Memory Lane with Kerry Godliman and Jen Brister - S04 E29: Joe Haddad

Episode Date: October 1, 2025

"My parents moved from Palestine for a better life to a place called Croyden..."The lovely and brilliant @justjoehaddad joins us this week!Joe is a Palestinian comedian and has gigged with Kerry and Joe helping raise money and awareness for Medical Aid for Palestinians.- A cause that's really important to all of us - https://www.map.org.uk/PLUS... @kerryagodliman and @jenbristercomedy chat about FLAGS... Good flags, bad flags and not the correct flags... Whoops Kerry...JEN & KERRY STAND-UP TOURSKerry's 2025 tour is on sale now - https://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/kerry-godliman-tickets/artist/1866728Jen's 2025 tour is on sale now - https://www.jenbrister.co.uk/tour/PHOTOSPHOTO 1: First gigPHOTO 2: School photoPHOTO 3: Dressing upPHOTO 4: My cousins and PalestinePHOTO 5: BoxingPICS & MORE - https://www.instagram.com/memory_lane_podcast/A Dot Dot Dot Production produced by Joel PorterHosted by Jen Brister & Kerry Godliman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The only thing more powerful than a girl's girl, a girl's girl with a law degree. All's Fair is the fierce new legal drama about a team of iconic women and friends, created by Ryan Murphy and starring Kim Kardashian, Naomi Watts, Nisi Nash Betts, Tiana Taylor, Matthew Nosska, with Sarah Paulson and Glenn Close. All's Fair premieres on Hulu on Disney Plus, November 4th. Hello, and welcome to Memory Lake. I'm Jen Bristair, and I'm Kerry Godleman. Each week we'll be taking a trip down Memory Lane

with our very special guest as they bring in four photos from their lives to talk about. To check out the photos we'd be having a natter with them about, they're on the episode image and you can also see them a little bit more clearly on our Instagram page so have a little look at Memory Lane podcast. Come on, we can all be nosy together.

So Kerry, what's your relationship with flags? Look, look, this is a link into our next guest. No, wait. It's a reasonable conversation. Given everything that's happening in this country right now, I think bringing up flags is actually perfectly reasonable for us to have a discussion about flags. About flags as a concept? Yeah, let's talk about flags as a concept.

Let's start there. Okay, how do you feel about flags? I see your question and I reflect it back to you. No, you're not allowed to do that. Oh, okay. Remember open questions. Yeah. Yeah.

Do I like flags? I didn't ask that. What did you say? What was the question? What's your feeling about flags generally? Well, it depends on the flag, doesn't it? It depends on the flag. If it's the Jolly Roger, I think,

Pirates! And if it's a rainbow flag, I think, party time! Yeah? And if it's a St George's Cross, I think, oh no, there's a bunch of races coming at me. It's a bunch of fascists come in. It's kind of tricky, isn't it?

I mean, we've had this conversation many times. We're quite old now. We are. And there's been spikes of flag yanking where they're like, it's our flag. And then the other people go, no, it's our flag. And then at the moment, it would seem that it's their flag is their flag. They're waving it in the cause of fascism. I don't feel like that flag's ever been my flag.

Not the St George's Cross. No, I'm not particularly attached to that. Absolutely no attachment to that flag. No, I don't particularly. And it does evoke feelings of racist. But what about the Union Jack? Well, the Union Jack, as you will probably remember when we were growing up, was problematic. Yes.

Because of the National Front. And the BNP. Yeah. And so the Union Jack has been problematic for me. In the past. But it did get reclaimed when the Olympics were. We reclaimed it with the Olympics. That's right.

But I always had a problem with it also because I've got a foreign mum and she used to get a lot of stick when we were growing up. And so I've always had a problem with the Union Jack. Which is a shame because I, I'm British. Yeah. So I need to make that clear. Have you waived it at a sport tournament? Have I waived a Union Jack?

I must have waived a Union Jack. Oh, I'll tell you when I waved a Union Jack. One of the many... That looks like you're wanking. It looks like you're just wanking. No, what I'm doing is what politicians do. I know, but when you do that mime, I've fallen into this trap before. If you do that mind, people just say you look like you're wanking two giants.

Oh, I see, yeah, yeah. I don't think I'd be very bad. Look at my technique. Yeah. My technique is chaos. What's happening? I haven't got you with them. There's no rhythm.

What are you doing down there? I'm doing my best, right? It's not something I'm used to. Also, it's flag waving. I see that now. I'm waving flags. You're not wanking. I'm not wanking anyone.

Anyway, let's stop that. So the flag waving at various different street parties when I was a kid. You know, there was a raw family. We were getting married. Maybe when Andy and Furgie got married or Prince Charles Adina got married or the Silver Jubilee. There are pictures of me. With a flag. With a flag.

