Movies

Nothing’s funny about scared immigrants, unless it comes from Ramy Youssef

BBG News

When the witty political satire from “South Park” clashes with a teen’s personal growth tale set in post-9/11 New Jersey, featuring a Muslim character, it results in the creation of an animated comedy series titled “#1 Happy Family USA.

Created and co-executed by Ramy Youssef and Pam Brady, the A24 production debuting on Prime Video this Thursday, focuses on Rumi Hussein (voiced by Youssef) and his family as they grapple with the widespread vigilance and suspicion of the early 2000s.

In the world I know as a movie enthusiast, I find myself starring in a semi-autobiographical tale set in the past, where the airwaves are ruled by Michael Jordan, music piracy scandals, and the unstoppable Britney Spears. On September 10th, everything seems ordinary in my life. I’ve got a crush on Mrs. Malcolm, my teacher (voiced by Mandy Moore, who became famous in the 2000s). I deal with the obliviousness of my Egyptian immigrant parents, my father Hussein (also voiced by Youssef) and mother Sharia (Salma Hindy). I bicker with my seemingly perfect/closeted sister, Mona (Alia Shawkat). And let’s not forget my devout grandparents who live with us, always ready to make whatever I do feel forbidden.

Within just 24 hours, the Al-Qaeda attacks transformed the Hussein family, who were merely an ordinary yet troubled family with unlucky names, into a family under suspicion of being a terrorist group.

Rumi’s father, previously a doctor and now a halal cart owner, intensifies his efforts to blend in completely as an American, distancing himself from any resemblance to Osama. Suddenly, their front yard is adorned with American flags, Christmas ornaments, and Easter decorations. He even shaves off his beard and urges his wife to stop wearing her hijab. This only strengthens Sharia’s resolve to continue covering her headscarf, as she works as a receptionist for an unusual dentist played by Kieran Culkin.

In an attempt to blend in with his peers, Rumi donned a new basketball jersey. However, this jersey, which happened to be a counterfeit “Bulls” shirt, read “Balls” instead. Additionally, it was three sizes too large and resembled a dress more than a jersey. It was evident that he was different from the rest of the boys.

The narrative structure resembles Youssef’s childhood vignettes in his Hulu series “Ramy,” but the format of adult animation gave him the freedom to explore the story and characters more freely. Additionally, he collaborated with Brady, a renowned expert in crafting animated satire that is both witty and side-splittingly funny.

Entertainment & Arts

Youssef expressed that animation was the perfect platform for bringing this concept to life. Instead of focusing on police dramas or news, he wanted to explore uncharted territory. His goal was to create something foolish in a refined and almost Commedia dell’arte style – absurd yet clever. He laughed, describing it as “dumb and loud.” Compared to ‘Ramy’ and ‘Mo,’ this project has no boundaries; it explodes into a limitless medium. As soon as Pam’s name was mentioned, the decision was immediate.

Brady initially teamed up with Trey Parker and Matt Stone on “South Park” from the series’ inception, co-writing the movie “Team America: World Police” alongside them, and jointly creating the Netflix comedy show “Lady Dynamite.” Intrigued by “Ramy”, Brady admitted to being a fan after watching his stand-up. Persistently asking his manager for an introduction, Brady approached their collaboration sincerely, appreciating Ramy’s innovative work. He often jokes with friends that Ramy is a true writer who delves into characters, making this collaboration particularly enlightening because it has inspired and challenged him – showing him the right way to approach character development.

Mona Chalabi, both the illustrator and executive producer, crafted unique characters that evoke the animation styles seen in popular ’90s and early 2000s series such as “Futurama” and “Daria.

Youssef explained, “I wanted it to give off the vibe of a discovered VHS tape.” He continued, “When you play it, it seems as if it could’ve originally aired on channels like Comedy Central or MTV. The animation is hand-drawn and we produced it with an animation studio in Malaysia called Animasia. This studio is run by Muslims, which is quite remarkable. They were thrilled to draw hijabs and various characters because they could relate to it. Even our computers here were intentionally scaled back so that the production would appear as if it was made in the past. Whatever work we put into it took a considerable amount of time, and it was almost like working against AI.

Brady explains, “We aimed to ensure that the show felt comfortable and familiar, similar to one you’ve seen before, with its visuals, direction, and pace. We didn’t want to revolutionize the format, but we also didn’t intend for it to resemble ‘Family Guy.’ It’s as if the show had been around since 1998, a show you might recall, right?

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Initially, Ramy Youssef had always admired the director, Yorgos Lanthimos. However, he was taken aback when he discovered that Lanthimos reciprocated his respect.

Despite the series being set 25 years ago, its themes remain relevant today given the ongoing issues with immigration and student deportations. The Hussein family faces Islamophobia post-9/11 attacks, reflecting the anxiety of being stereotyped by society, including their neighbor, FBI agent Dan Daniels (played by Timothy Olyphant). This era was indeed a challenging time, but the show “#1 Happy Family USA” manages to find humor in it. Characters burst into song as they narrowly escape Homeland Security or unintentionally cause chaos by praying in public places like airports during terror alerts.

Youssef mentioned that they were aiming to preserve a snapshot of this specific moment, similar to a time capsule, related to the old DHS (Department of Homeland Security). However, given the current climate where immigrant and Muslim families might feel compelled to declare their pride, he said it was like exclaiming “We’re No. 1! Happy Family USA!” Pam, Mona, and he all expressed shock as this project happened during a time when joking about such topics in other platforms could be challenging.

When everything seems unfair or absurd, “#1 Happy Family USA” offers the satirical perspective we crave.

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2025-04-18 13:31

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