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Before comedy, she was a presenter on QVC.
By Samantha Maffucci — Written on Jan 25, 2019
If Comedians of the World on Netflix has shown us anything, it’s that comedy comes in many forms. No matter your age, race, or upbringing, you just need to be human to enjoy laughing, and that’s exactly what the series has given viewers. Whether you’re watching one of the specials from comedians who hail from Mexico, France, Australia, the UK, or anywhere in between, laughter is universal. And luckily, you can watch all 47 specials with subtitles.
One of the more diverse comics who stands out is Enissa Amani. Though it’s not her first feature on Netflix, she’s been described as “clever, cheeky, and incredibly funny,” and brings her subtle humor punchlines to the stage.
She’s also incredibly thankful for the opportunity to be on Netflix: “For us comedians, Netflix is simply the Olympus. Netflix has an incredible philosophy. They just say, ‘We want you. Do what you want in the way you want to do it.’ And that's what I did,” she said when Netflix featured her stand-up special, Ehrenwort, the first time around.
But just who is Enissa Amani? Here are five things to know about how she got her start, her career accomplishments, and how her upbringing shaped her comedy.
1. She’s from Tehran.
Though Amani was born and raised in Iran, she and her family later moved to Germany. She often performs her routines in German or Persian, but also performs in English.
2. She was a refugee.
Her parents fled Iran and moved to Frankfurt in 1985, after her father faced persecution as a left-wing, intellectual writer. The family spent some time in a refugee camp, which Amani recalls as difficult.
“My parents were communists. It’s difficult when you start school and you are the only one whose candy cone reads ‘Freedom for all political prisoners in Iran’... If people have never had to flee, they have different views and different fears,” she said.
3. She began her career just recently.
Amani entered the stand-up comedy world in 2013, and shortly after, began appearing on comedy shows. In 2015, she received the German Comedy Prize for Best Newcomer, and continues to sell out her shows.
4. She’s appeared on television and movies.
Her television credits include TV total, NightWash, The Satire Summit, and Stand-up Migrants. She’s also been in multiple films, including SMS für Dich, Alarm für Cobra 11-Die Autobahnpolizei, Ladies’ Night, and Fack ju Göhte 2. In addition, she was a contestant on the show Let’s Dance, a German dancing competition, placing fourth with her partner Christian Polanc.
5. But she had a life before comedy.
Before entering stand-up, Amani was a pageant contestant, competing in Miss West Germany and Miss Tourism Iran. She then became a presenter for the german QVC network.
Samantha Maffucci is an associate editor for YourTango who focuses on writing trending news and entertainment pieces. In her free time, you can find her obsessing about cats, wine, and all things Vanderpump Rules.