ImmigrantFacesNAAJ
Photo book · in progress
Immigrant Faces
Portraits of the people who crossed borders to be here, photographed one face at a time.
Naaj M. Dean: stand-up comedian and actor
Stand-up comedian & actor
Watch NAAJ
Legal Alien · live at Notre Dame
Raised a shepherd in a village with no electricity. Now he works under lights.
- Legal Alien Debut hour
- USC MFA George Lucas Family Foundation Scholar
- Notre Dame Hesburgh-Yusko Scholar
- The Second City Stand-up & comedy writing classes
- CONAN Script intern · TBS · 2019
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About
NAAJ’s first audience was a flock of sheep. Every room since has been easier.
NAAJ is a stand-up comedian and actor. He was raised an Indigenous Amazigh shepherd in the mountains of Tunisia, in a village with no running water and no electricity, where the nights belonged to poetry, music and whoever told the story best. He has been chasing that room ever since. Now it comes with a microphone.
Open his passport
Passport · 7 stamps · 1 open page
Ouled Haffouz
Sheep by day. By night, with no electricity, Amazigh and Arab poetry, music and stories, which turned out to be training.
Sfax
Theatre club and coding. At 15, co-founded WeYouth and ran its media; its voter programs had U.S. State Department and UNDP backing.
Johannesburg
Francis Deng African Scholar. Created NaajShow, a weekly satirical news show screened at campus gatherings.
South Bend
Hesburgh-Yusko Scholar, Film Department Chair Award. Directed Steve Martin’s WASP onto The Observer’s front page, then taped his first special at Washington Hall.
Chicago · Burbank
Summers at The Second City, training in stand-up and comedy writing. In 2019, script intern on CONAN, beside its script supervisors.
Los Angeles · USC
Admitted to USC, NYU, FSU and LMU; chose USC. MFA in directing and sound, George Lucas Family Foundation Scholar. Taught sound.
West Hollywood
Legal Alien, taped in South Bend and West Hollywood. ONE BUN MAN is in the works. Also directs at ShepherdBoy Entertainment and Impeccable Boost.
Your city
The next stamp is yours. Book a date →
Speaks Arabic, English and French. Rides horses. Trains judo and kickboxing. Has run a marathon, on purpose.
For casting
- Arabic · English · French
- Regional accents in all three
- Shakespeare & classical
- Text & technique
- Voice & movement
- Horseback riding
- Judo
- Kickboxing
Shows
- Now bookingClubs · colleges · festivals · corporateRequest a date →
- Debut hourLegal Alien · Screener for industry →
- NextONE BUN MANIn the works · Get the first date →
Rooms he’s worked
- The Hollywood Comedy West Hollywood · Summer Comedy Heat · Underground Comedy Heat
- Washington Hall Notre Dame · taped Legal Alien
- DeBartolo Performing Arts Center Notre Dame · stage roles · directed Steve Martin’s WASP
Book NAAJ
Sets from a 5-minute spot to the full hour. Clean set available. Based in California, travels.