Or with a hat, the Union Jack hat. plastic hat. See, if I got that picture now in this current climate and put that on social media, be really problematic for you to get your way around that. Yeah, but I was dressed as a gypsy, so I don't know if actually there's two reasons to cancel me. Lots of problems.

But as thing with a crystal ball. This is a Gen X. This is the story of the Gen Xer. Just bobbing and weeping your way. I can't believe adding, but I was dressed as a gypsy. I thought that was helpful. Yeah, I thought that was your defense. Oh, that was worrying.

Yeah, back pedal. Oh, excuse me, got to get the dog. Get the dog. Don't let Molly stay out there. Look at her. The charisma bomb enters. Oh, please don't get this in the house. Hi, Molly.

Here she comes. Here she comes. But what I find interesting about all of that is what do people mean about flags? Yeah. I don't. Like somebody said to me, oh, you know, it's about identity. It's about feeling part of where you're from. It's about pride about where you're from.

I was like, but why do you need a flag to do that? Flags are fluid as well. Like I watched one of those explained on Netflix about flags. Have you ever watched any of those? No. They have these little mini documentaries. Flags explained as a documentary? Well, they do document micro-docs about lots of different things.

There's one about cricket and there's one about tattoos and there happens to be one about flags and I watched it with Frank. It was very informative. And they, some of them are very recent. So people have this attachment to flags because they think they're these like ancient law. And some of them are like, they're not very old. and they're extremely contrived concepts. And as has been coming up lately about the St. George's Cross, isn't it Palestinian anyway?

Yeah. St George's... St George's fat parents were Turkey. His dad was Turkey, well, what would be now Turkey, and his mom was Palestinian. Right. And he never set foot in England. No. So it's like, where does that come from?

And I don't think the people waving it last Saturday, give much of a fuck. But it is an interesting, like a lot of, you know, post-colonial countries had to come up with a flag when they joined, had a new, developed a new nation without a different colonising government and blah blah, blah, like they're not all ancient things. Yeah. Some of them are very recent. Yeah, I know. None of it.

But then what we're trying to do is attach logic to something that hasn't. That is very visceral and makes people feel feelings. Anyway, I have loads of feelings. I know you do, darling. I've got loads of feelings and I've never needed a flag attached to any of them. I love that. I didn't know if that was in relation to this conversation. or just existence.

I've got loads of feelings. I've got loads of feelings, Kerry, and they're all coming out right now. Wait, wait until I finish your wedding. I know. I don't need a flag. Do you wave a pride flag? Yeah, I probably would waive a pride flag. But I mean, that for me is something that's less about,

it is about identity, but it's also about the importance of inclusion. Yeah. And I think that's why. And it's a reminder that we still, that we still have to be really careful with the fact that we what the fuck is that dog doing i can't concentrate expressing herself she's got feelings molly molly molly back it in she's got some strong feelings there if yeah i mean that's the thing what you're describing there makes total sense to me but those

people waving the other flag would say the same yeah unfortunately well i would i mean i've got so many cancer arguments to that because i mean at what point you've got loads of feelings i've got How many feelings have I got? You've got a whole... I've got a rainbow feelings. You've got a rainbow feeling. I don't think there are many English white men who systemically have their rights being...

Oh, their rights are in a right, old mess. They've got no rights. I'm being devil's avocado. I know you've been a devil's avocado, and I appreciate that. They don't feel very seen right now, do they? That's at the root of all their fucking weirdness, is they don't feel seen. Yeah, but some of those...

not being seen are legitimate, are completely legitimate. I can't believe we're almost going into political debate here, but ultimately, we can do whatever the fact we want. But ultimately, all of those things are not going to be changed or improved by a party that has been funded by billionaires. No.

Whose main goal is to undermine democracy and to undermine, and to make sure that they ring fence all their money so you don't fucking have it. But that's why I can see that some people, I've noticed Shappi's done it, is that they want that, don't, you can't have the flag. The reform can't have the flag because it's not their flag. Isn't there a flag? But I still don't want to be draped in that flag. I don't think people will get the irony.

No, sure. Yeah. Talking of flag, so I guess today. Let's talk. No, but before we talk about that flag. What? Oh, are we talking about that flag? Yeah.

Go, go, go, go. Okay, so I guess today is Joe Haddad. Yeah. And he's very kindly a few times. times when you know in Instagram when you have the little thing coming out of your head you've got a little bubble in your head and not people put the Palestinian flag they go high free Palestine yeah yeah with the Palestinian flag yeah with the Palestinian flag yeah that's key that's really key for the free Palestine message absolutely it's it's pretty much 100% yeah a couple of times I've put the wrong flag now in my defense right and Joe's had to come on and go that's the Jordan flag and I've gone oh and then I've had to take it off and then that's the what was the other one Dubai Dubai yeah so in my defense Free Jordan. And then you feel like a twat, and I'm, I'm comfortable with that. Are you?

