Mohanad Alhattab: Spreading laughter one video at a time

Ask 25-year-old Mohanad Alhattab what he studied and he will tell you he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Management from the American University of Sharjah, as well as a Master’s degree in Marketing from Brunel University in London. Ask Alhattab about what he loves to do and his answer will be the furthest from what you would expect from the marketing field. He finds joy and fulfillment from entertaining people and making them laugh, and making people laugh is exactly what he is doing. If you have not seen a Alhattab video, you might have been living under a rock for the past few years.
Although Alhattab was born and raised in Abu Dhabi and lived one year in London to pursue his graduate degree, according to his Instagram biography, he proudly proclaims he is Syrian and currently residing in Dubai. In 2013, he began posting 6-second clips on the social media site, Vine, which ranged from humorous observations on awkward social situations, impressive celebrity impressions, or lovingly poking fun at Arab parents. The talented Alhattab, who has a following on Instagram equal to a little less than the population of Iceland, is clever with his punch lines, simple when it comes to props, and hilarious and bold with his subject matter. Furthermore, he does not shy away from slapstick, which only adds to his versatility. On Instagram, he is given more freedom in terms of time with 15-second videos. These videos gained popularity for their amusing scenarios and the brilliantly funny characters he created such as the enthusiastic fitness fanatic “Hassan El Coach,” the overly dramatic “Ka2eban” and her love life, “Khaleh Ghusoon” with her old fashioned life lessons and advice, “Rashrash” the host and music expert, the English lessons with “Brofessor Mustafa,” the nouveau riche and snobby “Basant,” the nerdy “Kamal,” and last but not least the adventures of “Hessa and Moza.” Enjoying mass appeal, Alhattab effortlessly taps into his reservoir of different Arabic accents and dialects such as Egyptian, Syrian, or Khaleeji in order to transform into his entertaining characters. More recently, he is bolstering punch lines in his clips with celebrity cameos, such as with the iconic singer Asala Nasri. When he was younger he enjoyed the comedy of Egyptian actor Mohammad Huneidi, he revealed. However, when asked about his comedic idols today, Steve Carell, Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Ricky Gervais, Sara Silverman, Tina Fey, and Amy Poehler came to mind.

To learn more about this expert of 15-second comedy, Arab News reached out to Alhattab. He discussed his love for performing, revealed that he is actually a “triple threat” (actor, singer, and dancer), what inspires his various characters, his future plans, and finally how much he enjoys what he does and is grateful for the support he receives from his fans.

Where does your love for acting come from?
I have a love for performing arts in general. My first performance was when I was in high school and I danced a hip-hop number. Then, I discovered I love to sing, that is when I decided to join my university’s choir, and later the Vocal Guild, which is a group in which we students performed various scenes from different musicals. After that, while still at university, I realized I had fallen in love with theater, and that is where I acted as a lead in a musical called “Blood Brothers.” Ever since then, I have wanted to continue to entertain people.

You play several characters in your videos, each from across the Arab world. What inspires the creation of your characters? Also, do you have a favorite character, and if so, which one?
I usually tell people that my characters are typically people who I would not want to be friends with in real life. They are mostly show-offs or too dramatic, which I think are qualities that most people would laugh at. So, usually that is where my inspiration comes from. I think “Basant” could be my favorite character; her cockiness about her English is something that I have actually seen in real life and I have enjoyed.

Displaying your work through social media outlets such as Vine and Instagram has allowed you to connect with hundreds of thousands of people worldwide. What type of feedback do you receive from fans whether online or in person?
Some people love my work, some people hate it, and some people simply don’t care. This, I find, is absolutely normal, and I am just happy that there are some people who appreciate my work. It brings me great joy to know that.

You often infuse social commentary into your humor, is that a conscious effort?
Yes, and I believe this plays a major part in what makes my videos relatable. I always try to keep my comedy as relatable as possible.

Are you considering expanding your talent to television or a Web series?
I would love to. I would also love to take my characters to the stage and create a stand up or one-man show.

What has been your family’s reaction to your videos as well as the popularity they have gained? Also, what were your parents’ comments about your “Arab Parents” themed videos?
My parents are such great supporters of my work. They are beyond happy about my success and they keep pushing me to be better.

Do you have any advice for anyone contemplating choosing comedy as a career?
My advice is to be confident and not to worry about what people might think. In the end, everything is subjective, and you should always do what you believe is right for you.

If you could choose anyone to collaborate with on a video, whom would you choose?
I would choose a famous American YouTuber called Miranda Sings. She is absolutely hilarious, and I would love to work with her one day.

In a time of tragedies and heartbreak all around the world, what does it mean to you to be able to make so many people laugh?
It means the world to me. I try not to include any politics on my channel, even though I have so much to say. However, my objective always is to make sure that my channel is just about making people laugh and nothing else.

So, assuming you have been living under a rock this whole time and you have never seen or heard of Mohanad Alhattab, do not waste any more time and enter into the world of his comedy and hysterical characters! Follow him on Instagram (@mohanadalhattab), Vine (Mohanad H), and don’t forget to like him on Facebook (Mohanad H). As for all of you Mohanad, Basant, Rashrash, Ka2eban, Khaleh Ghusoon, and Hessa fans, keep an eye out for what is to come for this comedic sensation. This is just the beginning of what appears to be a bright future ahead, whether he is on your screen or on a stage. His aim is to spread laughter and joy, and if you ask his hundreds of thousands of followers on Instagram, he is succeeding.

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