Ramy Youssef Wasn’t Afraid to Break Ricky Gervais's Golden Globes Thank-You Rules

By Lauren Rearick


Ramy Youssef took house the opening Golden Globe award of the 2020 ceremony, however he’s already forgiven in the event if you've no idea who he is.


The star of Hulu’s Ramy, a semi-autobiographical comedy about a Muslim family member living in New Jersey, was recognized for Best Actor in a Television Series, Comedy, and his acceptance speech proved charming important.


as well as cracking jokes about viewers probably thinking he was an editor, the comedian took a moment to thank his God and used the Arabic phrase for "God is the greatest." Wardah Khalid ensured that others on Twitter didn’t miss the powerful tribute, tweeting, “We've got Muslims winning #GoldenGlobes and saying 'Allahu akbar' (God is the greatest) on stage.” Others agreed, writing, “I’m so happy to be able to see a Muslim man winning a major award on TV and thanking God in Arabic” and “So much representation here.”


This was his first Golden Globe nominee and win, and it’s likely the recognition will further catapult Youssef’s career. After the speech, some on social media pledged to support the creator. “All of a sudden, I'd like to be able to see Ramy,” one Twitter user wrote.


As he closed his speech, Youssef touched on the significance of the win, noting that the story’s specific focus was on a “Arab Muslim family member living in New Jersey.”


The series has received praise from critics for its nuanced representation, a task to undertake which was particularly key to Youssef. "In terms of positive media, there's not really a lot,” he told NPR of both Arab and Muslim visibility on TV. “In terms of nuance, there's even much less, so there really is this weight that sort of sits on something that comes from someone like me, and there's an anxiety that comes with that.” A win at the 2020 Golden Globes is likely just the starting for Youssef. The comedian is currently working on assignments for Apple TV+ and Netflix.