The Middle Geeks

The Simpsons, South Park, Family Guy, American Dad, and more all-American animated adult tv comedies have graced our screens for decades, mercilessly interrogating the all-American life and if it's all it's cracked up to be. But rarely do we get one of these series from an Arab and Muslim perspective, until now with Ramy Youssef and Pam Brady's #1 Happy Family USA, featuring the Egyptian-American Hussein family, including young insecure Rumi (Ramy Youssef), his wildly insecure father Hussein (also Ramy Youssef), his caring and overburdened mother Sharia (Salma Hindy), overachieving and closeted older sister Mona (Alia Shawkat), conservative Grandpa (Azhar Usman), and niqabi and free-spirited Grandma (Randa Jarrar). Set in the early 2000s in New Jersey, right around an astronomically horrible national event, we watch the Hussein family deal with the outlandish racism, surveillance, and Islamophobia every single day, and their own outlandish efforts to deal with it. All characters and the animation style were designed by Iraqi-British data journalist Mona Chalabi. Joined by our friend Nadia Osman, we discuss the series and why it's a landmark for SWANA and Muslim representation, the great casting news about Lee Cronin's The Mummy, give our recommendations, and much more.   Spoilers for all of #1 Happy Family USA throughout   Donate to Anera  Donate to help Sudanese people feeling geopolitical violence Support the Palestinian American Medical Association (PAMA) and families in Gaza Islamic Relief USA: Support Families in Palestine   Our music is composed by Ashley Hefnawy. You can find more of her music here. We are a proud member of the Hard NOC podcast family. Swara's interview with Nadia and Ali Nasser on Lee Cronin's The Mummy Follow Nadia on BlueSky @msnadiaosman.bsky.social Follow us on Twitter: @TheMiddleGeeks Subscribe to The Middle Geeks on Hard NOC Media Please support us on Patreon!  

In Heiny Srour's 1984 film Leila and the Wolves, Leila and her husband live in London, and are making an exhibit on popular movements in Lebanon and Palestine. However, her husband has conveniently forgotten to include women in these movements. We then follow Leila traversing through history, learning the intricacies of the lives of these various women, and what drove them to resist for their peoples. We discuss and review the film, reflect on the news of today and how we find hope, give our recommendations, and much more.   Donate to Anera  Donate to help Sudanese people feeling geopolitical violence Support the Palestinian American Medical Association (PAMA) and families in Gaza Islamic Relief USA: Support Families in Palestine Our music is composed by Ashley Hefnawy. You can find more of her music here. We are a proud member of the Hard NOC podcast family. Follow us on Twitter: @TheMiddleGeeks Follow Swara on Bluesky @spiderswarz.bsky.social Subscribe to The Middle Geeks on Hard NOC Media Please support us on Patreon!

Mo Season 2 comes three years after its first, and so much has changed for Palestine in the real world. Yet Mo Amer and his team keep Season 2 directly after the first, honing in on Mo Najjar's personal journey that so reflects Mo Amer's own family refugee story in Texas. Our friends Tariq Ra'ouf and Kate Sánchez of But Why Tho? join us to discuss Season 2, how well it does at portraying Texas and the Palestinian experience, why the series is so cathartic right now, and much more.   Follow Tariq on Instagram @tariq_raouf Follow Kate on BlueSky @ohmymithrandir.bsky.social Follow us on Twitter: @TheMiddleGeeks Follow Swara on Bluesky @spiderswarz.bsky.social   Tariq's interview with AJ+ Kate's review of Mo Season 2 Swara's piece for The New Arab on food sovereignty   Donate to Anera to help Lebanon Donate to Oxfam's Lebanon Appeal Donate to Baitulmaal's Lebanon aid Decolonize Palestine Donate to help Sudanese people feeling geopolitical violence Support the Palestinian American Medical Association (PAMA) and families in Gaza Islamic Relief USA: Support Families in Palestine   Our music is composed by Ashley Hefnawy. You can find more of her music here. We are a proud member of the Hard NOC podcast family. Subscribe to The Middle Geeks on Hard NOC Media Please support us on Patreon!

As the genocide in Gaza tragically continues, so does Palestinian resilience and resistance, including and especially in artistry and cinema. Now set to release nationwide in theaters January 3rd, via Watermelon Pictures, with legendary director Michael Moore as its executive producer, From Ground Zero, a compilation of 22 documentaries from Gaza and directed by Rashid Masharawi, is making more and more waves. Palestinian activist and writer Andrew Kadi joins us to review the documentary, give reflections on the state of Palestinian activism and filmmaking in 2024 and beyond, and much more in our wide-ranging discussion.   Follow Andrew on Bluesky @imak48.bsky.social and Twitter @imAK48   Our music is composed by Ashley Hefnawy. You can find more of her music here.   We are a proud member of the Hard NOC podcast family.   Swara's piece for The New Arab: Key moments and themes from the 2024 DC Palestinian Film and Arts Festival   Donate to Anera to help Lebanon Donate to Oxfam's Lebanon Appeal Donate to Baitulmaal's Lebanon aid Decolonize Palestine Donate to help Sudanese people feeling geopolitical violence Support the Palestinian American Medical Association (PAMA) and families in Gaza Islamic Relief USA: Support Families in Palestine   Follow us on Twitter: @TheMiddleGeeks Follow Swara on Bluesky @spiderswarz.bsky.social Subscribe to The Middle Geeks on Hard NOC Media Please support us on Patreon!

Jaylee Hamidi (they/she) has made significant history in their supporting role on Nathasha Rothwell's Hulu series How to Die Alone as "Allie." A queer, Kurdish-Iranian-Chinese actor, Hamidi has made history as one of the first major Kurdish actors in a major network show, getting to showcase some of her culture and providing groundbreaking representation for Kurds and Iranians who rarely see themselves. We discuss Hamidi's role on the show, working with Natasha Rothwell, their unique cultural standing in the entertainment industry, and much more.   Follow Jaylee on Instagram @JayleeHamidi. Our music is composed by Ashley Hefnawy. You can find more of her music here. We are a proud member of the Hard NOC podcast family. Follow us on Twitter: @TheMiddleGeeks, @MaeAbdu Follow Swara on Bluesky @spiderswarz.bsky.social Subscribe to The Middle Geeks on Hard NOC Media Please support us on Patreon!

