In this deeply human and sharply funny conversation, Palestinian American comedian Lana Salah joins Saadia in the studio for an unfiltered exploration of comedy, identity, loss, and truth-telling in a world that often prefers silence. Lana, an engineer-turned-comedian whose life spans the Bay Area, the Middle East, and now Los Angeles, breaks down how humor becomes cultural critique, emotional survival, and a form of resistance. From navigating rooms where her Palestinian identity is met with discomfort, to balancing factual vs. emotional truth onstage, to turning the heaviness of genocide, grief, and personal history into art, Lana holds nothing back. Saadia and Lana dive into: How comedy becomes a vessel for truths that policy papers can’t deliver The tension between emotional truth vs. factual truth in stand-up Why Muslim women are not a monolith and never were The cost and power of speaking honestly about Palestine in American comedy spaces How loss, family, and survival shape Lana’s voice onstage Her unexpected journey from engineering to performing at the Comedy Store This episode is raw, tender, political, and sometimes laugh-out-loud funny. It’s a story about belonging, complexity, and what it means to turn pain into purpose without losing your humor along the way. Join us as we create new intellectual engagement for our audience. You can find more information at http://immigrantlypod.com. Please share the love and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify to help more people find us! You can connect with Saadia on IG @itssaadiak Email:
[email protected] Host & Producer: Saadia Khan I Content Writer: Saadia Khan I Editorial review: Shei Yu I Sound Designer & Editor: Lou Raskin I Immigrantly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic Sound Immigrantly Podcast is an Immigrantly Media Production. For advertising inquiries, contact us at
[email protected] Want to go deeper into your own identity? Download Belong on Your Own Terms, the app helping first-gen, second-gen, and third-culture kids reclaim belonging on their own terms. link below http://studio.com/saadia Don't forget to subscribe to Immigrantly Uninterrupted for insightful podcasts. Follow us on social media for updates and behind-the-scenes content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
