Ahmed Albasheer, an Iraqi comedian and political satirist, is best known for being the host of The Albasheer Show, a weekly political satire program that humorizes Iraqi politics. However, behind the scenes and all of the laughs, there is a story — the story of Ahmed’s life which has been filled with many tragedies, ranging from surviving a suicide bombing to a kidnapping, and the deaths of his loved ones, including his brother, father, and cousin.

During his OFF talk, Ahmed used his own story to tell the story of how the current state of authoritarianism in Iraq has unfolded over the years. Most importantly, his talk showed the power of humor in challenging corruption, war, repression, and sectarianism, as well as in exposing the truth and overcoming tragedy.