Lauren Booth – Ramadan Reset #07 Fame Reset – Omar Regan

			Welcome to Ramadan reset with me Your host Lauren booth. This podcast series is sponsored by what
standard org.uk delivering services to Syrians in need. Brothers and sisters. We're here tonight to
talk a little bit about the fame perspective, trying to root it out and looking at those beautiful
intentions. Rather Oh my travels the world. He is a top comedian. He plays the clubs, he makes
movies, and he works to really inspire Muslims or to smile. And that's that's my overarching memory
of brother Omar is you never leave his company without a smile. And that's a big sooner. So May
Allah Allah bless you.
		

			Cassie welcome. Oh, man, I'm so grateful, ma'am. Lee, I always be fitting of these words that you're
sharing with me? How many years if you've been on the road? 10 years? 10 straight years, every year?
Like, I don't know what's gonna happen with my status at Delta. Now? I don't know. That's the worry.
I'm
		

			worried about itself, not about whether you get a seat priority right now or they've got
		

			this might be this might qualify as a first world problem. I'm feeling first what you know. Yeah, I
think yeah, this like, wow, we need to put that higher up. What is the status of my seating?
		

			I remember meeting Jermaine Jackson, nine years ago. And he was saying, Oh, you know, I've been all
around the world. And I'm like, That's amazing. Where's your favorite place? He said, Oh, the
Hilton. And I said what he said, Look,
		

			I just go from a limousine into a helpman to a big arena I've never seen anywhere. Now that is
really sad. But I understand like, people like Jermaine Jackson, they have a whole different
schedule. And there's so many people come mugging and like everybody wants to meet them. I'm really
grateful for the fan base that I have. And then the way that Allah has blessed me to be among the
people and to love the people. So
		

			I want to meet everyone, but I don't have millions of people at which I can't say that I'm, I'm
looking forward to that. I like just being among people. And we can talk and we can go sightsee
without it being like, Oh my god, it's over Reagan. Like, it'd be like guys, relax. I'm just a
reflection of yourself, you know. So I've been living like that. So I've been seeing everywhere I
go, I need a play day.
		

			I need a play day or two, I need to go to the, to the tourist sites. I also need to visit the
National touristy sites I like because I come from, I know how they say in the UK, the slums of
certain neighborhoods. But I come from the inner city myself, I grew up in the inner city of
Detroit. So I want to go and see I connect with the inner city everywhere I go. And sometimes the
organizers don't want to take me there because they never go there. So sometimes I might have to go
on my own. I'll sneak off and go on my own and just get a feel of the neighborhood. Because coming
out of Detroit I have, I feel like
		

			there's nothing worse than that.
		

			Especially if I go to a place where they don't have guns. I'm so grateful like Australia, like
turkey or like the UK. It's like it's a whole different experience than where I am where I'm born
and raised. I'm just what's your favorite place that your best place you've ever visited? And what's
the place that is impacted you as a Muslim? Well, let me tell you, I've got a couple of them.
		

			This place called Zanzibar, it really blew me away. There's an island in Tanzania, and it's called
Zanzibar and it is a tourist Island but oh my goodness, it really like the culture and the people
and the history behind it. In any I walked through those roads, I loved it. I was like Wow, this is
so gritty and grimy and righteous all at the same time. It just it was so beautiful. I loved it. But
I loved I loved Malaysia because I used to say you would think that Prophet Muhammad came and
visited Malaysia sallallahu Sallam because of the the character of the people in Malaysia they were
they just so warm and so loving. And I was like why is all of these just Muslims just running live
		

			in that thing? I saw the sister on her scooter back you know, hey, got the heat jabs and I was like,
they just they don't have to be that nice of or just their demeanor. It's like relax.
		

			Come on man. And of course they can get you they can get upset you push them, but just generally,
it's not a, it's not a, it's who they really truly are. It's like it's in their culture. And it's
just, I was it just blew me away, I really want you to give us an overview of what it's like to go
on stage before Islam, and then since accepting Islam, was there any change? And what what changes
do you bring in, to sort of to ground yourself because it's not an easy environment. And we're
warned against public, you know, the public applauding us putting ourselves in the in that sphere,
by the prophet peace be upon him because it's a quick path to *, potentially, let's on so many
		

			levels, how to attend the instances when you struggle with that. And what you do.
		