Yeah, but what, in my defence, in my defence, I'm okay. These are tiny, tiny flags. Really tiny flags with really similar shapes and colours. And I've gone on and gone, that's not, no, I did put the Palestine flag. It isn't the Dubai flag. And he's like, it's the wrong flag. It's the wrong flag.

Because he's young. and his eyes work. No. And then I feel like, well, that's not fair because, you know, when you, you know when you use emojis regularly, in your emoji menu, I know a lot of young people think we're very old, the emoji users. Young people don't use them so much. But I use them all the time, especially the faces.

Oh, yeah. Well, you're proper Gen X. You have emojis. Yeah. We use emoji. Yeah. So in your recent usage menu, you're like, that's where all my funny faces are and this time, you know, I do my plants and my spiders.

Right. And if it's Halloween, you've got your pumpkins and your ghost. And if it's Christmas, you've got your son's there and your Christmas tree. Yeah. They're your recent used emoji, right? So I'm like, well, I've been recently posting that Palestinian flag. So why the fuck has my phone changed it to the Dubai flag? Do you think that maybe you only ever used the Dubai flag?

No, no. I had the Palestine flag there before. I think maybe. No, I didn't. Why would, why would Instagram save? on your most recent emojis. No, not on Instagram. I'm in your phone. In your phone.

Okay, but why would your phone do that if you hadn't already done it? Is the algorithm. Oh, go. Kerry, you have been posting free to buy for about three months. And when you got corrected, you went, fine, I'll change it.

Free Jordan. Thank God someone like Joe. Like, Joe is one of those lovely, kind people that if you go out and about and you've got a pub going out of your chin and no one tells you. He'd tell you. He'd tell you.

He said, babe, you've got the wrong flag up there. No one else. Why didn't you tell me? Listen, why I started it's as bad as yours? I'm not looking at your bubbles. It was very sweet of him because I don't know him that well. I've seen him perform but I don't really know him. Oh, he was so lovely.

And he, uh, he's very funny. It's very funny. It was very lovely of him to come and bring his pictures and tell his story. It was great having him. Yeah, and also I've seen Joe a few times and I just, I just really, he's got funny. He's like got funny. Yeah, he's got funny both. He's got funny bones.

What about your fucking hair? Good for the ground. Man, looking good for the gram. I hate that that is a thing now. Hashtra, looking good for the gram. I hate that I know that when you said the gram, it's Instagram. I didn't know that for ages what the gram was. Yeah, I went viral.

Joe, how are you? I'm well. How are you? Well, we're always well. Just like, that's what middle age brings is contentment and peace. He does, doesn't it? He does bring a peace. The burn for things goes.

away, but you're still in the youth zone where things matter. You're still ambitious. Am I still ambitious? I'm driven. You are, babe? I am, yeah, suppose. Joe, we loved watching you at the Troxy for Voices of Solidarity, which was

a fantastic gig for health workers for Palestine. I have to say, I think you stood out, mate. I do. I agree. You're so good. Because it was before I had a haircut. We were just talking about that before. It was a great night, and I say that sort of like guiltily because I always say I hope that I never have to do another

you know solidarity fundraiser event and it could just all be over and hopefully the next time we can all come together and do something for Palestine would be celebrating you know our state and you know our existence but no it was it was a good night a very powerful night as well you could not tell you you were nervous because I know you were a bit nervous I didn't know you were nervous I hadn't had done five minutes at a long time because I graduated from the fives no I don't know what to leave in, what to do. Five's hard. Very hard.

Yeah, but like five, you're like, well, it reminds you back in the, exactly, it reminds me of the competitions where you do tiny short sets and you've got to make an immediate impact. And as an actor, when you've got one line, it's worse having one line

than it is having a scene with loads of lines. I remember one of my early jobs was she'll survive, she'll survive, she'll survive, she'll survive, she'll survive. Yeah. She'll survive. And it's like, it's just one fucking ride. No, it's true.

It's true. It's true. When I get self-tapes and it's like four lines and the other reader has more lines than you, you're like, you've got to make an impact. I always wonder like, and sometimes it's like a page of somebody else speaking at the end you go, I know. Did we really need that? Can you just have me say, I know.

No, you're literally nothing more than punctuation. But also you're filming it. So literally, and you know that during this whole bit, the camera's not going to be on you. But of course, in a self-tape, the camera is on you, just doing this. Yeah, we're basically. Do you know what I find the most difficult one-liner in any script is the word what? Oh, there's loads of those because they are just punctuation. Yeah.

