Zahra Noorbakhsh

Zahra Noorbakhsh

Zahra Noorbakhsh at PRI's Global Nation
Birth name Zahra Noorbakhsh
Born (1980-06-11) June 11, 1980
Sacramento County, California, U.S.[1]
Medium Stand-up
Nationality American
Subject(s) Religion, American politics
Influences W. Kamau Bell
Spouse Duncan Jacobson
Notable works and roles All Atheists are Muslim, "Hijab and Hammerpants", "#GoodMuslimBadMuslim"
Website zahracomedy.com

Zahra Noorbakhsh (born June 11, 1980) [1] is an Iranian-American comedian, writer, actor and co-host of the #GoodMuslimBadMuslim podcast.[2] The New Yorker Magazine dubbed her one-woman show “All Atheists Are Muslim” a highlight of the New York International Fringe Festival. She is a contributor to the New York Times Featured anthology, “Love Inshallah: The Secret Love Lives of American Muslim Women” [3] with a monthly column entitled, "My Infidel Husband".[4] Recently, Noorbakhsh was a featured comic at the first ever Muslim Funny Fest in New York City.[5]

Career

Zahra graduated from the University of California at Berkeley with a degree in Theatre & Performance Studies in 2006. Though she began as a stand-up comic, her love of impressions, characters and storytelling drew her into the world of theater and ultimately solo performance. Her solo performance career began in 2007 under the direction of W. Kamau Bell at the Solo Performance Workshop, where Noorbakhsh penned several shows, including “All Atheists Are Muslim”[6] and “Hijab and Hammerpants.”[7]

She most recently played a half-Persian friend in an upcoming web series called the Van Life, currently in post-production.[8] She has also performed a live recording of the #GoodMuslimBadMuslim podcast with her cohost, Tanzila Ahmed, on the grounds of the White House.[9][10]

Influences

Zahra trained under W. Kamau Bell.

Personal life

Zahra grew up in Danville, California with her mother, father, and three siblings. Much of her comedy revolves around growing up as a second generation Iranian-American Muslim.[11] She lives and works in San Francisco, California with her husband, Duncan. She is also a member of the San Francisco Writers' Grotto.[12][13]

Her work with the podcast #GoodMuslimBadMuslim stems from a conversation with her cohost, Tanzila Ahmed. Zahra has stated that she eats pork and drinks alcohol but still feels strongly about her Muslim identity.[14][15][16]

References

  1. 1 2 California Birth Index. "Zahra Noorbakhsh, Born 06/11/1980 in California". California Birth Index. Retrieved June 2, 2016.
  2. ↑ "Taz & Zahra". #GoodMuslimBadMuslim.
  3. ↑ "Lifting Veil on Love and Islam". January 23, 2012.
  4. ↑ "My Infidel Husband".
  5. ↑ "Muslim Funny Fest Team: Zahra Noorbakhsh". Retrieved June 2, 2016.
  6. ↑ Reza Aslan. "The Affectionate Hilarity of "All Atheists Are Muslim"". Aslan Media.
  7. ↑ Rachel Swan. "Zahra Noorbakhsh and the Atheist-Muslim Connection". East Bay Express.
  8. ↑ Kelly Rafferty. "The Van Life TV".
  9. ↑ "LIVE from the White House".
  10. ↑ Dexter Thomas. "Three Asian American leaders talk about what got them to the White House". LA Times.
  11. ↑ Nikki Gloudeman. "Zahra Noorbakhsh: Muslim American Feminist Comedian". Ravishly.
  12. ↑ "Bio". Zahra Noorbakhsh. Retrieved 2016-06-21.
  13. ↑ "Individual Members". San Francisco Writer's Grotto. Retrieved 2016-06-21.
  14. ↑ "How to Eat Pork, Drink Booze and Be a Good Muslim". Global PRI. Retrieved 2016-06-21.
  15. ↑ "What is a Good Muslim Anyway? A Podcast Disrupts the Narrative". NPR. Retrieved 2016-06-21.
  16. ↑ "An Interview with Good Muslim Bad Muslim". Soundcloud. Retrieved 2016-06-21.
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