			For me, it was kind of, I had a different experience, because my mother converted to Islam, I was
five years old. So I grew up Muslim. So my experience of jumping on stage was at first, like it,
everything was hot.
		

			But I'm grateful, like what gave me an end was the poet. Like, it was just all of our understanding.
And the poet would take the stage and they would defend. So now, after learning and researching the
history with the story of Prophet Muhammad,
		

			about what do you do with the art and the talent? What is your intentions? This is what helps me and
guide me along, like what do I really want to do? Is it Am I telling myself am i doing it for fame?
Or am I doing it because, you know, it's, it's within me, and it's a gift to me? And now I just need
to how do I use this gift? So I had my challenge as far as being in Hollywood.
		

			On stage like, this is the road to I wanted to get to success is this do i do what they tell me to
do so that I can get to where I want to go? Or do I hold on to my integrity, my morals and my self
discipline that Islam teaches me and then I take this longer road, and I'm grateful that I took the
longer road Allah bless me to take the long road and so now now I love what Allah blessed me to be
able to do because now I'm comfortable with inside of myself.
		

			I love the challenge of making Muslims laugh because I believe that they were indoctrinated with me
like it's haram to laugh. So I love to find the balance and so when you know how they teach us they
scare you like, Oh, you know if you know this hotties if you would deal with Chrome laugh little and
weep more. And I tell him I was like, Yeah, but brother You have not laughed and yours well, and
this is I'm only here for 20 minutes. So I think we're doing a really good balance.
		

			So how many law go within for all of our viewers my whole thing is check your intentions keep your
intentions in check. Even when I go into Hollywood last week I was with I don't know if you guys
know Craig Robinson.
		

			And I was live to her on some really good funny comedians and Hollywood actors and we were at the
world famous Laugh Factory with Jamie Masada is doing good work as far as bringing smiles back to
people. And so I was there. And it just felt good to be in my to connect with fellow artists who
love connecting with people, not for the fame. But just to make people smile because we were doing
stand up comedy and there was no audience. So the intention was to share some smiles to share good
in the pandemic there were in so teaming up with people like that they're all around they may not be
Muslim, but they're all around the world that want to spread good energy positive energy and uplift
		

			other people's spirits and so Alhamdulillah I'm grateful to attract back Mashallah, it is very much
what you give out you get back Don't you find that? Yes.
		

			To the Lord says whatever you put forth, come back to you. So yeah, I love that verse where he says,
I don't wrong man, man wronged sin itself by his own hands. And so it made me really look into Wow,
the things is happening to me. This is because of me and I'm taking accountability for it. So
		

			I want to share a quick comment with you dhania says, Laura and one Ramadan A few years ago I saw
you and your daughter on stage on TV on TV and you were talking about Palestinians but you were not
Muslim and I really
		

			Blake baked Allah for you and your daughter to become a Muslim that Ramadan and I found out that you
became Muslim Allahu Akbar. May Allah bless you for that for that, do I? I you know, listen, I like
what you're saying. And I was
		

			trying to take responsibility for this. Okay? No.
		

			That's
		

			good. Tony is also saying I just want to say I met you Oh my god, the American cheriya film in my
city and loved it. Listen to do I but I was making the movie and then he was able to come because
hey,
		

			you know,
		

			Mila answer all of your prayers. I was just messing with you like having fun. But May Allah answer
all of your prayers, this ROM above and beyond? That's my thing that I've been doing for Toy Story,
this Ramadan and beyond. Tell us more about the temptations, career wise, when when you have a fork
in the road, because there'll be people watching this and they're like, wow, if I got to Hollywood,
I do the lot. What is it? Like because I woke up 42 years old as a Muslim. And the whole last 30
years has Well, you know, most of all, my adult life anyway, had been really big time. Dunya and
really big time, you know, that celebrity world and it's dark.
		