It's like a myzner technique now. But it's like, what? Go large. Well, she's definitely made an impression. Yeah, she's out. That's not what we're looking for, Kerry. I'm playing a nurse. So, Joe, how long have you been doing stand-up for?

So I had my first ever gig in 2015 when I, I was 18 and I was at uni. I was like, let's try it. And I went to Stockwell, Cavendish Arms. Oh, yeah. And then I remember I had like my fourth or fifth gig and it went so bad. It took me like two years to do it again. Whilst I was at uni graduated.

And then I made like a few returns and stuff. Returns like a like Mel Gibson in Hollywood. But and then there was like a three year hiatus when COVID hit and I was, you know, I wasn't really feeling like doing stand up. And then I made my return again return, 2003 July. And I've been consistent since then. And then I went July 2023, I came back. And then October, 2023 is when all the shit happened and the genocide started.

So I was like, I need to start using my voice for this as well. So it was kind of like that time frame. But consistently just over two years. Do you remember that, do you remember having a gig? Like, when you first start, you have a couple of good gigs. And you think, oh, I could really do. I'm going to be a start. And then I do remember.

One bad one. And then you're back. No, but it's so bad that you're actually. And because you haven't had a bad. one up until that point, you actually go into the fetal position. Literally. And I had, like, the previous gig before that, I smashed it. And I think they were all drunk punters.

And I was like, I was like, yeah, I can do comedy. And then it was in my backyard at Streatham Railway, which I'm doing next month as well. And my brother came and my girlfriend at the time came. And I was like, okay, good. And it went so bad. It went so bad. It took me a long time to get back on the horse again. Because I was a baby.

Like, now I don't care. I'm just like, I'm just like, bombed, whatever. When you're trying something out in you at the beginning, of a stand-up career. It's really existential having a bad gig. Because having a good gig, you're like, there's a value in it, it makes you feel good,

you're connecting with other humans, there's lots to celebrate. But when you have a bad gig, you're like, why am I doing this? Yeah. And like, why am I alive? And where do I belong? And who am I?

And why would I put myself through this? Why would I ever do this again? If there's no guarantee of a sort of positive trajectory of things getting any better, you do have those real existential, what am I doing moments? Which I think is true of any creative person,

He's trying to make it their job. Well, especially at the beginning. And also, and I think when you die at the beginning, because you've got absolutely no backup. Like, if you die, that's it. You're just going to go, you're going down quick. The death is existential because, you know, when people say, why do they call it a death?

It's because you actually feel like every ounce of blood has been drained from your body and being pumped into your bum. It's a horrible phrase, isn't it? I mean, there's no other art form. Like if you're a painter and you, you paint a shit painting no one comes around and goes oh you're dead

you tell us about you're worth death you know and it's like there's no it's just a bad painting isn't it a bad gig I think I was too young though at the time I don't think I would go back and say to myself at 1819 try stand-up comedy I didn't know who I was

and I had an identity crisis growing up which now I talk about in my stand-up but I think I was starting now dropping my surname I was Joe Alex because Alex is my middle name and I wasn't even Joe Haddad because I didn't know like if I could talk about myself and my Arabness and my Palestinianness. I'm making up words, but there you go.

So, you know, but again, like looking back now, I can talk about it and go and I came through that. And now I'm more comfortable talking about myself and my life and the craft of it. And the world has changed. Like, you know, there's an audience for, if there's a version of a human, there's an audience for those people. And then we're in a fragmented world and there's an audience for everyone now. Yeah, and I think also people, you know, people want to be represented. And I think for a long time, particularly, you know, Palestinian performers and artists and creatives have been on the whole invisible. Yeah.

And whether that's because they have been deliberately sidelined or whether it's because maybe some Palestinian artists have been reticent to be the like, the person that goes, right, well, I'll put my... step forward, you know, my foot forward and put myself out there. Yeah. Because there has been so much misinformation and, well, not even just misinformation, disinformation about not even pre what the genocide about what's, you know, the creation of Israel and the so-called two-state solution that everyone has been pretending to be aspiring to and what that means for Palestinians while they're waiting to have statehood, to have sovereignty, to have agency, to have.

have independence, to have civil rights, to have an end to the apartheid, you know, while we're all kind of going, wringing our hands going, we'll get there eventually. It's, it's, I suppose also, as someone who's been aware of, you know, what's been happening in Palestine for many years, I don't think even I questioned why, when I went these Palestinian fundraisers, why I wasn't with Palestinians performing. Yeah, yeah. I can't believe I never really even question that. Yeah, because, like, I see, table reads and I see comedy nights and I'm like hi can I can I do it like yeah I'm actually Palestinian um but I get that you know they want big names to sell tickets etc but I think

squeeze me on in there as well and I'll have to become a big name I'd have to become a big name yeah exactly let's look at your photos okay so I've got one here um which is out of focus Joe it is it was a real photograph can we just say it's not on a phone it is I've got it electronic as well but this is um so do Remember the comedy night that I bombed at when I was 19 and never did comedy again for a few years. This was the night before. The gig before, rather. The gig before. And I smashed it.

