Ibrahim Kassas went from being a taxi driver who could make his customers laugh to a brief stint as a Member of Parliament.  Disillusioned by government, Kassas says the world of politics is like a comedy school and politicians are the greatest actors. Having learned from the best, he is now trying his hand at acting.

Ibrahim Kassas, when you first started working in politics, your presence in the parliament was remarkable due to your traditional clothes and humorous comments. Were you trying to attract attention?

Ibrahim Kassas went from being a taxi driver who could make his customers laugh to a brief stint as a Member of Parliament.  Disillusioned by government, Kassas says the world of politics is like a comedy school and politicians are the greatest actors. Having learned from the best, he is now trying his hand at acting.

Ibrahim Kassas, when you first started working in politics, your presence in the parliament was remarkable due to your traditional clothes and humorous comments. Were you trying to attract attention?

Not at all. The point is that people are accustomed to a certain stereotypes of elite politicians, which made me look like a weird phenomenon in the NCA and the other parties I joined.

You have made contentious comments about the NCA’s head as well as your colleagues. You have sometimes shouted, screamed, cried or even attempted to hit those who have opinions different from your own.

All my behaviors were spontaneous and revealed my feelings. I was the most honest NCA member who conveyed the people’s concerns, since I belong to the vulnerable and marginalized classes. I was a taxi driver and I spent years listening to people’s problems. As an NCA member, I tried to be the voice of the poor and the unprivileged who believe the promises of politicians who exploit their votes and need to achieve their goals. I tried to reveal their falsehood by provoking them.

Then you believe that all politicians are mere actors?

They are excellent actors and politics is the first lesson in comedy. Politicians change their attitudes according to their interests rather than their beliefs and partisan affiliations. Through my experience in politics, I discovered that ‘democracy’ and ’freedom of expression’ are loose terms and lies used by politicians to serve their interests.

Do you regret your political experience and prefer to become an actor?

I deeply regret it. I regret the moment I sat foot in the parliament, since this experience cost me my sole source of livelihood namely my taxi and sheep which I sold to finance my election campaign. Today, I am unemployed and can barely get by.

Although you gained a lot from being a politician and at least you became famous, you always complain that politics impoverished you and made you lose your source of livelihood.

Yes, I am poor and the only things I got from politics are anxiety and being introduced to opportunists. I was barely getting by.  As for becoming famous, it was due to my unique character and honest feelings, something which other politicians lacked.

But the fame you gained made drama production and media companies choose you to star in many drama series which will bring lots of money.

I am just a citizen who has the right to lead an ordinary life. Do people want me to be imprisoned in my political experience? I think that the media and drama production realized, what politicians failed to do, that I am very close to the people and that I honestly love them.

Maybe they discovered that you are a good actor.

(Angrily) I am not an actor. Being emotional and honest made me close to people. You, journalists, are good at misinterpreting people. You do not convey the truth. You are good at making unreal political stars. You look for trivial things and evaluate people by their looks. The political landscape is full of dishonest actors and the parliament is the biggest acting school. Go and look for those who deceive people and sell them false dreams masked as democracy and leave me alone. (He gets up and is about to leave the interview).

The American President Ronald Reagan was an actor before taking up politics. So I am not an exception.  

Do you aspire to be the president of Tunisia?

I said from the very beginning I quit politics and I am not planning on returning to it, regardless of the temptations. I do not want to be a president or a minister. I just want to remain one of those poor people. Do I make myself clear?

You are very hostile to journalists. Do not you think that this attitude would affect your new career as an actor?

I am not hostile, but I get angry quickly and journalists usually change my statements whether intentionally or unintentionally. Many of them try to make fun of me and I object to such an attitude.

What, do you think, will be the audience’s response to your coming drama series especially since it is the first time a politician turns into an actor?

I cannot predict the audience’s reaction, but I believe that they will love my coming drama series. I hope that the media is kind enough and that it does not do me an injustice as politics did. Excuse me, I need to go now. I have a lot of work to do to provide for my family as even drama does not make people rich in this country.

Before you go, would you go back to working as a taxi driver or grazing sheep?

Everything is possible.