			You know, how did you come from the darkness to the light, and that, again, did come from a little
bit of darkness. But no,
		

			not a lot. It was just that learning, I was fresh and new to the environment because I had been
around Muslims my whole life. So just being in the environment was was was dark, and I had to get
used to that. What seemed normal for others was not normal for me. And so I'm grateful that I didn't
have an issue with, you know, with, you know, getting pulled in. I my challenge was
		

			I mean, I had to say no, and people were offended, because I was like, oh, man, like they asked me
they really loved me. They was like, Oh, my We love you. We love your personality, we got to make
you a star. So we have this role for you. And you're going to be on nice three shows back to back
with this reoccurring character. And I was like, okay, what's the character and he was like, he's,
he's a download brother, which at that turn, that time download brother meant he was gay, but nobody
knew he was he was a homosexual, or no one knew it. And he was just, you know, going through and
then his lines would be, my boyfriend would love to meet you. And so I was like, I don't want to
		

			start. I don't want to do that. And I didn't blame it on being Muslim. I just stuck with it. I don't
want to do that. You know, and then they offered me another role to put on the dress. And I was
like, I don't want to do that. And I had some listeners that was like, what's wrong with the dress?
You wear a phone? Right? If you put the thumb bonus to saying what's what's the difference between a
job and a dress? And I was like, Well, here the print, the print is different. I don't know if you
know that. Usually it has a little floral in there, you know?
		

			So
		

			can I just ask you something? Because who was it was that Dave Chappelle? Who all who said the same?
He's like, the Hollywood sees a black man, and they want to feminize him? And they want to, you
know, make him ridicule himself, you know, is that? Why is that the first thing that seems to be
offered? I honestly believe that that part of it is coming from shaytaan. a whisper of suggestion,
because they all put on dresses, they don't mind. And even I see some Muslims, they were they put on
he jabs and they put on the bias Minh, and so then they, it took them, they're only viewing the
funny, but I believe that the root of it is a whisper. And so it is in the sense of using you as a
		

			control. If I can control you to put your trust in this is what's going to make you successful, then
I can control you to do many other things. And I can take you off of this path that you're on to be
an inspiration and to someone and I believe that, you know, is where the root of the issue comes
from. So it may i don't disagree with Dave were there some execs would be like if we can stick our
forks in them, then we got one and we can we can use him and make him a star. He's gonna be happy.
You know, I'm sure that that may happen in some circles, but generally what I truly believe is that
they're just so free spirit, right? Come on, let's do it, man. Hey, because they live by different
		

			standards. They you know, and so they don't they they're, they're offended that you got offended by
		

			Like, what are you talking about?
		

			Yeah, because it's because it because it's so normal. And those, the thing is that those are, that's
when you're putting your ethics and ethics is not necessarily a popular word. It's, it's not the
humility, these are not popular words. Right.
		

			So, so talk talk to me about about humility. You know, there was a time when I first came to Islam
just 10 years ago, right when you go on stage, I remember when I first started speaking at Muslim
gatherings, okay, so I come, I come from the mainstream. I've been an actor for seven years. And
then I, you know, done a lot of TV shows with my dad.
		

			And then you walk out, and it's like, you can hear the crickets, great, great, great craic.
		

			And I was like, wow, tough crowd, tough crowd. And the entertainers voice is gonna hold Tough crowd
gonna warm up, and
		

			nobody clapped. And then you walk off the silence, you're like, I have no idea what just happened.
		

			Right.
		

			And it's, it's tough. But after a while, I got to love that. I got to really appreciate the silence.
I don't think that works in comedy. No, not really, you know, I did that. And it's like pulling
teeth. And I was like, working extra hard. And that's the reason why when I was at the Laugh Factory
we did the show was no crowd. I was like, Oh, I'm used to this.
		

			To the beginning, right. And they come to Apple, oh, my God, they watched the show, like they're
watching television, because comedy is new in the Muslim market. But it's surprisingly, I'm
literally going on my third passport, and my within my fan base of traveling, doing comedy, with
Muslims for Muslims. So it's, it's been really interesting, but I agree with you 1,000%. A lot of
them don't know what to do with this feeling that they have of law, but and then judgment, they feel
from others, like, Oh, you know, so I love the comedy in the sense that I believe we're getting
people back to being their authentic self, and not just a representative in public. So it's like be
		

			who you really truly are, when you're not just in a circle of your friends, or more comfortable,
just be you. And of course, we do have a different standard. When we go out and about, we're not
just as relaxed as I am on my communication. But
		

			we there is some authenticity inside of you that you do not allow people to get to know. And so I'm
grateful for that with comedy and doing these crowds and been in it, like what you said 10 years.
And it also helped me know, because making films, as she was doing shows, telling those stories, and
allowing people to speak. So when we when we did the story, and we screened the movie, and we did
the movie tour. People were amazed, like, oh, but I had the question. How would you make a movie and
keep it Hello. Everyone knows that all of the good movies.
		