The Rings of Power Season 2 has concluded, and we have back on our friend Arezou to go through all the details of the riveting sophomore outing of this take on J.R.R. Tolkien's Legendarium. But on that note, just how canonically faithful is the series, or does it take too many deviations from the source material? Either way, we discuss and praise the performances, particularly Black Iranian icon Sophia Nomvete as Princess Disa, and analyze how the overall storytelling still stays true to its literary sources. We also discuss the terrible news coming out of Lebanon, highlight where you can help, give our recommendations, and much more.   FULL SPOILERS for The Rings of Power Season 2 throughout   Follow Arezou on social media @ArezouAmin Tariq's piece for The New Arab: How Bisan Owda's Emmy win triumphs over Hollywood's attempts to dehumanise Palestinians   Donate to Anera to help Lebanon Donate to Oxfam's Lebanon Appeal Donate to Baitulmaal's Lebanon aid Decolonize Palestine Donate to help Sudanese people feeling geopolitical violence Support the Palestinian American Medical Association (PAMA) and families in Gaza Islamic Relief USA: Support Families in Palestine   Our music is composed by Ashley Hefnawy. You can find more of her music here. We are a proud member of the Hard NOC podcast family. Follow us on Social Media: @TheMiddleGeeks, @spiderswarz Subscribe to The Middle Geeks on Hard NOC Media Please support us on Patreon!

Leslye Headland's The Acolyte, streaming on Disney+, is unique in more ways than one. As one of the most diverse Star Wars series, in front of and behind the scenes, with writers like the SWANA and Turkish Kor Adana, it presents a bold story in the era of The High Republic, showcasing the mistakes made by those in power and the reverberations for our main characters. Namely, twins Osha and Mae (Amandla Stenberg), Jedi Master Sol (Lee Jung-jae), Qimir (Manny Jacinto), as well as many others. To dive into this series and what it's trying to say, we have back on Arezou and welcome Noor. As both are High Republic fans, they bring invaluable insight into the discussion, as the series sets the backdrop for The Acolyte. What stood out to us? Does the series do a good job of portraying the Jedi Order? What does it have to say about how we view this universe and good and evil? We dive into all of that, give our recommendations, and much more.   SPOILERS for The Acolyte throughout Follow Arezou on social media @ArezouAmin and follow Noor @nimblenoor Donate to help Sudanese people feeling geopolitical violence Decolonize Palestine Support the Palestinian American Medical Association (PAMA) and families in Gaza Six ways you can support Palestinians in Gaza Islamic Relief USA: Support Families in Palestine   Our music is composed by Ashley Hefnawy. You can find more of her music here. We are a proud member of the Hard NOC podcast family. Follow us on Social Media: @TheMiddleGeeks, @spiderswarz Subscribe to The Middle Geeks on Hard NOC Media Please support us on Patreon!

Our favorite costume designer Isa joins us once again to review one of our all-time favorite series, Nida Manzoor's We Are Lady Parts, starring a British Muslim women punk band comprising of frontwoman Saira (Sarah Kameela Impey), lead guitarist Amina (Anjana Vasan), bassist Bisma (Faith Omole), drummer Ayesha (Juliette Motamed), and band manager Momtaz (Lucie Shorthouse). After finding mainstream success in Season 1, how does the band move up in Season 2? How will they remain true to themselves in the music industry that wants to control them? How will they contend with new Muslim bands on the scene like "Second Wife"? What were some of our favorite songs from this season? Why is Malala Yousafzai here? How was Nida Manzoor and her team able to masterfully incorporate so many rich stories in just six half-hour episodes? We need more of this amazing series and more like it! We also discuss the latest news about the genocide in Gaza. Namely, we discuss the potential for a ceasefire and how the political dynamics have changed positively for Palestine in the midst of the relentless murders of its citizens. Free Palestine.   SPOILERS for We Are Lady Parts Season 2 from 14:34-1:05:50 Follow Isa on social media @evilcleverdog. Read Swara's review of We Are Lady Parts Season 2 for The Nerds of Color, and check out his interview with Anjana Vasan and Sarah Kameela Impey. Read Mae's review of We Are Lady Parts Season 2 for ScreenRant.   Donate to help Sudanese people feeling geopolitical violence Decolonize Palestine Support the Palestinian American Medical Association (PAMA) and families in Gaza Six ways you can support Palestinians in Gaza Islamic Relief USA: Support Families in Palestine   Our music is composed by Ashley Hefnawy. You can find more of her music here. We are a proud member of the Hard NOC podcast family. Follow us on Social Media: @TheMiddleGeeks, @spiderswarz Subscribe to The Middle Geeks on Hard NOC Media Please support us on Patreon!

In her debut novel, The Jinn Daughter, Syrian-American author Rania Hanna weaves together a family tale based in stories of oral tradition across the Arab world. In telling stories with the Jinn, she seeks to tell a fundamentally human story. We discuss Rania's foray into the book world, how she aimed to tell stories on her own terms, and what she hopes to achieve with her novels. We also discuss the continuing tragic events in Palestine, and pinpoint where we can find hope.   Buy The Jinn Daughter from your local bookstore! Decolonize Palestine Support the Palestinian American Medical Association (PAMA) and families in Gaza Six ways you can support Palestinians in Gaza Islamic Relief USA: Support Families in Palestine Our music is composed by Ashley Hefnawy. You can find more of her music here. We are a proud member of the Hard NOC podcast family. Follow us on Twitter: @TheMiddleGeeks, @MaeAbdu, @spiderswarz Subscribe to The Middle Geeks on Hard NOC Media Please support us on Patreon!

