An audience member at an Egyptian comedian’s show in Naples, Florida called 911 and accused the performer of making jokes about Middle Eastern people forming a terrorist cell.
Officers came to the Off The Hook Comedy Club in Naples on May 12 following the report, and comedian Ahmed Ahmed recorded his interaction with the police and the club’s owner, Brien Spina.
Ahmed, posted the video to his Twitter page on Monday, showing him and the officers laughing and joking, with everyone seemingly shocked that someone had called 911 about the Saturday night set.
In the video Ahmed promised to send a recording of his performance to the officers, and told NBC that he made no such jokes about terrorist groups.
In audio of the 911 obtained by DailyMail.com, the caller can be heard naming Ahmed and referring to him interacting with the crowed on May 11 at Off The Hook.
‘The first thing he said when he got out on the stage was, “OK, how many Middle Eastern people do we have here?”‘ he said.
‘And a whole bunch of people raised their hand. I guess they went to see him because he was Middle Eastern. Ya know, when you hear the name Ahmed Ahmed.. and there weren’t a lot of people there, I guess because of the name. I went because I got free tickets.
‘As the people raised their hands, they said where they’re from and they said, “I’m from Iraq,” “I’m from Iran,” “I’m from Pakistan,” I’m from here, I’m from there,’ the man said.
‘He [Ahmed] said,”That’s great, we could organize our own little terrorist organization.” And I don’t think that was right. I mean, that really bothered me.’
The call was made the day after the man was in the audience at Ahmed’s set, baffling both Ahmed, the club owner and the two police who had to come to the establishment.
Someone in the audience of Egyptian comedian Ahmed Ahmed’s (pictured) set at the Off the Hook Comedy Club in Naples, Florida called 911 and accused the performer of making jokes about Middle Eastern people forming a terrorist cell
Police (left and right) came out to the club on Sunday and talked with Ahmed, which he filmed. ‘Don’t be embarrassed,’ the female deputy (left) told him, and the male officer (right) told Ahmed not to change anything about his set before the two left
‘After all of 20-some-odd years of having a comedy club, we’ve never had someone call the police on anybody’s set before, but this is new, so this is interesting,’ club owner Spina said in the video posted to Ahmed’s Twitter early on May 13.
‘We’re all curious how we’re supposed to be handling this, but I think you can continue with your set,’ Spina added with a laugh.
Ahmed flipped the camera around to show his own face and said, ‘You can’t write this s**t, this is really happening in my career and my life.’
Ahmed praised the deputies who showed up and asked them, ‘This is a first time for you too, right?’
The male deputy responded, ‘Yeah, I think this is a first time for everybody, honestly.’
‘After all of 20-some-odd years of having a comedy club, we’ve never had someone call the police on anybody’s set before, but this is new, so this is interesting,’ club owner Brien Spina (left) said in a video of the police interaction posted to Ahmed’s Twitter early on May 13. Ahmed (right) reacted as one might expect, making a self-deprecating joke about the scenario
After the brief conversation, Ahmed performed on Sunday night at Off The Hook Comedy Club (shown) as scheduled before leaving town for his next stops on the road
Spina told NBC that the night of the show where the joke was allegedly told, ‘the customer didn’t complain, they didn’t heckle the comedian, there wasn’t any kind of situation within the shows.’
Ahmed reacted as one might expect, making a self-deprecating joke about the scenario.
‘I’m a little embarrassed, and also maybe a little afraid for my life,’ he said with a grin and wide eyes, while talking with the officers on May 12.
‘Don’t be embarrassed,’ the female deputy who had been called out to the club said, before everyone chuckled at the second half of Ahmed’s statement.
Ahmed couldn’t quite put his finger on what might have prompted the 911 call.
‘I don’t know if it’s fear, or racism, or ignorance, or Islamophobia or whatever you want to call it, it’s unfortunate that someone was very adamant about making a point to make a 911 call,’ he said.
The male officer told Ahmed not to change anything about his set before the two left.
After the brief conversation, Ahmed performed on Sunday night as scheduled before leaving town for his next stops on the road.
In his video Ahmed said he ‘loved Off The Hook,’ and he would be back.
In his video Ahmed said he ‘loved Off The Hook,’ and he would be back. The club is shown