Following his 2019 and 2024 hour-long stand-up comedy specials—Feelings and More Feelings, respectively—on HBO, executive producer Ramy Youssef (Ramy, Poor Things, Mo, Mountainhead) returns to the premium television network for a third special at The Hideout in Chicago. Subtitled In Love and directed again by executive producer Christopher Storer (Bo Burnham: what., Bo Burnham: Make Happy, Ramy, The Bear), the comic covers an array of subject matter, from religion to artificial intelligence (AI) to marriage to dog parenting, and more.
Youssef’s thesis isn’t solely based on feelings and instincts this time around. Moreover, his rhetorical invention is grounded in his comprehensive relationships with others, primarily his family and his romantic partner. He carries on stage with him a very lax approach to the line, “It’s hard being a guy”. That isn’t to suggest that he is crafting a masculine over a feminist stance on recent experiences. Rather, in speaking of people with autism and Down Syndrome, the comic provides a stronger point: “We’re living in a time [where] we don’t even know what’s real. Nothing we can see, we can trust. The only real thing is love, the thing we can’t see.”
Putting Together the Act
In his multi-layered monologue about love, Youssef arranges a variety of talking points, which aren’t as seamless as in More Feelings. He discusses his aim to conceive a child “to save my dad from the Internet [and to] my mom from being Turkish”, his wonder about getting into his dog’s thoughts, the rise of “pedophile hunters” on YouTube as a substitute for Dateline NBC’s To Catch a Predator, the (possibly sarcastic) willingness to sacrifice morals for money, the emotional and social package of having a partner, the “white guilt” had as a different ethnicity while living a privileged lifestyle, and discussing gods with the Pope, cardinals, and Whoopi Goldberg.
When tackling love through these lenses, it’s important to keep in mind that these views are coming from a “dude”. This is the impression that the comic gives off in Feelings, and which dwindled as he dove into the personal in More Feelings. Nothing offensive is found in both the invention and the arrangement, and again, his approach to his observations of current events is quite genuine. I believe it’s imperative to keep our families distracted from misleading media and that there are indeed people online who are insensitive to others and their privacy. As the late bell hooks asserts, love doesn’t merely involve the sexual but also the ability to meet one’s own psychological needs. To a degree, that’s vital when Youssef speaks about the lengths he would go to if he attended the controversial Riyadh Comedy Festival—for paying comedians millions of dollars to perform as a means to cover up Saudi Arabia’s history with human rights violations—and the ease of moving through Los Angeles in light of the Southern California wildfires.
One of my favorite lines at the beginning of the HBO special is about dog parenting: “It’s wild to love something and not actually know what it thinks”. As someone who rescued a puppy at the onset of the COVID-19 lockdown, I can see how poignant it can be to raise a dog and ponder on its perspective on life. Youssef’s word choices are important for his approach to his thesis on love, such as when he pivots to the line, “I’m just walking around Brooklyn with my MeToo dog…” He also explores the heads of AI technology and the path that they will lead humanity into, such as OpenAI chief executive officer Sam Altman and the line, “There are gonna be jobs you couldn’t even dream of”. It’s the manner in which Youssef twists the bits towards the ends with near-impactful punchlines that make the comedy as successful as it is.
Youssef’s Performance
Ultimately, Youssef’s outlook on Western issues colliding with the international sphere is insightful material: “The Pope has an Apple ID, and Hamas has a printer, and Air Force One is Muslim. This is the world that we live in.” While I’m not entirely keen on Feelings, the comedian offered a narrowed focus in More Feelings. With In Love, his ethos is fortified by his endorsement of Zohran Mamdani’s campaign for Mayor of New York City. Some of the things that Youssef says may bring down his character—e.g., comparing being photographed with the now-Mayor Mamdani with the reactions of acquaintances and associates of Jeffrey Epstein at the uncovered photos and files of them together—but that’s all just for the sake of being funny.
I find the logic in the material quite sound, even if they do come off as absurd. Purchasing a dog through Zoom and competing with another family, including an “un-Pfizered” grandma, during the pandemic is unheard of, outlandish even. Then, there’s the comparison of dog insurance to human insurance, or the comparison of dogs to guns; using having a wife as an excuse to opt out of social activities, as opposed to when a woman has a husband, the latter of which suggests an abusive relationship; and the comedian’s father urging him to convert politicians and religious figures into Islam. Yet, what he calls into question that concerns me the most is Donald Trump’s present-day affairs across the globe.
I find it ironic that Air Force One is gifted by the Middle East (despite Muslims being blamed for a plane or two) as one of the myriad sins that the United States President gets away with. For Youssef to express a blend of pathos for others—including the elderly, women, working-class individuals at risk of being replaced with AI—works brilliantly in his favor. It displays a level of selflessness despite his convolutions of the truth.
Final Thoughts on Ramy Youssef: In Love
Editors Joanna Naugle (Ramy, The Bear) and Davy Gomez’s visual transitions from bit to bit weren’t necessary, and I feel as if just cutting from the director of photography Christian Sprenger’s (GLOW Season 1, Guava Island, Donald Glover’s Atlanta, and Mr. & Mrs. Smith) different angles is fine enough. In my opinion, simply showcasing Youssef, his dark coat, and olive-brown beanie, superimposed against the mustard-brown curtains in a well-lit small space, is sufficient.
Regardless, the skillful delivery and the appeal to timing in this special are excellent. I absolutely love the stupidity in how he delivers several lines—”On Easter Sunday, they sent JD Vance to kill him and to stop the truth from coming out, and I’ve got to live with that every day” is just darkly hilarious. Youssef touches on placing the right politicians in positions of power and on women’s presence on social media. This is a good indicator of when this special took place, notably the problems surrounding Twitter/X users abusing the Grok feature and its image-alteration or image-generation capabilities this past December/January.
On that note, Ramy Youssef has much to analyze whilst “In Love”, and I would highly suggest giving this special a watch to gain your own meaning from it.
Stream Ramy Youssef: In Love on HBO Max.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
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