Joined by our friends Darya Bajestani, Roxana Hadadi, Ali Nasser, and Zaina Ujayli (while sadly missing Mae!), we're live at D.C.'s premier comic-con, Awesome Con! In this panel of SWANA writers, scholars, artists, and actors, we will discuss how we grew up feeling or not feeling represented, how Hollywood has constantly Orientalized our peoples, excluded us, and appropriated our cultures, where we see signs of improvement, our favorite examples of SWANA representation and SWANA creators in pop culture today, and what Hollywood needs to do to have our peoples represented more broadly and positively across pop culture.    Check out the panel on The Nerds of Color YouTube channel   Rocky's analysis of Dune 2 for Vulture   Decolonize Palestine Support UNRWA Support the Palestinian American Medical Association (PAMA) and families in Gaza Six ways you can support Palestinians in Gaza Islamic Relief USA: Support Families in Palestine   Follow Rocky on Twitter @roxana_hadadi Follow Ali on social media @TheAliNasser Follow Darya on social media @rorvkk Follow Zaina on social media @zainaujayli Follow us on social media: @TheMiddleGeeks Subscribe to The Middle Geeks on Hard NOC Media   Our music is composed by Ashley Hefnawy. You can find more of her music here. We are a proud member of the Hard NOC podcast family. Please support us on Patreon!

Roxana Hadadi joins us once again to review the Dune franchise, now with Dune: Part Two in theaters. In a franchise that appropriates so much from SWANA and Muslim cultures, does the second installment improve on that regard, or does it continue to appropriate and Orientalize? But even beyond that, does Denis Villeneuve effectively convey the meaning of Frank Herbert's original text, and its warning against hero worship? Or have audiences taken the wrong message with this latest installment? We discuss all of those aspects, talk about what you can do to help Palestine, give our recommendations, and much more.   Rocky's analysis of Dune 2 for Vulture. Come join us at our panel at Awesome Con in Washington, DC, 'The State of SWANA Representation in Pop Culture,' March 9, 2:30-3:15 at the Walter E. Convention Center!   Decolonize Palestine Support UNRWA Support the Palestinian American Medical Association (PAMA) and families in Gaza Six ways you can support Palestinians in Gaza Islamic Relief USA: Support Families in Palestine Follow Rocky on Twitter @roxana_hadadi Follow us on social media: @TheMiddleGeeks   Subscribe to The Middle Geeks on Hard NOC Media Our music is composed by Ashley Hefnawy. You can find more of her music here. We are a proud member of the Hard NOC podcast family.

We welcome back our friends Jasmin and Isa to discuss Assassin's Creed Mirage, a sprawling action-adventure game from Ubisoft set in 9th Century Abbasid Baghdad, that tells the story of Basim Ibn Ishaq (Lee Majdoub) and his mentor Roshan (Shohreh Aghdashloo). We go into detail on why this game is the the best Iraqi, Arab, Persian, Muslim, and SWANA representation we've ever seen in gaming, and why the story and setting resonated with us so much. Beware of spoilers later the conversation. We also discuss the tragic news of the unfolding Israeli genocide in Gaza, and what we can keep doing to support Palestinians and work towards a Free Palestine.   Full Spoilers for the ending of Assassin's Creed Mirage from 1:01:00-1:17:31 Come join us at our panel at Awesome Con in Washington, DC, 'The State of SWANA Representation in Pop Culture,' March 9th, 2:30-3:15 at the Walter E. Convention Center!   Decolonize Palestine Support the Palestinian American Medical Association (PAMA) and families in Gaza Six ways you can support Palestinians in Gaza Islamic Relief USA: Support Families in Palestine Masha Gessen's piece in The New Yorker: 'In the Shadow of the Holocaust'   Swara's piece on Assassin's Creed Mirage for But Why Tho? Swara's interview with Shohreh Aghdashloo for But Why Tho? Swara's interview with Lee Majdoub and Narrative Director Sarah Beaulieu for But Why Tho?   Our music is composed by Ashley Hefnawy. You can find more of her music here. We are a proud member of the Hard NOC podcast family. Follow us on online @TheMiddleGeeks Follow Jasmin online @jasminjoestar Follow Isa online @evilcleverdog Subscribe to The Middle Geeks on Hard NOC Media Please support us on Patreon!

On the eve of Yalda, the Iranian Winter-Solstice, we review writer-director Maryam Keshavarz's The Persian Version with our friends Arezou and Samira. How well does Keshavarz do at portraying a unique yet universal experience through Leila (Layla Mohammadi) and her mother Shireen (Niousha Noor)? How does intergenerational trauma shape our familial relationships, and what can we do for healing? We also discuss Yalda as a holiday and why we celebrate it, discuss the ongoing genocide in Gaza, give our recommendations, and much more.   Decolonize Palestine   Support the Palestinian American Medical Association (PAMA) and families in Gaza   Six ways you can support Palestinians in Gaza   Islamic Relief USA: Support Families in Palestine   Our music is composed by Ashley Hefnawy. You can find more of her music here.   We are a proud member of the Hard NOC podcast family.   Follow Arezou on Twitter @ArezouAmin   Follow Samira on Twitter @samira_says   Follow Swara on Twitter @spiderswarz   Follow us on Twitter: @TheMiddleGeeks   Follow us on Instagram @TheMiddleGeeks   Subscribe to The Middle Geeks on Hard NOC Media   Please support us on Patreon!

We welcome back Palestinian-American Harvey award winning comic and video games writer, Nadia Shammas, to discuss their critically acclaimed graphic novel Squire, which takes place in an a SWANA/MENA fantasy setting, through the lens of Palestine in the midst of the IDF's ongoing genocide of Palestinians in Gaza. We discuss Nadia's upbringing in both Palestine and the US, how the current crisis has unpacked her and her family's generational and personal traumas, and how she incorporated those experiences into Squire. Nadia gives her take on the current crisis, and we also discuss being a Palestinian writer in the superhero comics space, and how certain corporations may be missing the mark on what BIPOC audiences want from them. We also give our recommendations, and much more. Note that this discussion has some story spoilers for Squire.   Follow Nadia on Instagram @NadiaShammas and on Twitter @NadiaShammas_, and buy their graphic novels Squire, Where Black Stars Rise, and Confetti Realms, and buy the game Thirsty Suitors on whatever game system you own. Decolonize Palestine Support the Palestinian American Medical Association (PAMA) and families in Gaza Six ways you can support Palestinians in Gaza Islamic Relief USA: Support Families in Palestine Our music is composed by Ashley Hefnawy. You can find more of her music here. We are a proud member of the Hard NOC podcast family. Follow us on Twitter: @TheMiddleGeeks Follow us on Instagram @TheMiddleGeeks Subscribe to The Middle Geeks on Hard NOC Media Please support us on Patreon!

