"He's a pretty normal guy who has an opportunity to non-violently address power and he took it," said Taksler." And I want people to think in their own lives, whether something big, like a government taking advantage or something on a smaller scale, like a bully on the playground or a co-worker who is taking advantage of someone, or something like that. I want people to think about ways to tickling giants in their lives.”
The series follows Youssef around the US as he analyses American politics from his Arab perspective.
“It’s a satirical outlook for American democracy through the eyes of a Middle Easterner," he explains.
“It’s kind of crazy when you can’t satirise the conditions in your own region but you get given the opportunity to go and satirise America. I’m the first Arab to do it and that’s a great honour.
“It’s hard, because I come from a different culture, so why would people listen to me? There’s a lot of competition out there because everyone is doing it, but what’s interesting is to find that Middle Eastern perspective.
“So for example I can say to people, ‘Trump – seriously? Are you scared of him? We call this life, every day, get over it!’
“It’s such an incredible opportunity to do what I want to do instead of what I have to do."
"The Democracy Handbook" will be produced by The Daily Show with Jon Stewart producer Kathy Egan, whom Youssef has a good relationship with from appearing on Stewart's show before he stepped down as host in 2015.
