Ramy Youssef calls for a free Palestine in ‘SNL’ monologue

US Egyptian comedian, writer and actor Ramy Youssef hosted “Saturday Night Live” for the first time on March 30 and used his monologue to call for a free Palestine and for the release of the hostages taken by Hamas in the Israel-Gaza war.

The comedian talked about the power of prayer and joked that “In my friend group, I’m one of the only guys who prays. I’m friends with a lot of sinners, like, just disgusting people. And they call me when they’re in trouble because they want me to pray for them.”

Youssef recalled getting a call from a friend who asked him to pray for his family in Gaza.

“I’m like, ‘Dude, I got you,’” Youssef said. “So that night, I go to pray, and my prayers are complicated. I’ve got a lot to fit in. I’m like, ‘God, please, please help Ahmed’s family. Please stop the suffering. Stop the violence. Please free the people of Palestine, please. And please free the hostages, all the hostages, please.”

Youssef has been a vocal advocate for a ceasefire, wearing an Artists for Ceasefire pin to the Academy Awards. “We’re calling for immediate, permanent ceasefire in Gaza. We’re calling for peace and lasting justice for the people of Palestine,” Youssef told Variety‘s Marc Malkin on the red carpet. “It’s a universal message of, ‘Let’s stop killing kids. Let’s not be part of more war.’ No one has ever looked back at war and thought a bombing campaign was a good idea. To be surrounded by so many artists who are willing to lend their voices, the list is growing. A lot of people are going to be wearing these pins tonight. There’s a lot of talking heads on the news, this is a space of talking hearts. We’re trying to have this big beam to humanity.”

Youssef is currently promoting his new comedy special titled “Ramy Youssef: More Feelings,” that premiered on March 23.

The comedy special’s trailer sees Youssef “offer his unique reflections on our divided world, the unexpected perils of charitable giving and more,” hitting on topics including “the 2024 presidential election, the importance of prayer, and a childhood book report that changed the course of his life.”

Youssef received a nomination for the Critics’ Choice Awards and a Writers Guild Award in 2020 for his inaugural HBO comedy special, “Ramy Youssef: Feelings.”