Comedian Mo Amer honored by Houston on 713 Day, announces new show in September
Comedian Mo Amer recognized by Houston City Hall on 713 Day
Stand-up comedian, Mo Amer and creator of the award-winning semi-autobiographical Netflix series: Mo was recognized on 713 Day at Houston City Hall. After the Alief-native was presented with some special gifts, he made an announcement about his upcoming stand-up special in September at Bayou City Music Hall.
HOUSTON - Mo Amer has certainly come a long way as a stand-up comedian and for someone like me who followed his career for years, it's wonderful to see how Houston continues to give him his flowers.
Most people will recognize him as the creator behind the semi-autobiographical Netflix series, Mo, for his stand-up, or for going viral after he was seated next to Eric Trump on an airplane.
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The Alief native was recognized Thursday at Houston City Hall during 713 Day for his outstanding work, shedding light on the city. This also comes a year after Mayor Sylvester Turner proclaimed September 16 "Mo Amer Day."
(Photo: FOX 26 Houston)
Among the things Amer received that excruciatingly hot Thursday afternoon was a belt buckle from the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo. After getting it, Amer took to the podium explaining how the Houston Rodeo was where he was first exposed to stand-up comedy at 10-years-old.
"At that moment, I knew, for some reason, just in my gut, that's what I was supposed to be doing for the rest of my life," he said. "Four years later, I started doing stand-up comedy in high school at Hastings."
(Photo: FOX 26 Houston)
It certainly doesn't come as a surprise then to hear Amer recall where he comes from because he's always been a refugee without a home. Fortunately, he's since found several places that feel like home like the stage, and of course Houston.
"Houston is definitely home but not but when you put out stuff that's very endearing and true and personal, you feel like you have many homes all over the world," Amer explained. "People treat you that way, so it's lovely."
(Photo: FOX 26 Houston)
During his speech, Amer announced an upcoming stand-up special on September 16 in Houston at Bayou City Music Hall. Proceeds from the ticket sales would be going to Hastings High School's Theater Department as well to inspire more talent out of the Houston-area.
"These kids are in new schools that maybe are doubting themselves; you can do this," he concluded on stage. "Believe in yourself! You've got to make it and the more people tell you, you can't use that fuel to be that the wind behind you…let it be your tailwind to propel you to greater heights."
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As a life-long fan of Amer's stand-up first seeing him with other Muslim comedians in Allah Made Me Funny, his advice is something he certainly would have told himself back then including "putting in the time to perfect your art form and being you know, continue towards a path of trying to master that art form and stay slow and steady."
(Photo: Munira Bangee with the City of Houston)
Though Amer was unable to give fans of his Netflix series a date for when the second season would drop, due to the Writer's Strike.
Still, Amer said he hopes to continue doing amazing work and spotlighting Houston.
"There's a lot of talent coming along the way and I wouldn't be surprised that you know somebody else comes out and does something really special out of here," he concluded. "But Houston has always been that that talent pool where it's put out a lot of like really great artists from music to stand-up and everything in between."
Tickets for Amer's show on September 16 are on sale now, you can purchase them by clicking here.