The Marvels is here, bringing our favorite superhero Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani), AKA Ms. Marvel, into the cinematic spotlight! But how well does it do her journey as a character, and how do the other leads of Carol (Brie Larson) and Monica (Teyonah Parris) fare? Our friends Isa and Maryam join us once again on the podcast to review the film, analyzing what how it did and didn't do things well and where we expect Kamala to go from here. We dive into a larger conversation on the MCU overall, give our recommendations, and much more. Spoilers for The Marvels throughout Read Swara's review of The Marvels for The New Arab Read Maryam's review of The Marvels for Nerdist Follow Isa on social media @EvilCleverDog Follow Maryam on social media @curious_maryam Follow Swara on social media @spiderswarz USCPR: Find a Protest: Stop the Gaza Genocide Decolonize Palestine Support the Palestinian American Medical Association (PAMA) and families in Gaza Six ways you can support Palestinians in Gaza Islamic Relief USA: Support Families in Palestine Our music is composed by Ashley Hefnawy. You can find more of her music here. We are a proud member of the Hard NOC podcast family. Follow us on Twitter: @TheMiddleGeeks Follow us on Instagram @TheMiddleGeeks Subscribe to The Middle Geeks on Hard NOC Media Please support us on Patreon!

In the midst of Israel's ongoing bombardment and genocide of Palestinians in Gaza, with currently over 9,000 dead and over 30,000 more more injured, under the pretense of taking out Hamas leadership since their attack on Israel on October 7th, we have on Palestinian-American kidlit author and activist Hannah Moushabeck to discuss the ongoing crisis and her career. Hannah is the author of Homeland: My Father Dreams of Palestine, a groundbreaking children's book that showcases Palestinian culture in Jerusalem through her father's regaling to her and her sisters. In the midst of so much tragedy, it is even more crucial to discuss Palestinian and other marginalized culture to keep it alive and strong. We also discuss how she and other Palestinians have been protesting for a ceasefire and an end to the occupation and Apartheid Israel imposes on Palestine, other Palestinian and Palestinian-adjacent art we enjoy, and much more.   Follow Hannah on Instagram @hannahmoushabeck Decolonize Palestine Support the Palestinian-American Medical Association (PAMA) and families in Gaza 6 ways you can support Palestinians in Gaza Islamic Relief USA: Support Families in Palestine Our music is composed by Ashley Hefnawy. You can find more of her music here. We are a proud member of the Hard NOC podcast family. Follow us on Twitter: @TheMiddleGeeks Follow us on Instagram @TheMiddleGeeks Subscribe to The Middle Geeks on Hard NOC Media Please support us on Patreon!

Before anything else, we would like listeners to know we have an episode on Palestine coming soon. In the meantime we're sharing donation links as we have done before. As writer-director Maryam Keshavarz's The Persian Version has finally made its way to wide release in US theaters, we sit down with Keshavarz to discuss her semi-autobiographical dramedy film. Indeed it is the "Persian Version" of recounted family events, but just like our main protagonist Leila (Layla Mohammadi) in the film, we don't know everything! Stay tuned for our upcoming review of the film, as you enjoy our conversation with Keshavarz, and watch The Persian Version in theaters! Decolonize Palestine Donate to help families in Gaza Our music is composed by Ashley Hefnawy. You can find more of her music here. We are a proud member of the Hard NOC podcast family. Follow us on Twitter: @TheMiddleGeeks, @MaeAbdu, @spiderswarz Follow us on Instagram @TheMiddleGeeks Subscribe to The Middle Geeks on Hard NOC Media Please support us on Patreon!

It's a week of heavy and tragic news across the SWANA region, from a 6.8 earthquake in Morocco, devastating floods in Libya, another Armenian genocide underway in Artsakh, and the commemoration of Jina Amini's murder and its sparking of the "Woman, Life, Freedom" movement in Iran and Kurdistan and the diasporas. We discuss all of these topics and what you can do to help, and follow it up with a relatively lighthearted review of My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3, give our recommendations, and much more. This podcast was recorded during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the movie being covered here wouldn't exist. To support the WGA and SAG-AFTRA, donate to the Entertainment Community Fund. Read Mae's review of the film for ScreenRant Read Swara's review of the film for But Why Tho? Donate to the Moroccan Red Crescent Donate to the Libyan Red Crescent Donate to Islamic Relief USA Donate to CARE Thread of donation links by Yasmine Jibril Send money via Western Union Kim Kardashian: My Plea to Joe Biden to Stop Another Armenian Genocide CNN Report on Dire State of Artsakh Our music is composed by Ashley Hefnawy. You can find more of her music here. We are a proud member of the Hard NOC podcast family. Follow us on Instagram/Threads: @TheMiddleGeeks, @writerblocked20, @spiderswarz Follow us on Instagram @TheMiddleGeeks Subscribe to The Middle Geeks on Hard NOC Media Please support us on Patreon!

With Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny's release, and taking place in Morocco, we simply have to review it. Our friends Nadia Osman and Zaina Ujayli join us once again to discuss Dial of Destiny, and whether it does better by North African peoples than it did in the past (spoiler alert: not so much.) Why does this keep happening, and why did director James Mangold dive into Orientalism and whitewashing once again? Also, why is there so much GGI? We also discuss the news of the Dune Part Two trailer and how its own appropriation and Orientalism of SWANA and Muslim cultural aspects is part of an ongoing narrative in Hollywood, give our recommendations, and much more!   Read Swara's Feature for The New Arab, 'Can Indiana Jones overcome its Orientalist Past?   Decolonize Palestine   Our music is composed by Ashley Hefnawy. You can find more of her music here.   We are a proud member of the Hard NOC podcast family.   Follow Zaina on Twitter @zainaujayli and Nadia @msnadiaosman and on BlueSky @msnadiaosman.   Follow us on Twitter: @TheMiddleGeeks, @MaeAbdu, @spiderswarz, and follow Swara on BlueSky @spiderswarz.   Follow us on Instagram @TheMiddleGeeks   Subscribe to The Middle Geeks on Hard NOC Media   Please support us on Patreon!

