Ramy Youssef Sets HBO Comedy Special ‘In Love’ Joking About Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Comedy Festival, AI and More

Apr 2, 2026 10:00am PT Ramy Youssef Sets HBO Comedy Special ‘In Love’ Joking About Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Comedy Festival, AI and More By Selome Hailu Plus Icon Selome Hailu Latest ‘The Pitt’ Heads to Movie Theaters With Alamo Drafthouse Screenings of Season 2 Finale 2 days ago ‘Forensic Files’ to Be Adapted Into Vertical Format by Microdrama Streamer GammaTime 2 days ago Moses Ingram Signs With UTA 3 days ago See All Ramy Youssef has set his third HBO comedy special. Premiering on April 17, “Ramy Youssef: In Love” was filmed at the Hideout in Chicago and directed by “The Bear” creator Chris Storer. The official logline for the special states that Youssef “playfully engages with the audience as he approaches a vast spectrum of personal topics, both hilariously relatable and genuinely serious, all while doing so with the belief that you can find light and hope in all things if you just try to see them through a lens of love. Whether it’s his marriage, being a dog parent, AI, or religion, Ramy comes at everything with his own brand of heart and humor.” In a trailer for the special, a narrator says, “He’s the most famous comedian to not do the Saudi comedy festival.” Onstage, Youssef says, “I didn’t do that, because I wasn’t invited. My wife, her whole family’s in Saudi. I go there anyway. I’m the only guy in Hollywood that loses money going to Saudi Arabia.” Popular on Variety In another joke, he discusses the use of AI on social media. “You guys are seeing what’s happening on Grok? Any picture of any woman, they’re turning it into porn,” he says. “I thought of one defense. Really, the only thing that could help would be if all women wore all black, but only through the eyes —” he trails off as the audience laughs, understanding his reference to the niqaab, a face covering garment worn by some Muslim women. “For years, I’ve been going, ‘Why do they make them wear that?’ And now, it’s become clear. This was a prophecy.” In an Egyptian accent, he continues, “‘Salma! I wi...