Comedian and internet personality Nasser Al-Rayess, affectionately known as the “Shawarma King,” brought students together with laughter and camaraderie at the Arab Student Union, or ASU, end-of-year banquet April 30.
According to ASU’s Instagram post, the annual banquet is a time to celebrate community. From the start of the banquet at 5:30 p.m., there was an atmosphere of excitement and anticipation for the “Shawarma King” as students greeted each other and enjoyed the buffet catered by Lotus Falafel and Shawerma, as well as Ahwak Coffee.
“I hope people enjoy the food, enjoy the community, meet new people and then have a good laugh,” said ASU events director and graduate student Omar Salem.
The space at Anna Head Alumnae Hall was decorated with flags, string lights and candles. Music played as people walked in to join their friends at tables set with silverware and plates.
The main event of the night was Al-Rayess, known for his online presence and viral clips reviewing shawarma. Salem had seen him perform stand-up at UC San Diego, where he learned that Al-Rayess was a UC Berkeley alum. Al-Rayess graduated in 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in political science.
“It was just amazing how he just brings the crowd together,” Salem said. “He brings everyone from different backgrounds engaged.”
Throughout his whole set, Al-Rayess was met with continual laughter and applause from the audience. When the comedian asked who wasn’t Arab, not a single hand went up. As he went on, his jokes landed in the intersection of the Berkeley and Arab American experiences.
Al-Rayess began his set by discussing his history at UC Berkeley. After getting a 20% on his organic chemistry midterm, which gave him “trauma at Pimentel,” he ended his plan of being pre-med.
His mom — who was present for the whole set and smiling in the back of the room — was a source for some of his jokes. According to Al-Rayess, she sends him three birthday songs every year: “Happy Birthday,” the Arab birthday song and “In Da Club” by 50 Cent.
At the end of the event, Al-Rayess brought a few audience members up to the stage to teach them how to dance, provoking more laughter and excitement from the people who remained seated.
“Enjoy these years of your life as much as possible,” Al-Rayess said to conclude his set. “Cal made me who I am … You are at the best school in the f—ing world.”