‘What Is The Going Rate Today For Human Lives?’ Comedian Bassem Youssef’s Dark Wit Jolts Piers Morgan In Gaza Interview
Egyptian comedian Bassem Youssef unleashed a volley of signature satirical barbs during his appearance on Piers Morgan Uncensored, discussing the Israel-Palestine conflict, drawing from personal experiences with his Gazan in-laws, and juxtaposing it with international politics.
Youssef started the 26-minute conversation with the caveat that, like host Piers Morgan, he “also” got his news “second hand” but from his wife’s family who live in Gaza.
“Those Palestinians,” Youssef continued, “they’re very dramatic. ‘Ah, Israel is killing us,’ but they never die. I mean, they always come back. They’re very difficult to kill, very difficult people to kill. I know, because I’m married to one. I tried many times. I try to get to her every time, but she uses our kids as human shields.”
After a clip showing Ben Shapiro’s appearance on Morgan’s show the previous week, Youssef asked: “What is a proportionate response because it has been different from one tier to another? So, if you look at this graph, for example, this is the death of Israelis and Palestinians, and it’s changing from one year to year. It’s fluctuating like Crypto. So my question is today, what is the going rate today for human lives?”
Morgan tried to begin a serious discussion by referencing Hamas’ October 7 attacks on Israel, asserting their prominence in the broader dispute. He viewed this as a deliberate provocation by Hamas, subsequently posing a hypothetical to Youssef: “If you were Israel and that had happened to you, what would you think would be the appropriate way for the country to respond?”
With a dark twist of humour, Youssef replied: “I would do exactly like Israel did: Kill as many people as possible since the world is letting me do it. I mean, I can do it because I can.”
“Let’s for a minute imagine a world without Hamas,” Youssef responded. The comedian pointed to the West Bank, the absence of Hamas control there and the corresponding loss of Palestinian lives.
Speaking of Daily Wire’s Ben Shapiro and Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Youssef went on: “They said Israel is the only military force in the world that warns civilians before bombing them… how fucking cute. That is so nice of them because with this logic, if Russian troops started warning Ukrainians before bombing their houses, we’re cool with Putin right?”
As Morgan attempted to interject, Youssef began discussing excusing the deaths of Gazan civilians because, according to Israeli reports, Hamas hides weapon caches in schools and hospitals: “That’s a lot of weapons.”
On the topic of dehumanising of Palestinian civilians, Youssef, employing more satire, stated: “If you have already decided someone is good, he can do no evil… killing them is good… it is not like something new.” After drawing parallels with the historical treatment of indigenous people by Western countries, he added: “They’re savages, kill all the savages and when they are almost extinct you start feeling sorry for them like animals. So, maybe the solution is we kill as many Palestinians as possible so the few of them who remain do not bother you.”
Introducing Daily Wire CEO Jeremy Boreing to the conversation, the three discussed proportionality of the Israeli response at length before Morgan decided to cut off Youssef.
Before Youssef’s departure from the show, however, he held up his phone to show a bombed building, sardonically mentioning the house in Gaza owned by his wife’s family: “By the way, my wife’s family’s alright and they sent us [picture of] a house, its bombed, it’s beautiful, it’s going to be a good Halloween theme.”
In a final comment on his in-laws, he added: “I haven’t actually met them… We hear their voices, they die, it’s fine.”
Attempting to express empathy, Morgan said: “Bassem, I wish your family all the very best, thank you for joining me. I appreciate it.”
Youssef retorted: “I don’t thank you.”