And I was like, every single gig is going to be like that. Of course, right? It's called Whiskids. I think that was a charity that I did it for. Because I've got, I mean, I've got no pictures of me early. That's the thing. That's generational. No, no.

Because you're young. So I know there's pictures of you doing all kinds of things that there are pictures of us. And I still have that T-shirt and still fit in it. I just say. What made you as a 19 year old do stand up? What's your back? God knows. What trauma?

God knows. I think I just wanted to start it. So I obviously went to uni at 18. What did you do at uni? English lit and drama. Right. So performance was in there. Performance was in there.

And I just, I started watching a lot of comedy at 16. And what kind of stuff stands out? Live at the Apollo, like Lenny Henry and like Kevin Bridges and across the pond, maybe like somebody like Russell Peters. And I was watching all this. And Omidjolili, of course. And watching all this. comedy and I just

I just went for it and you thought I could do that I just thought I could do that I think if I go back I maybe watched a clip of somebody doing stand up and thought I could do that I could do better than that at that age anyway and then I just did it and you know you get humbled which is great I love that phrase that's a real young person's phrase getting humbled when else he uses it you always getting humbled

Flick Flan needs to get humbled I'm like I wish I'd had that in my can I don't know what maybe it was stupidity like disguised as fearlessness. That sounds like youth. I don't know. Just, I'll try it.

Why not? Why not? So you, so you bobbed about and did like a handful of open mic gigs? I didn't know that comedy you had to be consistent and then people started asking me

how many gigs have you done? And I was like, I don't know, haven't really been keeping count because they were just so hoppy. Like, you know, to me. Like, so. What you should do is lie. You lie.

So when you've done three, you're saying you've done 20 and then when you've done 70, So you saved down five. That's so funny. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's so true. I have been keeping count in the last two years, though.

I have been keeping count. I discovered something funny or realized it. So I did the wrong A levels and I did government and politics A level and I hated it and I never studied it for it. And I got a U. I failed it miserably. Well, you didn't study. No, I know. But I also have like hated it as well.

And it's just like it made my life hell. And now, ironically, I'm. I'm probably the most political person, probably from that, I don't know where they are from that class, because I'm writing the most political material now. So some of what you learned did go in. Like there was a sort of political, analytical part of your brain. Sure. Yeah.

First past the post, I know what that means. But I guess it's like politics, but obviously about, you know, Palestine now and a little bit about what's going on at home at the moment, like here. But it's ironic how, like, I had no interest in it at all then, but now it's sort of like the forefront of my mind all the time. when I'm writing. You've started with, you're not doing chronological. Sorry.

It doesn't matter. Oh, it doesn't matter. No, you can do every one. Style it out. But you've come in with you as a 19 year old, but there are pictures of you as a younger kid. Yeah. So have we got a selection?

Yeah. Because you dressed up a lot? Yeah. So I've got two older brothers. Very cute. They are 11 and 7 years older than me, respectively. Oh, yeah. So I kind of growing up had to entertain myself,

and I feel looking back now, this is maybe the reason why I'm an actor and a comedian. So you're Superman, you're a cowboy. That was Woody, yeah. Woody. From Toy Story. I don't know what I was doing there. I think you're part gangster, part cowboy, and here, muscle man.

Here, muscle man. I don't still flex like that today. You got some flex, actually, do you know what I mean? Look at these biceps. And you are cute. Thank you. You have got the cutest face. Joe, where did you grow up?

I grew up in Streatham, South London, yeah I mean there's a slight tragedy to this one because it looks like you should be at a party but there's no one there. Woody doesn't need Buzzlite you, isn't that person? That's a big old cake to eat on your own, mate. Well, not for me, I'll talk it. I'll tackle it. I remember my mum reminded me I walked down the street

one time dressed as Woody because I just didn't care and people were like beeping me going, what are you in these pictures? I think that's that. That looks like a two. No, no. No, you're older. Six. Six.

I think that's a six cake for my six birth. I love the Superman one because that is an old, because now the superhero out. They're muscular. They're muscled up. Oh no, I didn't need the muscle. This has got more of a pajama vibe. Yes. But it's very cute.

My mom also said to me that she used to wash it and put it on the radiator to dry and I'd sit by the radiator waiting for it to dry so I can put it back on again. They just wanted to be Superman. Okay. Your kryptonite was the tumble dryer. It was. What was it like going to a Catholic school? Not very Catholic, if I'm honest. Is it not?

Because a lot of people church up to get their kids in that school. Well, is it because those church schools get extra money, don't they? Yeah. It's all about the dollar probably, you know? It's all about the dollar. But you're not a Catholic. No, I am. I am.

