Mo Amer is headed back to Netflix. The actor and stand-up comedian has a new special on the way, titled Wild World. Described by the streamer as a “timely and fiercely honest hour” (per Variety), Wild World will reportedly see Amer celebrate his Palestinian heritage, reflect on the birth of his son, and poke fun at the TSA. The set, which was filmed at Washington D.C.’s Warner Theatre, will be Amer’s third on the streamer. He previously released Mo Amer: The Vagabond in 2018 and Mo Amer: Mohammed In Texas in 2021.
Amer also found a home on Netflix for Mo, the series he co-created with Ramy Youssef. Mo, which premiered in 2022 and ran for two seasons, starred Amer and was loosely based on his life as a Palestinian refugee living in Texas. The second season was released in January of this year and “doesn’t shy away from political issues,” as The A.V. Club‘s Saloni Gajjar wrote in an essay on its series finale. “It tackles the U.S.’s vexing immigration policies that have taken an emotional toll on the Najjars, who are seeking asylum,” she continued. “Amer and co-creator Ramy Youssef (who worked together on Hulu’s Ramy) depict these stories with wit and, more importantly, sensitivity.”
In a recent interview on the Q With Tom Power radio show, Amer spoke of finding this balance as well as the pressure he’s faced as a Palestinian artist in Hollywood right now. “I’m the only Palestinian in the game. Everybody’s coming at me left and right: ‘What are you going to say? What are you going to do?’ … [I’m] walking such an insane tightrope,” he said. He also shared that he’s had several emotional conversations with “doctors that were on the ground in Gaza” and fellow Palestinian refugees after shows on his current stand-up tour. “I’ve met kids—amputee children—I’ve held them in my own arms. They’ve come to see my show and tell me they watched the show in Gaza. That is as rewarding as it gets,” he said. “So those are the kinds of conversations I’m having. Everybody’s like, ‘Oh, you must be having a blast touring!’ Don’t get me wrong, being on stage is the best rest I get. Being on the actual stage is the best time that I have. Everything after that is just a ton of pain in the heart.”
Wild World will premiere on Netflix October 28.
