When most comics take the stage at a sold-out show in front of a roaring audience as if they were the star of their own movie, it’s intoxicating for them. Especially if they’ve spent countless years in the comedy trenches. Although Max Amini has every right to carry the air of a movie star, and indeed has recently landed an afternoon role decked out in shades and vintage cocktail party attire, he remains extremely modest about his career.
Although it has its origins in Hollywood’s Laugh Factory and has influenced the Los Angeles comedy scene for decades, its rise to becoming a worldwide arena-level act has seemingly occurred under America’s nose. His career has reached a turning point in the last few years due to his heavy presence on social media (4.4 billion total views across all platforms) and his rise to fame with clips of his many major shows around the world, including the UK, Australia, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Austria and Türkiye.
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Despite career milestones such as 200,000 tickets sold in 2025 alone and five comedy specials, with a sixth to be announced soon on a major broadcaster, Amini says filling a room, whether big or small, with laughter is still his main motivation. This week, he’ll break a Dolby Theater record — selling out an unprecedented, multi-night run of consecutive stand-up comedy shows — when he begins his six-show run on October 3, 4 and 10 (two shows per night).
He recently talked about how his role in comedy was a twenty-year overnight success, that he is an Iranian American who can make people laugh in political times, and that he found himself through comedy.
This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
You’ve sold out arenas like the Forum, Madison Square Garden, London’s O2 Arena and now you’re doing six shows at the Dolby Theatre, which must have felt like an incredible homecoming for you. How come you don’t think of this when you’re in your “arrival season”?
Absolutely, and I can’t imagine watching other comedians destroy their careers because of their huge egos. Any comic who grew up in the comedy scene in Los Angeles [who let the] Talk of success and fun gets their heads spinning and they end up digging their own graves, and it’s important to learn from other people’s mistakes. And the true understanding of staying humble, staying true to the reason you started this journey will be the best outcome. …So I always try to remember why I started this art form and I stick to that philosophy, I try to be as sincere and real as possible and I appreciate the people around me. I think these are the most important elements in our business.
I think your “why” in comedy has a lot to do with your life story. What is the biggest thing for you about sharing your story as an Iranian American?
The amazing thing is when you open up and first tell people it’s okay to share your struggles. It’s okay to share that you don’t have a perfect life and that alone will bring people closer. So whenever you reveal, whenever you bring up certain challenges, I think that’s when you let people in. I do this with comedy. I talk about my parents’ divorce and my upcoming special. I’m talking about my father’s death and funeral. I talk about some heavy topics but I make them fun. And the best part is when I get messages from fans telling me how much they can relate to these events, how the challenges I went through were the same scenarios they had to deal with, and the life lessons learned from this; That’s the only reason why I think this world of comedy is magical. It’s a magical space because you can talk about heavy things, uncomfortable things, and people realize they’re not alone. Everyone will go through this journey of life and we are trying to do the best we can. And that’s the most human part of our connection.
“Really connecting with the audience, being in that space and playing in the moment, telling your story like you’ve never told it before and allowing people to truly experience the best of you,” Amini says of her live performances in sold-out arenas.
(Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times)
What are some keys to dealing with these large crowds and not being overwhelmed?
First, you learn who you are as an artist. It takes years, but once it clicks and you kind of understand how you work, when you play in an arena, when you play to a big audience, you’re like, “How do I do this?” There is nothing left for you to think about. You just benefit from this energy. You know yourself and you say, “Okay, this is what I’m talking about. This is how I connect with people and this is how this performance moment is going to be special”… It’s very important not to take it for granted. And I think people who are very professional treat every show like it’s their last. And I got on that stage, and for me, what makes a show magical is authenticity, not being in your head. It’s about truly connecting with the audience, being in that space, living in the moment, telling your story like you’ve never told it before, and allowing people to truly experience the best version of you. Frankly, I don’t think about size because you’re pretty much the same guy as the performer and you give back the same energy that you have.
What is it like to be able to convey some facts about Iranian culture in a way that dispels the stereotypes that Americans are fed or what we see in the news?
Fascinating. I was born in Tucson, Ariz. I am American and also Iranian. I am Iranian American and in this world today, I come from two of the most hated countries in the world – Iran and America – but I am immensely loved as a person. This helps me understand who our government is, and this is true for every country and every person. You represent yourself as a human being, and if you are a loving, kind, accepting person, people will treat you the same way. Politics aside, my brand is the rom-com. I’ve always found this to be something that connects me to many different cultures.
“I’m American, and I’m also Iranian. I’m Iranian American, and in this world today, I come from two of the most hated countries in the world – Iran and America – but I’m extremely loved as a person,” Amini says.
(Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times)
And touring around the world, it was Is there a country or scene that creates barriers about what you can and can’t say on stage?
There are certain restrictions when you go to certain countries. The Middle East and some countries ask you not to talk about some issues. Yes, in my opinion, first of all, if you are going to another country, you should respect the rules and regulations of that country. If you don’t want to be respected, why bother? But if you’re coming, you should consider: Does my style of comedy still resonate within these limitations? In my case, I have a very observational sense of humor, I talk about my family. I’m talking about my life story and my perspective is this; When I stepped on stage, did I make the world a better place through this experience? Did I walk away having made a difference in some people’s world? And I think that’s special. If I can do something positive, I will show up. And if limitation is going to negatively impact me, I think it’s a no-brainer. Just pass.
In addition to tours, you have become one of the most watched comedians in the world when it comes to YouTube and social media. What does that feel like in terms of how you see the conversation developing around your comedy on social media?
This is extraordinary. I was presented with numbers and told that I was the most watched comedian in the world. And frankly I think that should be a motivating factor for everyone, not just comedians or artists. So, anyone who has a company, a product, anyone who does any business can use social media to reach people directly and present their products and see immediate results. In other words, quality speaks for itself today. You don’t need the middle person and if you have something that will make the world a better place then you will definitely see a lot of positive feedback.
“I always like to declare that I am not a politician,” says Amini. “I’m not the most knowledgeable person about the world of politics, I’m not the best fit, and I’m just trying to be on the side of humanity, just the basic, fundamental truths that we all know.”
(Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times)
You also have a huge platform and a way to talk to people about the issues that affect their lives and make them feel better. As your platform continues to grow, do you feel any responsibility to talk about some of the things that might be hard to talk about?
I definitely like to use my platform in the most positive ways possible. But I want to make sure that I don’t get too big and talk about things, and suddenly I think I’m an expert on these things now. Because you can fall into these traps in which you are not an expert, but you still take a very strong stance. I always like to declare that I am not a politician. I’m not very knowledgeable about the world of politics, I’m not the best person, and I’m just trying to be on the side of humanity; just the basic, basic truths that we all know. I stand with those who defend goodness and unity, those who are away from this divisive energy, and I think we need such basic human elements more than ever. We need to respect the people out there who are struggling to be normal people. I definitely try my best to resonate with positive energy. I don’t want to be someone who says something because it’s out of bounds or because they’ve gotten too big because they now have a say on these platforms. As a public figure, you must be responsible. And if you address these issues from a place of responsibility, then it forces you to educate yourself, look at things, and be sensitive about everything you talk about.