Oh, you are? Yeah. So, oh God. Yeah, so I was going to ask you, like, Christian Palestinians are... Minority. They are a minority, but are they Catholic? Different types. Or what other denomination of Christian might they?

So mum is, for example, Orthodox, dad's Catholic and then there's like Latin. What about your mom and dad? Where are they from? Originally, they're both from Jerusalem and they came over here in the 80s and then they started a life for it. I think they married there and came here as a couple. Yeah, they married there, came here. And I think at one point they wanted to go back, but I think there was maybe an interfado or some issues or something and then they just ended up staying. And they moved, you know, from Jerusalem, from Palestine, under occupation for a better life here. and then moved to a place called Croydon.

What brought them there? Good sanity. She's a whiffel. This is the Croydon normal. Each Croydon's come up. Is it? Yeah. And there's, what did your parents do?

So, yeah, so dad worked for the NHS for about 40 years. He worked at Brompton Hospital when he first came, and then 32 years at Kings in the labs in hematology. So basically checking blood samples. And then mum worked for a TV channel, an Arabic TV channel, which was in London called NBC. Right. And that used to be in Battersea. And she used to work there in production.

And then it moved to Dubai. And then she didn't move, obviously. And then she worked in education, like in a private nursery. Right. A little bit after that. And now they're chilling. They're chilling now. They're retired.

They're chilling. That's great. Good for them. And so you've still got a lot of family. You say in your family are in Jerusalem, is that right? So all of my mum's side is in Jerusalem and half of my dad's side. So dad's got, I have an auntie and an uncle here, brother and sister. My dad's brother and sister here.

So I've got cousins here in London and then all my mum's side in Jerusalem as well. And my dad's got another sister, two sisters in Jerusalem as well. And did you used to go back and forth a lot growing up? There was one thing. We used to go here and there, but I wouldn't say a lot. It wasn't regular. Not an annual trip. Not an annual trip.

My first trip back was when I was seven years old. Right. And that was the first time I'd met like my mum's side of the family. Oh, wow. Is that one of your pictures actually? I do. It's on my phone. Sorry,

I'm not old school on this one. I've never been. I've always wanted to go to Jerusalem and I've never been. But it looks like quite an incredibly, I don't know, just like it's a melting part, isn't it? A religious melting part. You've got Muslims and Christians and Jews. All coming together.

This is a very important. for all of those religions, isn't it? Yeah. For the first time ever, sadly, because of what's happened, people are now waking up to it about what's happening and sort of waking up against, you know, seeing that there's a difference between anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism as well. And it's only now that, you know, that rhetoric's, I think, being exhausted, you know.

Like, if you're anti-Israel, you're anti-Semitic, which is ridiculous. Yeah. And by definition, like, I am a Semite because if you're a semi, you speak Arabic, Hebrew or Aramaic. It's Aramaic, isn't it? Because Hebrew is not a language that is written but not spoken. Yeah, it was Aramaic. Yeah, the Abrahamic languages.

And so I am by definition a Semite because I'm fluent in Arabic. Although if you ask my mum, am I fluent in Arabic? She'd be like, you fluent in Arabic, Croydon, boy? Why do you speak Arabic in Cogne accent? But this is all the conversations of every friend. I know that's a child of immigrants gets this shit from the... mom and dad. Absolutely.

So do I look like, like Arab Phil Mitchell, Fatima Mitchell. Did you have to go to, did you get, did they raise you speaking it bilingual or did you have to go to? Like my best friend growing up was Greek and she gets to go to Greek school every Saturday. I have to go to Spanish school. No, I never went to Arabic school. I think the ones that were available at the time were really far away. So didn't go to that one.

Yeah, just speaking at home. Right. I can't read all right though. I wish I could, but I can't read all right. You can change that, Joe? Do I want to? No, it's very different. I think it's the second hardest language in the world.

You read it, you read it backwards. Yeah. Why am I saying we read it backwards? They might say we read it backwards. Right to left. Yeah. Right to left. Yeah. You do, yeah.

But yeah, just spoke it at home really. And no other Palestinian kids at your school. So where we, no other mates. So there was no. No. I only started meeting other British Arabs in my early 20s. Really? Yeah.

At uni? When you started uni? Just for acting and stuff. Okay. And play readings and things like that. But there weren't a few British Arabs actually at uni as well, but mostly in my early 20s. Right.

And what, you know, did your parents, because I always feel like as a child of an immigrant as well, parents, I think, you know, who have second generation are like have very strong opinions about what they want their children to do. And we've made all these sacrifices. We came over here for a better land. I know what this is going. How do your parents feel like that?

