Americans don't know a lot about the Middle East — [they] don't know we laugh.

Source:

"A Saudi, an Indian and an Iranian Walk into a Qatari Bar ..." TEDxSummit. Apr. 2012. Conference Presentation.

Additional Information: According to this quote from Iranian-American comedian Maz Jobrani, people from the United States have a limited knowledge of the Middle East, so much so that they don't think people from this region have a sense of humor. This tongue-in-cheek quote is from Jobrani's 2012 TED Talk. Jobrani goes on to explain, in a humorous way, that the negative way people often view Middle Easterners has a lot to do with stereotypes perpetuated on television. Watch the full TED Talk here: Maz Jobrani - A Saudi, an Indian and an Iranian Walk into a Qatari Bar ...

“A Saudi, an Indian and an Iranian Walk into a Qatari Bar …” TEDxSummit. Apr. 2012. Conference Presentation.