Nadia Shammas is a Palestinian-American Harvey award winning comic writer for their incredible groundbreaking graphic novel Squire, created with Jordanian-American artist Sara Alfageeh, and the co-creator of Where Black Stars Rise with artist Marie Enger. In Squire, Nadia wrote a story inherent to the lived experiences of SWANA peoples across the region, beautifully weaving in our cultures and civilizations with Alfageeh's similarly extraordinary dedicated art. Nadia has also worked on DC and Marvel titles, writing Arab fan favorite Talia Al-Ghul and Ms. Marvel, the latter in her and Nabi H. Ali's Ms. Marvel: Stretched Thin. On the podcast today, we are so honored to finally have Nadia on to discuss her career, thier foray into comics and fandom, and her consistent advocacy for Palestine and where they see the public conversation on Palestine going. Follow Nadia on Instagram @NadiaShammas and on Twitter @NadiaShammas_, and buy Squire and Where Black Stars Rise. Decolonize Palestine Support the Palestinian-American Medical Association (PAMA) and families in Gaza Our music is composed by Ashley Hefnawy. You can find more of her music here. We are a proud member of the Hard NOC podcast family. Follow us on Twitter: @TheMiddleGeeks, @MaeAbdu, @spiderswarz Follow us on Instagram @TheMiddleGeeks Subscribe to The Middle Geeks on Hard NOC Media Please support us on Patreon!

Rocky joins us once again to discuss Nida Manzoor's debut feature film, Polite Society. What did we love about this film and Nida's creative vision? How did Priya Kansara and Ritu Arya do so well at conveying this vision and the Khan sisters' love for one another? How did the action and dance sequences propel the plot? Just how outright hilarious was Polite Society? We discuss all that and more about the film, which you should go see in theaters now! We also discuss the harrowing news out of Sudan, a new African animation anthology that includes Egypt and Egyptian creators, give our recommendations for the week, and much more!   SPOILERS for Polite Society from 27:20-1:00:37 Follow Rocky on Twitter @roxana_hadadi. Listen to Rocky's review of Polite Society on NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour Read Mae's review of Polite Society for Screenrant Read Swara's review of Polite Society for The Nerds of Color, and check out his interviews with Nida Manzoor, and Priya Kansara and Ritu Arya Donate to help Sudanese people feeling geopolitical violence Our music is composed by Ashley Hefnawy. You can find more of her music here. We are a proud member of the Hard NOC podcast family. Follow us on Twitter: @TheMiddleGeeks, @MaeAbdu, @spiderswarz Subscribe to The Middle Geeks on Hard NOC Media Please support us on Patreon!

Senzel Ahmady has made history as the first actress of SWANA/MENA descent to play Princess Jasmine in a major Aladdin production in North America, starring in the tour of the acclaimed musical. In our wide ranging conversation, we discuss Senzel's upbringing and Afghan and Filipina background, her foray into musical theater, why she finds Jasmine so enduring as a role model for SWANASA people, the experience of fasting and breaking fast for Ramadan and while on tour and performing, and much more. We have royalty with us on the podcast! Follow Senzel on Instagram @senzelahmady. Our music is composed by Ashley Hefnawy. You can find more of her music here. We are a proud member of the Hard NOC podcast family. Follow us on Twitter: @TheMiddleGeeks, @MaeAbdu, @spiderswarz Subscribe to The Middle Geeks on Hard NOC Media Please support us on Patreon!

With Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny coming out soon, we discuss the long and torrid history of the franchise's use of Orientalism and racism against Southwest Asian, North African, and South Asian (SWANASA) peoples, and whether we think the new film will continue that trend. Why is Orientalism and white saviorism so foundational to this popular franchise? How did this affect modern day storytelling in film and tv? We delve into all our honest thoughts on this, give our recommendations, and much more. Read Swara's Feature for The New Arab, 'Can Indiana Jones overcome its Orientalist Past?" Where you can donate to help Earthquake Victims: Heyva Sor (Kurdish Red Moon) Mercy Corps Doctors Without Borders Syrian Emergency Task Force CARE International Syrian American Medical Society Islamic Relief USA Decolonize Palestine Our music is composed by Ashley Hefnawy. You can find more of her music here. We are a proud member of the Hard NOC podcast family. Follow us on Twitter: @TheMiddleGeeks, @MaeAbdu, @spiderswarz Follow us on Instagram @TheMiddleGeeks Subscribe to The Middle Geeks on Hard NOC Media Please support us on Patreon!

In our 50th (!) episode, we review Moroccan director Maryam Touzani's beautiful film Cannes-award winning film"Blue Caftan," which is a nuanced and heartfelt display of Moroccan life, culture, and queer identity. What are married couples willing to sacrifice? Why is it so refreshing to watch a nuanced and quiet story like this from North Africa? We also discuss the horrific news of the earthquake in Syria, Kurdistan, and Türkiye that has claimed over 50,000 lives, what you can do to help, and the latest horrible news out of Palestine. Where you can donate to help Earthquake Victims: Heyva Sor (Kurdish Red Moon) Mercy Corps Doctors Without Borders Syrian Emergency Task Force CARE International Syrian American Medical Society Islamic Relief USA Decolonize Palestine Our music is composed by Ashley Hefnawy. You can find more of her music here. We are a proud member of the Hard NOC podcast family. Follow us on Twitter: @TheMiddleGeeks, @MaeAbdu, @spiderswarz Follow us on Instagram @TheMiddleGeeks Subscribe to The Middle Geeks on Hard NOC Media  

In our first episode of 2023, we finally review Palestinian and Jordanian filmmaker Darin J. Sallam's visceral masterpiece Farha, now streaming on Netflix, which details the first events of the Nakba in 1948, which saw the expulsion and killing of over 700,000 Palestinians. With such an unflinching and brutal eye in showcasing these events, Sallam and her team have created a crucial film that audiences everywhere should see, if they feel able. We'd like to give a Trigger Warning and Content Warning for discussion of child and infant death. Please take care while watching. Mae also shares some of her experiences at the Sundance Film Festival, we give our recommendations, and much more.   Read Tariq Raouf's piece Farha in The New Arab   Decolonize Palestine   Donate to help families in Gaza   Our music is composed by Ashley Hefnawy. You can find more of her music here.   We are a proud member of the Hard NOC podcast family.   Follow us on Twitter: @TheMiddleGeeks, @MaeAbdu, @spiderswarz   Follow us on Instagram @TheMiddleGeeks   Subscribe to The Middle Geeks on Hard NOC Media   Please support us on Patreon!  