			So I was like, Hey, man, don't be telling your business. Right?
		

			very telling, very telling.
		

			To know that when you say things, your people we see you and you see us. So it was a revealing
thing, you know, and
		

			I guess that somebody who is struggling with their face and is being pulled towards the harroun kind
of wants you oh my Reagan to go with them to sanctify that. And that's kind of a dangerous place to
be as well.
		

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support the continued running of these services right now by going to what tan.org.uk May Allah
bless you.
		

			It is dangerous because misery loves company, you know and so then nobody but then also on the other
side, nobody wants to be alone by themselves. So you know, it is that pool like Come with me Come
with me. But then on the other side, we I stopped that though. Let me just be honest, because I
think Muslims was also indoctrinated with that idea.
		

			We got to make them Muslim. We got to give them Shahada, we got to come with me Come with me, we had
that too. I stopped doing that because even when we read what earnest says that it's a law that
makes Muslims we don't make Muslims Our job is to be the example. So with your from living, right,
and if I'm holding myself to the things that Allah told me to do, at the standards that Allah told
me to do, then people would be like, Hey, man, you look good. What do you do? Oh, I pray five times
a day, oh, I get up or I think God, I think five times a day, I'm getting some charity, I'm looking
to see how I could uplift someone spirit. And I want to do that. Okay, as opposed to, I need to use
		

			such a good person, I need to give you Shahada. Like, I think I stopped doing that thing. But
		

			I'm wasting means I can't I come at that from from a slightly different position, which is that
		

			I was waiting for Muslims around me to speak to me about Islam. And everybody was so super polite
and sensitive about me, the white woman from a Christian background, that they didn't tell me now
what obviously heat is from Allah to Allah. And it came at the right time in the right way in the
right places he'd written. But I don't want to be the person who sat back when somebody's in
spiritual pain, and not said, hey, I've got this amazing thing to share. I mean, we're, you know,
we're so willing to like, you know what, there's an amazing boxset on next flip flicks, you've got
to watch this. But you know what, I just prayed, and it washed all my sins away. I'm feeling amazing
		

			right now. If you love people, then then I like to be an access point to that. But but but I think I
like that though. That method is bringing it on yourself and allowing them to be interested to walk
in you say, when you say things like, I just prayed, and I feel good. What are you doing? You
prayed? What did you pray for? So I love the I love your method. I agree with this method. 1,000%
because now if you open up what you're doing, and I hope everybody else can learn to do this, too.
You open up doors and you're welcoming people to come in. As opposed to I need to come here, come
here, come here. You need to do this and you need to do that. And it just gives the people who you
		

			think you are as a fellow human being. But when you're sharing what prayer made you feel like what
fasting made you feel like what really made you feel like and you're holding it in with inside of
yourself and it brightens your day. This is the life
		

			may
		

			I be speaking spiritually this month with Omar Akin, but of course it's Ramadan. We are we are By
the way, we just spent most of our time when we've met before doing different voices most I have now
been doing my husband, for obvious reasons has banned me from doing half of the voices I used to do
probably rightly would you don't mind? He's
		

			he didn't know he was like I never seen a report that could scare a man.
		

			How do you know how to sound like that? Maybe like
		

			So hey, let's keep the work going. I hope you guys have a beautiful Ramadan. Thank you all for
having me. At Omar Regan is my social media handles all the Facebook Omar Regan fan page.
		

			Come say hey, you know make your comments as I saw you on the Lord booth show and reset for Ramadan
or Ramadan reset, Ramadan reset, and hamdulillah sukhram Thank you for having me. And I pray you all
continue to elevate and do good and get closer to the creative shukra Oh, Regan's.
		

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