all of us -- whether Palestinian or Israeli, Jew or Arab, Muslim or Christian, Easterner or Westerner.
Some of us have a direct tribal connection to one side or the other: We want our tribe to have a future without fear, we are sick of the stereotypes we have been stuck with and sick of how our religions have been hijacked by extremists. For others, it is crucially important because this longest-running Middle East conflict is used as a recruiting tool for attacks against modernity, against freedom and against all Western values.
But if we do not find a way to solve this crisis the future holds only more violence and the grim responses warfare and terrorism always engender: Those who live in the Middle East will be condemned to watch generations of their children sacrificed on the altar of hate; the vast majority of Arabs and Jews across the globe will continue to bear the burden of the stereotypes they live with, even though they reject extremist calls to return the world to some ancient time or to embrace values they abhor.
So how does Comedy for PeaceTM fit in? How can it make a difference? The answer is that comedy can be one tool that promotes co-existence. This is a very serious project that will be done in a seriously funny way. It is a project that will use the tools of comedy and mass media to create a message of hope in the midst of hatred and then carry that message to a global audience.
Comics like Richard Pryor and Bill Cosby, Mel Brooks and Woody Allen, Dick Gregory and Lenny Bruce used comedy to help people see a minority group in a new way. In the same way, Comedy for PeaceTM will use humor to open minds that have been closed.
And we've proved it can work:
David Lewis Productions - P.O. Box 8340 Atlanta, GA 31106
(404) 687-8430 - info@comedy4peace.org
privacy statement terms of use site map
Powered by i3SiteTools