Like us, you know her, you love her as Zari Tarazi on Legends of Tomorrow, it's Tala Ashe on the podcast! Mae has a riveting conversation with Tala on her life and career, her time as Zari on Legends, what she learned about herself playing the role, her theater roles in the SWANA plays English and The Vagrant Trilogy, and much more! We also discuss the situation in Iran and how Tala aims to and implores others to support the Iranian people. Follow Tala on Twitter @TalaAshe and on Instagram @TalaAshe. Our music is composed by Ashley Hefnawy. You can find more of her music here. We are a proud member of the Hard NOC podcast family. Follow us on Twitter: @TheMiddleGeeks, @MaeAbdu Subscribe to The Middle Geeks on Hard NOC Media Please support us on Patreon!

We welcome Zaina onto the podcast for us to review The Swimmers! Yusra and Sara Mardini are two real-life Syrian refugee sisters whose riveting and raw story has now been put to the screen in Sally El Hosaini's The Swimmers, streaming now on Netflix. How well does the story do at conveying the visceral experience of refugees? What do we think of the characters as they're translated from real life? What do we hope non-Arab and non-SWANA audiences take from this film? We also discuss Zaina's career as a screenwriter, give our recommendations, and much more.   Swara's interview with Director Sally El Hosaini for Nerds of Color Read Hanna Flint's "The Swimmers" review on Time Out Pre-order Strong Female Character in the U.S. Follow Zaina on Twitter @zainaujayli. Our music is composed by Ashley Hefnawy. You can find more of her music here. We are a proud member of the Hard NOC podcast family. Follow us on Twitter: @TheMiddleGeeks, @MaeAbdu, @spiderswarz Follow us on Instagram @TheMiddleGeeks Subscribe to The Middle Geeks on Hard NOC Media Please support us on Patreon!

We welcome Iranian-American actress Kathreen Khavari on the podcast! Kathreen is an esteemed actress and voice actress whose roles include Ms. Marvel/Kamala Khan in various Marvel animated series, Badyah in Netflix's hit series Dead End: Paranormal Park, and the upcoming Nickelodeon series Transformers: AllSpark. Kathreen discusses her career with us and what she hopes that the roles she and other SWANASA actors bring to brown kids today. We also discuss the ongoing Iran Protests, what it's been like for the Iranian diaspora to view them from abroad, and what you can do to help amplify the messages of the protests.   Sign Amnesty International's letter calling for an independent UN Investigation into the Iranian Government's crimes against its people.   Follow Kathreen on Twitter @KathreenKhavari and on Instagram @kathreenkhavari.   Our music is composed by Ashley Hefnawy. You can find more of her music here.   We are a proud member of the Hard NOC podcast family.   Follow us on Twitter: @TheMiddleGeeks, @MaeAbdu, @spiderswarz   Subscribe to The Middle Geeks on Hard NOC Media   Please support us on Patreon!

We welcome Hanna back on the podcast for us to review Black Adam together! The Rock has finally arrived as Black Adam in the DCU. But does he really "change the hierarchy" of the universe that much? How well did the film do at portraying the fictionalized SWANA/MENA country of Kahndaq, and was this film good SWANA/MENA representation? Were the JSA necessary at all in this movie, or did they just convolute it further? We discuss all of that, along with the news that James Gunn and Peter Safran are the co-chairs of DC Studios, give our recommendations, and much more!   Read Hanna's Black Adam Review for The New Arab   Read Swara's Black Adam Review for Nerds of Color   Read Mae's Black Adam Piece for Screenrant   Pre-order Strong Female Character in the U.S.   Follow Hanna on Twitter @HannaFlint.   Our music is composed by Ashley Hefnawy. You can find more of her music here.   We are a proud member of the Hard NOC podcast family.   Follow us on Twitter: @TheMiddleGeeks, @MaeAbdu, @spiderswarz   Subscribe to The Middle Geeks on Hard NOC Media   Please support us on Patreon!

We welcome Hanna back on the podcast to discuss her new debut book "Strong Female Character"! We discuss Hanna's process of writing her autobiography through the lens of film, the state of SWANA representation today compared to when she was growing up how she approaches her work as a critic, what films she finds inspiring, and much more in our long conversation. We also discuss our recommendations and much more!   Pre-order "Strong Female Character" in the U.S.   Follow Hanna on Twitter @HannaFlint.   Our music is composed by Ashley Hefnawy. You can find more of her music here.   We are a proud member of the Hard NOC podcast family.   Follow us on Twitter: @TheMiddleGeeks, @MaeAbdu, @spiderswarz   Subscribe to The Middle Geeks on Hard NOC Media   Please support us on Patreon!

Tariq Raouf joins us once again to review the third season of Ramy, out on Hulu now! Where do we find Ramy Hassan (Ramy Youssef) this season after the terrible things he did at the end of Season 2? How well does the show depict Palestine and Jerusalem? What do we make of the other characters' journeys this season? Before our Ramy discussion, we also discuss the Iran Protests, news from the MCU, and the abhorrent cancellation of Grendel from Netflix. We also give our recommendations and much more in this jam-packed episode.   Spoilers for all of Ramy Season 3 throughout   Check out Tariq's Nerdist article on the problematic inclusion of 'Sabra' in the MCU   Read Tariq's interview with Hiam Abbass and Ramy Youssef for the AV Club   Watch Swara's interviews with the Ramy Cast for Nerds of Color   Check out Mae's coverage of TIFF   Our music is composed by Ashley Hefnawy. You can find more of her music here.   We are a proud member of the Hard NOC podcast family.   Follow Tariq on Twitter @tariq_raouf   Follow us on Twitter: @TheMiddleGeeks, @MaeAbdu, @spiderswarz   Subscribe to The Middle Geeks on Hard NOC Media   Please support us on Patreon

