Pakistani Band Beygairat Brigade Serves up Satire with ‘Aalu Anday’

A newly formed Pakistani band is gaining YouTube popularity with a song that a uses a Pakistani side dish as a metaphor for what the Pakistani government is giving its people.

Greek Humor in Times of Crisis

Amid all the economic doom and gloom coming from Greece these days, you’d think the Greeks don’t have much to laugh about. But actually, humor is alive and well in Greece, and it’s helping many cope with some dark times.

Egyptian-American Comic Ronnie Khalil Performs Stand-up in Cairo

Egypt remains a country where joking about politicians and the military is taboo

Norman Wisdom big in Albania

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British comic actor Norman Wisdom has died. His portrayal of bumbling characters won fans not only in Britain but in the unlikeliest of places. Wisdom’s movies were huge in Albania, at a time when few other Western imports were permitted. Bill Hamilton was the first BBC correspondent to get into the Balkan nation during the Communist regime. We reached him at his home in Saint Albans, England. Download MP3
>>>BBC audio slideshow

… you’ve been a beautiful audience!

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Did you hear the one about a stand up comedy festival in Amman, Jordan? The World’s Aaron Schachter did and he brings us the story. Download MP3 (Photo of comedian Dean Obeidallah by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images for Doha Tribeca Film Festival)

• Info about the Amman Stand Up Comedy Festival

Global Hit: Paganini

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For today’s Global Hit, we tackle a very serious subject: classical music. Or maybe not so serious, if you’re checking out Paganini, a comedy string quartet from Spain and Lebanon. The group’s mission is to get the world of classical music to lighten up. The World’s Gerry Hadden went to one of Paganini’s shows in Spain. Download MP3

• More about Paganini
• Video: Paganini in concert in Spain

Comic relief for German politics

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Anchor Marco Werman speaks with a one-of-a-kind candidate who is pretending to run for the German parliamentary election this September. His name is Horst Schlaemmer, a character created by comedian Hape Kerkeling and he’s gaining some traction in the polls.

British Bobby turned comedian

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Anchor Lisa Mullins has news of a British policeman who’s moonlighting as a stand-up comedian at the Edinburgh Festival.

Ethnic jokes a hit

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Anita Elash reports on Russell Peters, the Indian-born Canadian stand-up comic just named one of the ten highest-earning comedians in the world. His humor is not politically correct, often making fun of various ethnic groups.