• Courtesy photo

Sammy Obeid
American-born Lebanese-Palestinian comedian Sammy Obeid came out of college as a Business and Mathematics major. Nevertheless, a finance career apparently wasn't in the cards once he turned down a gig at Google to pursue his possibilities as a comedian. Fortunately, despite some early setbacks, he eventually scored success.

Aside from hosting the unusual Netflix comedy/reality series 100 Humans and appearing on such shows as Last Comic Standing, America's Got Talent and Conan, he became known as a marathon man of sorts when he set a world record streak of performing live comedy lasting 1,001 nights in a row, garnering coverage in Time, L.A. Weekly and The New York Times in the process. The "1,001 Arabian Nights of Comedy" ran from Dec. 26, 2010 to Sept. 21, 2013, breaking the previous record on Day 731. He then set other records by becoming the first comedian to perform on the Food Network's Throwdown! with Bobby Flay, and becoming the youngest member of both the "CoExist Comedy" and "Axis of Evil: New Generation" comedy companies. His kudos were further compounded when his debut album, Get Funny or Die Trying, was named "Best Comedy Album of 2013" courtesy of iTunes. And as founder of his own KO Comedy enterprise, he obviously knows whereof he speaks when offering unsolicited advice. No doubt he'll share some of that funny philosophy at this upcoming gig.

Sammy Obeid performs a 21+ show at Wiseguys Gateway (190 S. 400 West) on May 13 at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $40; visit wiseguyscomedy.com to purchase tickets and for additional event information. (Lee Zimmerman)

• Macmillan Publishing

Dan McClellan: The Bible Says So
We all know that we live in polarizing times, and one of the significant factors in that polarization comes from folks who are certain about what their religion's scripture tells them. But what do those same people really know about the Bible's instruction on some of the most controversial issues of our time? Do those who base all of their behavior—including their voting—on the unerring Word of God, and try to end a debate on that basis, truly understand what those words are?

Utah resident Dan McClellan—a Biblical scholar who has taken his expertise to social media, and the popular Data Over Dogma podcast—wants to dig deeply into those topics with his new book The Bible Says So: What We Get Right (and Wrong) About Scripture's Most Controversial Issues. With the same layperson-friendly sensibility he brings to his online presence, McClellan addresses how to interpret the actual scriptural position (or maybe even the complete absence thereof) on topics ranging from abortion to homosexuality, from the role of women to justifications for slavery. Is there actually a Biblical warning about an antichrist and the satanic number "666?" Does God tell you hitting your kids is just fine? The answers might be more complicated than you—or any self-proclaimed Christian—realizes.

Dan McClellan visits First Baptist Church (777 S. 1300 East) to discuss The Bible Says So in an event sponsored by The King's English Bookshop on Wednesday, May 14 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $35, and include a hardcover copy of the book. Register via Eventbrite at kingsenglish.com. (Scott Renshaw)

• Courtesy photo

Ballet West: Works from Within
For many years, the spring slot on the Ballet West season calendar has been occupied by the annual Ballet West Choreographic Festival, offering a chance for patrons to experience new work by choreographers from around the country and around the world. In 2025, however, the company is taking the opportunity to focus on innovation born a bit closer to home, as the company's own dancers offer up world-premiere work of their own creation in the Works from Within program.

While the specific dancers and works selected were not available at press time, Ballet West artistic director Adam Sklute offers some encouragement to potential attendees about what they're likely to experience. "Our Works from Within program is an opportunity for our company dancers to create choreography on company dancers," Sklute says in an interview. "The whole process is fascinating. They start by workshopping it on our second company; I select anywhere from three to five ballets, and those ballets will be part of the actual Works from Within program. Our company dancers are incredible creative minds. And each one of them, in the past, has come up with fascinating and unusual takes on classical ballet choreography."

Ballet West's Works from Within runs at the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center (138 W. 300 South) for five performances, Wednesday, May 14 – Saturday, May 17 at 7:30 p.m., and a 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday, May 17. Tickets are $50; visit balletwest.org or saltlakecountyarts.org to purchase tickets and for additional event information. (SR)