With a new wave of Islamophobia in the U.S. after recent attacks on Iran, Ramy Youssef has come under fire for his Sesame Street appearance.
The Golden Globe winner joked “it’s got to be tough” for Fox News to see him teaching Elmo some Arabic words during Arabic American Heritage Month, despite the words meaning “peace” and “my love.”
“I feel for them, right?” Youssef joked on The View. “I think they’re worried, saying Arabic immersion, and it’s got to be tough, because I think they’re supporters of the president. So imagine your president on Easter is tweeting ‘Praise be to Allah,’ and now Elmo saying ‘habibi.’ Feels threatening.”
Noting that he taught Elmo the word “habibi,” which means “my love,” and “salamu alaykum,” is phrase Jesus used, meaning “peace be upon you,” the comedian reasoned, “This is really not that difficult, it just means peace.”
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