Comedians in Syria see a new moment for their art form. With the regime that stifled dissent under former President Bashar al-Assad gone, they have been putting together performances at cafes and clubs across Damascus and telling jokes that were previously unthinkable.
The roast is a sacred tradition for stand-up comedians – maybe a little too sacred. The form remained essentially unchanged from the classic Friars Club roasts of the 1960s and 70s, but a group of comics is taking the tradition to new heights — and even more insulting places — with Roast Battle.