Exactly. So why don't you think about you being a clown? You're a clown? They are supportive and they come and watch me do stand up. Do they? They've seen me do stand up. From early on? Not from early on.

I banned them for a long time because I wasn't very good. And then it's only recently, like, the last couple of years, I was like, okay, you can come. And what do they say? They like you. I think they recently, they've said you've gotten better. Awesome. That's a good thing, I think. I would hope so.

That's the trajectory of experience. But yeah, I just had to get over that awkwardness of talking about dick jokes and stuff in front of the door. I mentioned them a lot. And even like the other day, my dad was just like, where's the commission for all the material? And I'm like, I have to go through this. Where's my commission? But I do sort of, I don't know. I think with my writing, it's like a grain or a mustard seed of truth.

And I just go like that with it. Oh, yeah. So maybe I make them look worse than they are. Let's go to your next photo. Come on. What are we got next? Okay. So, shall I show you the photo? Because we're talking about my first trip to Palestine. Yeah. I was zooming on my little face there. That's me. Oh, and you were seven. And you remember that trip very vividly. And that's with my cousins who I'd met for the first ever time. At the age of seven, yeah. And they're the same age as me. And we're still in contact now. And there's me with my other cousin on his shoulder.

And how long was that trip? Was it like a big? I think it was a big month that was. Right. I think that was almost the whole summer holidays. Yeah, that's going to be a strong memory, isn't it? Yeah, I was going into year three, I think, or something like that. So I was young, but. Yeah. And I was saying earlier as well, like, sort of the distance from like London to Brighton

is the same from Jerusalem to Gaza. And it's just like the Palestinians within Jerusalem can't do anything about what's going on to their people. That's not a distance at all. Exactly. Yeah. Which is Brighton's also by the sea. So it's just like, that's the most clearest thing that I can make a lot.

comparison to trying to write some material about it and it's just it's just unprecedented what's happening and it's it's it's I just can't even like look at social media all the time and the other day I was doing it another gig for Palestine and um Rory was opening and I was at the back waiting to go on and I was just like looking on Instagram and you just the images that I see and I'm like I got to go on and do this and I'm feeling guilty about that because I'm looking at this and it's just like what a head scramble What a head scramble. It certainly is a very...

It's really hard to get comedy and out of that. You know, I do a joke about doing a DNA test and coming out 50% Jewish in the DNA test. And that seems to go down really well. And I say things like in a comedic sort of voice, but then it also lands really well. Like 50% Jewish, 80% to one side in my kitchen. I split my kitchen down the middle, 80% to one side,

but no electricity or water to the other side. Like, it's still giving a... You know, it's giving that spark that that's what they're doing over there. Yeah, yeah. They're cutting off electricity and water. Yeah. And have a giggle, but don't forget what I've just said. Yeah, yeah.

You know, I've been trying out new material here and there. But sometimes it is, you know, it is difficult. It's really difficult. And like you said. And like you said, and stuff as well. Yeah, that's what it is. You have to Trojan horse it on the back of knob jokes and football jokes. Like, you know, I've started to talk slowly,

I'm still developing it, but I'm just going to talk about it, whatever, about the Celtic fans and how amazing they've been. because I think the clubs that to them don't bring Palestinian flags into the games. Don't bring it. The next home game, it was like a pro-Palestinian protest. I was like, don't mess with the Scots. Do you know what I mean? Don't tell us what to do with our season ticket.

And I was just like, you know, I want a Scottish Celtic fan to fight for Palestine on the front line. I think the I. I think the I.OF would waken their boots about you're more soft lad than Mossad. So just trying to like trying to find a digestible angle for all this. But, you know, it's just got to keep writing and keep getting minutes, actually. Like, if I'm, you know, stuck on 10, 15 minutes, you know, then I'm going to have to keep doing the routine.

But if I'm given longer by promoters, then I can go into all that. So you are also informing. Yes, yeah. And also, like, you know, everything that's happening on those marches with the flags and with the fucking is people being told a one, like a particular rhetoric, which we know is completely untrue. And I think a lot of it is just basically those Tommy Robinson twats trying to dehumanize a whole, a whole fucking race of people. Yeah.

And the only way to humanize them is, and one of the great ways of humanizing them, not the only way, is comedy. Yeah. And if people, and the thing is, it's like, I used to think about this in a lot of ways when I was doing stand-up comedy, you know, 20, 25 years ago and talking about being a lesbian. Well, I don't know. I don't know any fucking lesbians. you know, well, here's a lesbian. I've just made you laugh.

And then all of a sudden, I remember a bloke coming up to me and saying, oh, thank you. My daughter came out last weekend. And watching you has made me realize she can. Watching you has made me realize she can be happy. I was like, yeah, I think gay people can be happy. Okay, thanks very much.

