Palestinian-American comedian Mo Amer (“Mo,” “Ramy,” “Black Adam”) will host of the next season of the televised debate series Doha Debates.
The series is an entertaining, educational tool funded by the non-profit Qatar Foundation.
Filmed in front of a live studio audience in Qatar’s Education City, each episode of the Doha Debates show will feature a monologue by Amer followed by discussions of timely events and global issues with celebrities and expert guests.
To produce the new season, Doha Debates has joined forces with Film 45, with Emmy-winning “Oprah Winfrey Show” producer Katy Davis serving as the Doha Debates showrunner and executive producer.
Financial terms of the partnership were not disclosed.
Popular on Variety
“Mo,” which will be returning to Netflix for a second season, is considered a cultural milestone for centering its narrative around his experience as a Palestinian refugee in Texas. The show has a large audience in the Arab world besides being popular in the U.S., where “Mo” was recently named one of the American Film Institute’s top 10 television programs of 2022.
Amer’s parents were displaced from Palestine to Kuwait, where he was born, before the whole family fled to Texas during the Gulf War. In December, he held a masterclass at the Red Sea Film Festival in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
The Doha Debates production team is currently discussing distribution for the series on various platforms, according to a statement.
“Doha Debates is proof that people with different points of view can have intelligent debates and work toward finding a consensus on the biggest problems we face today,” Amer said in the statement. “I’m honored to serve as host for such an impactful show and will hope to bring some humor to topics of change.”
“Doha Debates is honored to work with Mo and an exceptional production team as we continue to address the world’s most pressing challenges through engaging content and lively debates,” said Amjad Atallah, managing director of Doha Debates.
“Mo’s unique ability to connect with people authentically and honestly from all walks of life will enable us to reach new audiences around the globe. We’re especially pleased to host the series in Qatar Foundation’s Education City, a global center of learning and solutions-focused dialogue,” he added.