We review the first season of Neflix's first ever Palestinian original series, Mo! Co-created by Palestinian-American actor and comedian Mo Amer and Ramy Youssef, this outstanding comedy-drama is a semi-autobiographical take on Amer's own life in Houston. How does it do well at portraying Palestinians, and Houston and its various people? Why does it have such a perfect balance of comedy and heartbreak? What are the few things we wish were better? We also discuss *everything* that's been happening recently with Warner Brothers Discovery and HBO Max, give our recommendations, and much more!   Read Tariq's review of Mo for The New Arab    Our music is composed by Ashley Hefnawy. You can find more of her music here.   We are a proud member of the Hard NOC podcast family.   Follow us on Twitter: @TheMiddleGeeks, @MaeAbdu, @spiderswarz   Subscribe to The Middle Geeks on Hard NOC Media.   Please support us on Patreon!  

Isa and Maznah join us to discuss the final two episodes and the entire first season of the MCU's Ms. Marvel. How well did the show do at portraying Kamala's family, culture, and religion? What do we think of the Clandestines and the overall handling of them in the show? What do we make of *that* twist at the end, and what it means for Kamala Khan going forward in the MCU? We discuss all that and more in our wide-ranging discussion of the entire show, give our recommendations, and much more!   Spoilers for all of Ms. Marvel Season 1 throughout.   Follow Isa on Twitter @EvilCleverDog, on Instagram @EvilCleverDog and her YouTube channel EvilCleverDog.   Follow Maznah on Twitter @MaznahShz, check out her Den of Geek interview with series director Shameen Obaid-Chinoy here, and her Spotify Playlist of Pakistani Hits.   Swara's io9 review of the finale   Our music is composed by Ashley Hefnawy. You can find more of her music here.   We are a proud member of the Hard NOC podcast family.   Follow us on Twitter: @TheMiddleGeeks, @MaeAbdu, @spiderswarz   Subscribe to The Middle Geeks on Hard NOC Media Please support us on Patreon!

Ms. Marvel is ramping up in its plot, and we're joined by writer and longtime Ms. Marvel fan Maryam Ahmad to discuss episodes 3-4. How good is the series doing at portraying Pakistani, South Asian, and Muslim cultures? How good are the family scenes? What do we think of the villains and the constant twists and turns with them and Kamala's powers? Why was the wedding so amazing? What do we think the show could do better at this point with only two episodes left? We also give our recommendations and much more in this wide ranging conversation.   Spoilers for the episodes 3 and 4 of Ms. Marvel throughout.   Check out Maryam's coverage of Ms. Marvel and other topics for Nerdist here!   Swara's explanation of Djinn for Polygon   Our music is composed by Ashley Hefnawy. You can find more of her music here.   We are a proud member of the Hard NOC podcast family.   Follow us on Twitter: @TheMiddleGeeks, @MaeAbdu, @spiderswarz   Subscribe to The Middle Geeks on Hard NOC Media   Please support us on Patreon!

Ms. Marvel is here! We discuss the first two episodes of the series, discussing how wonderful Iman Vellani is in the main role, how well the series does at portraying Kamala and her family and friends, how well it does on portraying Islam, and where it can do better in certain fronts. We also discuss the exciting news that Abubakr Ali is starring in Billy Porter's Anything's Possible for Amazon Prime, give our recommendations, and much more!   Donate to our fundraiser for Palestine and join us June 25th on the Nerds of Color Twitch Channel for our all day livestream!   Spoilers for the first two episodes of Ms. Marvel throughout.   Mae's review of the first two episodes for ScreenRant   Swara's review of the first episode for io9   Swara's review of the second episode for io9   Our music is composed by Ashley Hefnawy. You can find more of her music here.   We are a proud member of the Hard NOC podcast family.   Follow us on Twitter: @TheMiddleGeeks, @MaeAbdu, @spiderswarz   Subscribe to The Middle Geeks on Hard NOC Media   Please support us on Patreon!

We are delighted to welcome on Kuwaiti-American author Chelsea Abdullah who has just made her debut with the mesmerizing Arab fantasy novel The Stardust Thief! Chelsea tells us all on the origin of her debut novel and how she put herself into these wonderful characters and story. We also discuss the landscape for Arab and SWANA authors and creators, what more can happen, and delve into what stories Chelsea loves as well!   Buy The Stardust Thief from your local bookstore!   Follow Chelsea on Twitter @chelsabdullah   Our music is composed by Ashley Hefnawy. You can find more of her music here.   We are a proud member of the Hard NOC podcast family.   Follow us on Twitter: @TheMiddleGeeks, @MaeAbdu, @spiderswarz   Subscribe to The Middle Geeks on Hard NOC Media   Please support us on Patreon!

We're at the end of our Moon Knight discussion! Hanna Flint joins us once again to talk about the breakthroughs in SWANA representation with this series, how we've enjoyed the show overall, and how the landscape for representation is changing across popular media. We also compare Moon Knight with other Marvel and DC properties, give our recommendations, and much more!   Spoilers for Moon Knight and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness throughout.   Jason's article on Jewish representation in Moon Knight   Follow Hanna on Twitter @HannaFlint.   Our music is composed by Ashley Hefnawy. You can find more of her music here.   We are a proud member of the Hard NOC podcast family.   Follow us on Twitter: @TheMiddleGeeks, @MaeAbdu, @spiderswarz   Subscribe to The Middle Geeks on Hard NOC Media   Please support us on Patreon!

We discuss episodes 3-4 of the new MCU Disney+ series Moon Knight starring Oscar Isaac, May Calamawy, and Ethan Hawke, joined by Egyptian writer and podcaster, Nadia Osman! After we dive into Nadia's career, we dive into the latest two episodes of Moon Knight! How well is this series doing at portraying Egypt and its people? Is there anything we'd like to see more of? Why is May Calamawy so amazing as Layla? How well is Oscar Isaac doing at portraying someone with multiple personalities, and how is the portrayal of mental health? Why do we insist that Marvel and Disney #KeepMoonKnightWeird going into the finale? We also give our recommendations and much more!   Follow Nadia on Twitter @msnadiaosman.   Our music is composed by Ashley Hefnawy. You can find more of her music here.   We are a proud member of the Hard NOC podcast family.   Follow us on Twitter: @TheMiddleGeeks, @MaeAbdu, @spiderswarz   Subscribe to The Middle Geeks on Hard NOC Media   Please support us on Patreon!