But I know what he meant. It was like, I didn't know what her future could be. I've just realized her being a lesbian doesn't mean. And I think it's just so difficult. People have been told this is the enemy and they've been fed that by their algorithm, as my algorithm is entirely about Gaza,

that's all done very deliberately. So we're in camps. You're in this camp and you're in that camp. And I think one of the ways to cut through that is to just be really fucking funny. Yeah. And I think it's the fake rhetoric that they're being fed as well,

like the fake... They're lies. They're just lies. They're just lies. It coked up and fucked up and I mean I saw it and it was just like the streets were disgusting in the photos I said oh is that what you mean by clearing up the streets

You know I did this very quick joke when I was at backyard A couple of weeks ago where I was I was walking through the migrant hotel protest and one of the guys It was like you know we're paying for their accommodation Their food their drink their health care their iPads I hear one of them is a bit of a wrong and I said What you watch your mouth and show some respect

That is the British Royal Family you're talking about I guess the fifth and last I'm a photo because that's one. That's one. And then I showed you the Palestine one that's for. I guess me as a 17 year old doing a bit of boxing because boxing's been a big part of my life. Oh, has it?

I was going to say you've got some guns, Joe. What's going on? I don't know. I try. I try. How did you come to boxing? It's called paying for my sins. All the food and the boost.

I started boxing when I was 14. And it was like it was so good for me. It was so good for everything I did. Like mentally, physically. confidence-wise and then I started coaching for a little bit as well and now I don't have much time for it because my evenings are spent gigging but I still go to the gym and I hit the bags

and it's just good for just getting all the tension out and I just I want Frank to do this yeah my son's 15 and I think he could do with a bit of that yeah yeah it's because 14 year olds imagine Frank doing that he used to do karate I think there's I mean I'm not massive lover of the fighting sports you don't have to do you but I think the energy have to. The energy of a 14-year-old boy

can do it with a bit of... Yeah, no, it was good for me and I started in a little scout hall in Thornton Heath and it was literally you'd have to hang the bags yourself and it was, but it's the first time I learned something

and I wasn't pushed into something. Like, you know, like... You found it yourself. As the youngest, you'd get pushed into piano lessons or pushed into taekwanda or whatever it is or pushed into this and that without asking to do it and it's something that I found myself

because another kid at school was doing it. And I was like, can I come because yeah? I just did it. And I fell in love with it. Really? What did you love about it? Oh, I guess it gives you that dopamine hit, doesn't it? And you get fitter and you're learning a new skill.

You get really fair. The discipline. You get super fit with it. And I just fell in love with it. And... Do you spa? It's tough. I used to.

Not so much anymore. I can do. And I was a... What's that like? I was a boxing coach because I wanted a flexible job in between auditions. And I had to spa with, like, like, clients as well. How is it? It hurts when you get punched in the nose.

Oh shit. Your eyes start to water and you're like... That's something I'm aware of already. I feel like if someone punched me in the nose, it would hurt. I feel like I instinctively know that. Yeah. You've got really instinct for this. I have.

I think I know about this. It was looking back at it now, though, it was a bit irresponsible stuff when I was like 14 and 15. I was sparring with like grown men, but it toughens you up a little bit. Oh my gosh. They would take you, obviously, they'd be, you know, they wouldn't be walloping you, but you just learn a new technique.

Do you men do it? Yeah, of course. They're not properly really now. Is it? Absolutely. We're going to hit in each other. Oh, there's a load of boxing. One of my friends is mad for boxing.

She really gets off on it. Also, getting buffed up. Can't do any harm for your love life, can it? Like, rushing. Do I mean? Apparently it can. Yeah, but if you're walking into the club with those guns, you don't want to be like, stress.

I must be the exception tonight. I'm very single. Oh, Joe, thank you. Thank you for coming in. Thank you for having me. Great pictures. So look, if someone's just. wants to go, if someone wants to see you live, where can they find out where your gigs are?

On my Instagram, I post it all of my stories at Just Joe Haddad. Go check Joe's Instagram stories. Go follow Joe Haddad. Do it now. I'm Max Rushden. I'm David O'Dardy. And we'd like to invite you to listen to our new podcast. What Did You Do Yesterday? It's a show that asks guests the big question. Quite literally, What Did You Do Yesterday? That's it. That is it. Max, I'm still not sure where do we put the stress isn't what did you do yesterday? What did you do yesterday? You know what I mean? What did you do yesterday? I'm really down playing it. Like what did you do yesterday? Like I'm just, I'm just a guy just asking a question, but do you think I should go bigger? What did you do yesterday? What did you do

yesterday? Every single word this time I'm going to try and make it like it is the killer word. What did you do yesterday? Like that's too much, isn't it? That is. That is. That is. that's over the top. What did you do yesterday? Available wherever you get your podcasts every Sunday.