Jordanian comedian Tima Shomali, aka the 'Tina Fey of the Arab world,' is someone you should definitely be following.
She's a bundle of energy - taking on various roles in acting, comedy, production and writing.
Being one of the most popular comedians in the Arab world, especially among Jordanian women, Shomali combats common social issues Arab women deal with on a day-to-day basis ... with humor.
Shomali has definitely developed her own voice in the fight.
During Step Conference 2017, one of the region's largest digital interactive gatherings in Dubai, we got the chance to speak with Shomali about her journey to becoming one of Jordan's most notable comedians.
But first, why is she called the 'Tina Fey of the Arab World'?
The nickname actually came about after Shomali took the stage at the "Women in the World Summit" when she was interviewed by Iraqi-American author and activist Zainab Salbi.
"The woman who interviewed me actually called me the 'Tina Fey of the Arab world'. And then it just picked up," Shomali told StepFeed.
But there's more to the story.
"I love Tina Fey, she is my idol. When I first started (I had a masters degree in cinematic art) -- I was a producer and a writer.
I then took on comedy and became famous, by coincidence.
So with all this attention, I wanted to do a million things at once (I also have a production company).
I wanted to direct, write and act. Everyone was telling me all the time, you have to focus on one thing. You can't do it all. And I was like ... but Tina Fey did it. She did. And she's my idol - I love her work, she's a writer, an author, the producer of comedy shows that I like, and she's an actress and a comedian at the same time. She succeeded. So that was it."
Why do you think your web-series "Fe-Male" became such a hit show among Arab women?
Success did not happen overnight.
"To be honest, the writing of the show came following a lot of research. I've never been married and I did not experience that lifestyle.
But I did a lot of research with couples, interviewing many girls and women around me ... and I'm a very good observer so that helps... that's how we started writing the show," she said.
Shomali launched the web series "FeMale" on YouTube in 2012, a romantic comedy series that tells the story of one couple's journey from dating to marriage, as told from a woman's point of view.
The show ultimately attracted over 24 million viewers on the platform in a matter of days. In most of her episodes, Shomali approaches taboo topics like sex, dating and sexual harassment, in a way that is often overlooked in the media.
Using sarcasm, Shomali addresses these social issues, and it seems that Arab women fell in love with the show. Shomali believes it is the "relatability" factor that really made the show a hit among women in the region.
"I think it's very close to people ... it's close to people to the extent that they think it's a reality show. They think I'm married to this actor and have a kid," Shomali said.
Why do you choose humor to get the conversation on "taboo" subjects going?
"With humor, it's not easy - it requires a lot of work. But when it's done the right way, it sends the message across in ways you didn't know were possible.
Your audience is smart, and you can't be preaching certain things to them telling them this is not good, this is bad.
You need to be very clever in your humor to achieve that kind of success."
The journey to success has not been easy, Shomali continued, especially because when she first started out people were not used to humor and taboo combined in one package.
"When you start something and people aren’t used to it, the first thing they’ll do is attack you," Shomali once said in an interview with Women in the World.
Humor does make it easier to send various messages across, she told StepFeed, but it needs to be done in a "clever" way.
In some of your videos, you discuss sexual harassment and the struggles Arab women often face. How do you fight it and how do you recommend others fight it?
Shomali's second video ever was about harassment - verbal harassment to be specific.
The episode shows a teacher who is filmed trying to teach a couple of guys how to "woo girls on the streets."
"The scene also talked about the expectations these guys have when they approach these girls in that way.
Then it was followed by a scene that starts with a question: what if this girl is a martial arts champion?"
The episode was a hit, garnering over 1 million views on YouTube.
"I always encourage women to stand up for themselves. We're always told that if faced with harassment, we should walk away.
No - don't walk away. Be clever about it. Make a scene, especially if there is people around. Make him regret the day."
Tima Shomali's message to Arab women: "Stand up for yourselves. Always."
This profile is part of StepFeed's Personality of the Week series, featuring Arabs you should know. Read last week's here.