Jewish-Muslim Comedy Duo Seeks to Ease Tensions

January 9, 2004

Source: Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36~53~1879839,00.html

On January 9, 2004 the Denver Post ran a feature article on a Jewish-Muslim comedy team seeking to ease relations between the two groups: "These two are professional comedians. And after they ate, they set about their unique mission: easing that tension through laughter. On a day when Israeli soldiers killed a Palestinian activist, and the Palestinian prime minister threatened to abandon a two-state settlement plan, Alper and Ahmed delighted a crowd of about 1,500 - Christians, Jews and Muslims - at the Denver Performing Arts Complex. Egypt-born Ahmed, 33, a devout Muslim, once earned a living in Hollywood playing terrorist roles - spraying bullets and shouting 'Allah!' - before quitting in disgust. Rhode Island-born Alper, 58, who studied in Jerusalem and faced "hostile audiences" for 31 years, lives in rural Vermont."