We discuss episodes 1-2 of the new MCU Disney+ series 'Moon Knight' starring Oscar Isaac, May Calamawy, and Ethan Hawke. What did we enjoy about this series? What did head director Mohamed Diab (who's actually Egyptian!) bring to the story? Why is Layla the best character? Where could it be better? We also discuss the unfortunate news of the plagiarism accusations against Iranian director Asghar Farhadi for 'A Hero", give our recommendations, and much more!   Our music is composed by Ashley Hefnawy. You can find more of her music here.   We are a proud member of the Hard NOC podcast family.   Follow us on Twitter: @TheMiddleGeeks, @MaeAbdu, @spiderswarz   Subscribe to The Middle Geeks on Hard NOC Media

We are delighted to speak with Legends of Tomorrow cast member Shayan Sobhian and his writing partner and director Max Mooney on their new film "Does Bigfoot Dream of Flowers?". What inspired them to do this project? How is this depiction of Bigfoot similar and different from those we've seen before? We also hear from Shayan on his role as Behrad on Legends of Tomorrow, and where the show might go from their recent Season 7 finale.   Our music is composed by Ashley Hefnawy. You can find more of her music here.   Please support us on Patreon!   We are a proud member of the Hard NOC podcast family.   Follow Shayan on Instagram @shayansobhian   Follow Max on Instagram @maxmooney5   Follow us on Twitter: @TheMiddleGeeks, @MaeAbdu, @spiderswarz   Subscribe to The Middle Geeks on Hard NOC Media

We discuss Netflix's new horror series Archive 81, which headlines two SWANA stars with Mamoudou Athie and Dina Shihabi! What did we enjoy about this creepy series? Would it have been better if Mamoudou and Dina's characters were SWANA coded? What do we want from a Season 2? We also discuss the exciting news that Kuwaiti-American author Chelsea Abdullah will have her book debut with The Stardust Thief, give our recommendations, and much more.   Links to help Ukrainians in need   Our music is composed by Ashley Hefnawy. You can find more of her music here.   Please support us on Patreon!   We are a proud member of the Hard NOC podcast family.   Follow us on Twitter: @TheMiddleGeeks, @MaeAbdu, @spiderswarz   Subscribe to The Middle Geeks on Hard NOC Media

We are joined by the Organizing Director of the National Iranian American Council (NIAC), Donna Farvard, and our friend and Vulture critic Roxana Hadadi to discuss acclaimed Iranian director Asghar Farhadi's latest film and award-buzzed film, "A Hero." How does this film give insight into Iranian society and systems of reputation? What is Farhadi saying about how we hold each other in esteem, and how quickly that can fade away? We also discuss the Moon Knight trailer and the news that Egyptian director Mohamed Diab will be directing four out of its six episodes, Archive 81 on Netflix, Mena Massoud's new Netflix rom-com, give our recommendations, and much more!   Our music is composed by Ashley Hefnawy. You can find more of her music here.   Dr. Assal Rad's report: "Othering Iran: How Dehumanization of Iranians Undermines Rights at Home"   Please support us on Patreon!   We are a proud member of the Hard NOC podcast family.   Follow Donna on Twitter @Donna_Farvard   Follow Rocky on Twitter @roxana_hadadi   Follow us on Twitter: @TheMiddleGeeks, @MaeAbdu, @spiderswarz   Subscribe to The Middle Geeks on Hard NOC Media

Even though there's not a lot to be merry about, we count our blessings and make it merry! We also discuss the wonderful 2020 film "Gaza Mon Amour" by director brothers Tarzan and Arab Nasser, which shows old love in the middle of Gaza, starring our fave Hiam Abbass. We also discuss the exciting news of "We Are Lady Parts" Season 2 renewal, Mena Massoud's new Netflix rom-com coming out soon, and much more! Our music is composed by Ashley Hefnawy. You can find more of her music here. Links to help Palestine and learn about the situation: Decolonize Palestine Palestine Children's Relief Fund Free Palestine Card Link with various resources to donate to those in need and learn We are a proud member of the Hard NOC podcast family.

We're excited to have Meg Humphrey of Rogue Podron on to discuss Star Wars: Visions, the new anime anthology on Disney+ that breathes fresh life into this franchise with Japanese creators, crafting stories in a universe that was *heavily* inspired by their own culture. Why is it so important for the Star Wars franchise to have this, and why is it crucial that it continues to do so with other Japanese and API creators? How did Star Wars appropriate, and continue to appropriate, cultural elements from East Asian and MENA cultures, and play into Orientalism? How does Visions stand as an example of why this franchise should incorporate Japanese creators in this universe? We also discuss the exciting news that our fave Tala Ashe is going to be starring in Iranian-American Sanaz Toossi's play "English" in New York, give our recommendations, and much more!   We are a proud member of the Hard NOC podcast family.   Follow Meg on Twitter: @tspofnutmeg   Follow us on Twitter: @TheMiddleGeeks, @MaeAbdu, @spiderswarz   Subscribe to The Middle Geeks on Hard NOC Media  

We are delighted to welcome Abubakr Ali on the podcast, who will be playing the titular role in Netflix's Grendel, making him the FIRST Arab and Muslim actor to headline a comic adaptation in TV/Film! We discuss what got him into acting, his career so far, what his favorite superhero and other media are, and much more. Enjoy the conversation!   We are a proud member of the Hard NOC podcast family.   Follow Abubakr on Twitter @theAbubakrAli.   Follow us on Twitter: @TheMiddleGeeks, @MaeAbdu, @spiderswarz   Subscribe to The Middle Geeks on Hard NOC Media   Please support us on our Patreon!   Our brand new theme music is by Ashley Hefnawy. Find more of her music here.