Some of the greatest comedians in history have worked in political propaganda. They’re hilarious! Even their names are funny: Tokyo Rose. Pyongyang Sally. Hanoi Hannah. Seoul City Sue. Axis Sally. Lord Haw-Haw?!
I mean, c’mon: Lord Haw-Haw is a WAY funnier stage name than, say, Larry the Cable Guy or Cedric the Entertainer.
But with all due respect to the aforementioned propagandists and/or comedians, for my money, the all-time champion of bat[poop]-crazy claims, bizarre lies, and outlandish falsehoods was our old buddy, Baghdad Bob.
Remember that gem? Kinda like Dane Cook, in that he was HUGE in comedy about 20 years ago and then sort of fell off the map. But man, in his heyday, the kid could lie with the best of them.
He was truly something special.
Also known as Muhammad Saeed al-Sahhaf, the ex-Iraqi Minister of Information’s daily press briefings during the 2003 Iraq War were pure comedy gold. No offense to NBC’s Thursday night lineup, but THIS was must-see TV!
My man was next-level. Among his greatest hits:
We made them drink poison last night and Saddam Hussein's soldiers and his great forces gave the Americans a lesson which will not be forgotten by history. Truly.
It has been rumored that we have fired Scud missiles into Kuwait. I am here now to tell you, we do not have any scud missiles and I don't know why they were fired into Kuwait.
There are no American infidels in Baghdad. Never!
They're not even [within] 100 miles [of Baghdad]. They are not in any place. They hold no place in Iraq. This is an illusion ... they are trying to sell to the others an illusion.
We have them surrounded in their tanks.
They fled. The American louts fled. Indeed, concerning the fighting waged by the heroes of the Arab Socialist Baath Party yesterday, one amazing thing really is the cowardice of the American soldiers.
We defeated them yesterday. God willing, I will provide you with more information. I swear by God, I swear by God, those who are staying in Washington and London have thrown these mercenaries in a crematorium.
They tried to bring a small number of tanks and personnel carriers in through al-Durah but they were surrounded and most of their infidels had their throats cut.
Their forces committed suicide by the hundreds. ... The battle is very fierce and God made us victorious. The fighting continues.
The News Museum in Europe described his material like this:
“The Americans are going to surrender or be burned in their tanks. They will surrender, it is them who will surrender.”
On the 8th of April, 2003, Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf resolutely faced the reporters. On the roof of Palestine Hotel, in Baghdad, Saddam’s information minister denied the undeniable. Behind him, smoke filled the sky and sirens could be heard in the background. US soldiers were invading the city. But Sahhaf was determined: "There are no American troops in Baghdad!”. It would be his last public address as Saddam Hussein’s information minister. The next day, Baghdad would fall.
That’s killer material! In his prime, al-Sahhaf was right up there with George Carlin, Sam Kinison, and Richard Pryor.
Believe it or not, al-Sahhaf is still alive. He’ll turn 85 next month (happy birthday, Bob!), and the ex-resident of Baghdad has apparently relocated to the United Arab Emirates.
(I can’t find a listing price for how much he’s currently charging for weddings, Bar Mitzvahs, and Quinceañeras, but whatever it is, it’s totally worth it, folks.)
For over 20 years, Baghdad Bob was the reigning, undisputed king of kooky comedy and pratfall propaganda. Nobody was close! But over the past few days, a brand-new challenger has emerged. I present to you Iranian spokesman Iman Tajik:
This is Iman Tajik who became the spokesperson of Operation True Promise 3.
— Major Anthony Jones (@majorbrainpain) June 18, 2025
He claimed that Iran has air superiority over Israel & that the residents of the Jewish state are defenseless against Iran's missiles.
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Can he live up to the likes of Abu Obeida, Yahya Saree & others? pic.twitter.com/iGhxPbogsX
As for what he was saying, here’s a translation:
According to Iranian state media, Colonel Iman Tajik, spokesperson for Operation Promise of Truth 3, declared that Iran has achieved “complete control over the skies of the occupied territories,” referring to Israel, following the latest wave of missile attacks.
Speaking on Iranian television, Tajik said: “The heroic nation of Iran marks the 11th wave of the proud Operation Promise of Truth 3 using first-generation Fatah missiles, signaling the beginning of the end for the so-called legendary defense of the Zionist army and the chaos and disintegration of the Zionist regime. We salute the loyal warriors of the IRGC on this historic day.”
He claimed that the Fatah missiles, described as both powerful and maneuverable, successfully penetrated Israel’s missile defense systems, repeatedly striking targets and delivering what he called “a message of Iranian strength” to Tel Aviv and its Western allies.
“The Zionist cowards’ shelters shook again and again, and tonight’s attack proves that Israel’s residents are now fully exposed to Iran’s missile capabilities,” Tajik added.
BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!! We have a new comedy contender, boys and girls! That’s great stuff!
Recommended: The PR Fallout of Ted Cruz Versus Tucker Carlson: Yes, It’s Just as Bad as You Heard
In case you missed it, two days ago, Israel announced it had achieved air superiority not just over the outreaches of Iran, but over their capital city, Tehran.
President Trump agreed with the Israeli assessment:
So naturally, the Iranians had to whip out the jokebook and #MeToo an air-superiority claim of their own. Well done, boys!
It was the geopolitical equivalent of: “My girlfriend is super-hot (and a model!), but she lives in Canada; that’s why you never see her. C’mon guys, I’m totally telling the truth!”
But what to call this new comedy contender? “Iman Tajik” doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue. (Although “Iran” and “Iman” kinda-sorta rhyme?) If we go the alliteration route, there’s always Tehran Tim, Ted, Terry, or Tom.
Hmm…
Too bad Tajik doesn’t play the guitar, too: “The Ayatollah of Rock and Rollah” would be a dandy of a stage name. (By the way, shout out to Stephen Lynch — if you’re unfamiliar with his comedy/music, give it a whirl. Way better than Weird Al.)
What else? “The Khomeini of Comedy”? “The Jester of Jihad”? “The Man Who Puts the Ha-Ha in Fatwah”?
Yeah. This might take a while.
