Ramy Youssef

This is a scene from the first episode, which takes place on 9-11 when the father and mother clash over how to respond. Rami Youssef does the voices of the father and the son. Salma Hindi voices the mother.

Remy Youssef, welcome to Fresh Air. It's such a pleasure to have you back on the show. That scene is so funny. I love it when the father says, from now on, we have no culture.

Remy Youssef, welcome to Fresh Air. It's such a pleasure to have you back on the show. That scene is so funny. I love it when the father says, from now on, we have no culture.

Remy Youssef, welcome to Fresh Air. It's such a pleasure to have you back on the show. That scene is so funny. I love it when the father says, from now on, we have no culture.

What were the discussions like in your family living in New Jersey after 9-11? Were there conversations in your family about whether to stand up and defend diversity and defend Islam or whether to just, like you said, erase part of themselves?

What were the discussions like in your family living in New Jersey after 9-11? Were there conversations in your family about whether to stand up and defend diversity and defend Islam or whether to just, like you said, erase part of themselves?

What were the discussions like in your family living in New Jersey after 9-11? Were there conversations in your family about whether to stand up and defend diversity and defend Islam or whether to just, like you said, erase part of themselves?

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah. Did you code switch a lot when you were 11 after 9-11, like the cartoon version of The Sun does? Part of the code switching is not just the way he talks. It's also like what he wears to try to look like all American, right?

Yeah. Did you code switch a lot when you were 11 after 9-11, like the cartoon version of The Sun does? Part of the code switching is not just the way he talks. It's also like what he wears to try to look like all American, right?

Yeah. Did you code switch a lot when you were 11 after 9-11, like the cartoon version of The Sun does? Part of the code switching is not just the way he talks. It's also like what he wears to try to look like all American, right?

Right. A good reason to be paranoid. Like you have every reason to to feel like you're sticking out. You're not fitting in. And maybe that means prison.

Right. A good reason to be paranoid. Like you have every reason to to feel like you're sticking out. You're not fitting in. And maybe that means prison.

Right. A good reason to be paranoid. Like you have every reason to to feel like you're sticking out. You're not fitting in. And maybe that means prison.

So there's briefly a grandfather in the series. And he is very sexist. Like he is the man and he has control, especially control over his wife. He's grumpy. He orders people around. And at one point he says, I sacrificed everything for this family. Most men of my generation hit. And he's referring to hitting women. And he says, I only yell. I didn't even take a second wife.

So there's briefly a grandfather in the series. And he is very sexist. Like he is the man and he has control, especially control over his wife. He's grumpy. He orders people around. And at one point he says, I sacrificed everything for this family. Most men of my generation hit. And he's referring to hitting women. And he says, I only yell. I didn't even take a second wife.

So there's briefly a grandfather in the series. And he is very sexist. Like he is the man and he has control, especially control over his wife. He's grumpy. He orders people around. And at one point he says, I sacrificed everything for this family. Most men of my generation hit. And he's referring to hitting women. And he says, I only yell. I didn't even take a second wife.

So did you have a grandfather who was like that? And if so, how did you deal with it? Like, did you say anything?