Kambiz Hosseini facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kambiz Hosseini
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Kambiz Hosseini in 2011
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| Born | August 1, 1975 Rasht, Imperial State of Iran
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| Nationality | Iranian-American |
| Alma mater | Azad University Portland State University |
| Occupation | Playwright, television and radio host, political satirist |
| Known for | Parazit Five in the Afternoon Poletik Paradox (weekly podcasts) |
Kambiz Hosseini (Persian: کامبیز حسینی) was born on August 1, 1975, in Tehran, Iran. He is a talented Iranian-American who works as a political satirist, actor, and host for TV and radio shows.
Kambiz is known for hosting Paradox, a podcast series on Radio Farda. He also hosted Poletik, a funny news show, and Five in the Afternoon, a weekly podcast about human rights in Iran. From 2009 to 2012, he created and hosted the very popular TV show Parazit on Voice of America.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Kambiz Hosseini grew up in the Iranian cities of Rasht and Mashhad. He studied dramatic literature and acting in Iran and the United States. He has written, directed, and acted in many plays and shows.
In 2000, Hosseini moved to the United States. He settled in Washington D.C. There, he worked for Radio Free Europe and as an art critic for Voice of America. After this, he started his famous show, Parazit.
Kambiz Hosseini's Career
Parazit: A Hit TV Show
Parazit means "Static" in Persian. This name referred to the Iranian government trying to block satellite TV. The show quickly became very popular in Iran and among Iranians living abroad.
The Washington Post newspaper called Parazit "The Iranian Daily Show." They also called Kambiz Hosseini "the Jon Stewart of Iran." Jon Stewart is a famous American comedian and host. In 2011, Kambiz even appeared on Stewart's show, "The Daily Show." Jon Stewart said Parazit was "like our show, but with real guts."
Parazit became one of the most-watched shows on Voice of America. Important guests, like former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, appeared on the show. Parazit was also very popular on social media. It had over 1,000,000 fans on Facebook. Its videos online had over 1,000,000 views. Because of the show's popularity, the Iranian government banned websites like Facebook and YouTube.
Kambiz Hosseini has been featured on many news channels worldwide. These include CNN, FOX News, PBS, NPR, PRI, and CBC.
Five in the Afternoon: A Human Rights Podcast
Kambiz Hosseini also hosts a weekly political podcast called Five in the Afternoon. This podcast shares news about human rights in Iran in the Persian language. The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran supports and produces the podcast. It started in January 2013 and airs every Friday.
The show includes a summary of the week's news and funny comments on society. It also has a part called "the last word," where Kambiz talks directly to his listeners. Five in the Afternoon features interviews with important Iranian figures. The podcast has been downloaded over 150,000 times on Soundcloud.com.
Awards and Recognition
Kambiz Hosseini has received several awards for his work. He won The Reporters Without Borders User Award. This award honors people who speak up for freedom of expression around the world.
I dedicate this award to my audience, who have supported me passionately and constructively from the time I started my career. They are the ones that make this happen and my major source of inspiration and admiration, the people of Iran.
In 2012, Hosseini received the Bronze Medal at the New York Festival's Best Television and Films show. This award was for Parazit in the comedy/satire category. He also won Voice of America's "Gold Medal Award" for Parazit. This is the highest honor from the agency.
In 2015, Kambiz received a Silver Award for his Five in the Afternoon radio program. This award was from New York Festivals: World's Best Radio Programs.
Advocating for Human Rights
Kambiz Hosseini is also an activist for human rights. On May 11, 2011, he spoke to the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee. This group in the US government deals with countries in the Near East, South, and Central Asia. He shared his personal thoughts and asked for better human rights in Iran.
