Full lineup
Kuwait City to Pepperdine to The Comedy Store.
Saad Alessa is Kuwaiti-Palestinian, based in Los Angeles, and the owner of a master's degree in dispute resolution from Pepperdine University School of Law — a credential that makes his transition into stand-up comedy either ironic or inevitable, depending on how you look at it. He founded On Deck Comedy in 2020 when the LA shutdown emptied every venue, started running open mics, and built it into a real platform. He has since taken the stage at The Comedy Store, The Improv, and The Ice House. He has done TEDx talks. He runs a podcast called "The Saad Truth."
His material is political satire and observational comedy — the kind built on watching the gap between what institutions claim and what actually happens. Growing up Kuwaiti-Palestinian and landing in Los Angeles gives him material that most American comedians simply do not have access to. His show "Dare to Defy" brings that worldview into a full production. His YouTube docu-series "Legendiary" pulled 1M+ views across nine episodes.
"The funniest thing about being Arab in America is that everyone thinks they already know what you are — and they're always wrong." — Saad Alessa
Opening night energy.
Friday night is about setting the tone. Saad opens the Indoor Stage at OC MENA — politically sharp, LA-sharp, and the kind of comedian who does not ease you into anything. He starts at full speed and stays there.
What to expect.
Political, observational, and fast. The jokes land on both the Arab and American side of the room — and sometimes hardest on the side that wasn't expecting them. Forty-five minutes that will feel like twenty.