Max Amini

{{Infobox comedian

| name = Max Amini

| caption = Amini in June 2021

| pseudonym =

| birth_name = Max Amini

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1981|09|20|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Tucson, Arizona, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| medium = Stand-up, television, film

| active = 2002–present

| genre = Observational comedy, Satire, Physical Comedy

| subject = Relationships, Family

| influences =

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| education = UCLA

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| website = {{URL|http://www.maxamini.com| Max Amini}}

| footnotes =

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|image=Max Amini Wiki portrait.jpg}}

Max Amini (born September 20, 1981) is an Iranian-American comedian, actor, producer and director.{{cite web |url=http://www.laughfactory.com/comedians/70/Max%20Amini |title=Laugh Factory Profile |accessdate=2009-04-22 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130128171302/http://www.laughfactory.com/comedians/70/Max%20Amini |archive-date=2013-01-28 |url-status=dead }} Max is known primarily as a world touring stand-up comedian, and has appeared on shows such as NBC's Heroes, Netflix's Real Rob with Rob Schneider, and Comedy Central's Mind of Mencia. Los Angeles Times comedy critic Ford Hopkins described Amini as a “JV Andrew Schultz” and named him to the list of “Best Comedy on a Budget” in 2024. On an episode of Spike's Car Radio Podcast, Jerry Seinfeld named Max Amini one of the top comedians to watch.{{Cite web|title=Spike's Car Radio: Jerry Seinfeld on Apple Podcasts|url=https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jerry-seinfeld/id1247694648?i=1000494688622|access-date=2022-01-20|website=Apple Podcasts|language=en-US}} Max established his production company, Abstraction Media in 2010, and has sold projects to networks such as Voice Of America, Discovery, and more.{{Cite web|title=Abstraction Media|url=https://www.abstractionmedia.com/|access-date=2022-01-20|website=Abstraction Media|language=en-US}} Other projects include directing a Netflix original stand-up special, Enissa Amani: Ehrenwort, and the feature film, James The Second, set to release in 2022.

Early life and education

Max Amini was born in Tucson, Arizona, to Iranian parents who immigrated after the 1979 revolution. He went to high school in Washington, D.C., and then moved to California and graduated from the School of Theater, Film and Television at UCLA in 2004. Amini's father was an ethnic Persian from Isfahan and his mother is an Iranian Azerbaijani from Tabriz.{{Citation|last=Max Amini|title=Iranian Comedian Max Amini in FARSI – UCLA (Part 2)|date=2011-09-03|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHMuEGA8R_8 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211220/OHMuEGA8R_8 |archive-date=2021-12-20 |url-status=live|accessdate=2016-03-31}}{{cbignore}}

Stand-up comedy

Amini began his stand-up comedy career in 2002 at the LA Improv, where he developed a stand-up comedy tour named "Exotic Imports", and has since performed worldwide.{{Cite web|title=The Max Amini Channel {{!}} Laugh Factory Comedy Network|url=http://www.laughfactory.com/maxamini|access-date=2022-01-20|website=www.laughfactory.com}} Amini has multiple hour-long comedy specials and continues to tour, performing regularly at the Hollywood Laugh Factory.{{Cite web|title=Hollywood's Best Stand Up Comedy Club {{!}} Laugh Factory|url=http://www.laughfactory.com/clubs/hollywood|access-date=2022-01-20|website=www.laughfactory.com}} He currently performs in his own shows worldwide, with tours spanning Europe, the Middle East and Asia.{{Cite web |date=2024-04-04 |title=Max Amini |url=https://fox40.com/studio-40/max-amini/ |access-date=2025-02-14 |website=FOX40 News |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2024-10-15 |title=Comedian Max Amini adds second show to Nov. 17 stop at Davidson Theatre |url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/comedian-max-aminis-world-tour-100055844.html |access-date=2025-02-14 |website=Yahoo Entertainment |language=en-US}}

In 2015, he released 2-hour stand-up comedy special on DVD called "Max Amini: Authentically Absurd," directed by Rob Schneider.{{Cite web |last=Yamato |first=Jen |date=2014-07-18 |title=Rob Schneider To Direct Comedy Special ‘Max Amini: Authentically Absurd’ |url=https://deadline.com/2014/07/rob-schneider-max-amini-authentically-absurd-comedy-special-805964/ |access-date=2025-04-07 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHOoTHbBoDk |title=Max Amini talks "Authentically Absurd" on FOX TV's "Studio 11" LA 7.22.14 |date=2014-07-23 |last= |access-date=2025-04-07 |via=Fox 11}}

Acting

Amini is an actor with film and TV credits including NBC's Heroes, Netflix's Real Rob with Rob Schneider,{{Cite web |date=2015-09-29 |title=Rob Schneider’s Comedy Series ‘Real Rob’ Coming to Netflix (Exclusive) |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/rob-schneider-netflix-tv-series-real-rob-827928/ |access-date=2025-04-07 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}} Comedy Central's Mind of Mencia, and his leading role in the movie Beer Pong Saved My Life, released in 2010.