Ramy Youssef Teaches Elmo Arabic Words on Sesame Street

Ramy Youssef, the talented Egyptian-American comedian and actor, recently appeared on Sesame Street to teach Elmo some Arabic words, and it’s going viral!

The 41-second segment celebrates Arab American Heritage Month and features Youssef teaching Elmo phrases like “Salam alaykum” (hello/peace) and “habibi” (my love/special friend).

In the video, Youssef explains that “salam means peace” and is a way to say hello in Arabic. Elmo repeats the phrase, saying “Oh, salam alaykum everybody. Happy Arab American Heritage Month.”

Youssef also shares that he’s proud of his Arab heritage and is happy to share this moment with Elmo and his fellow Arabs.

The segment has garnered widespread praise on social media, with fans praising Youssef’s warm personality and Sesame Street’s efforts to promote cultural diversity. Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit behind the show, framed the clip perfectly, saying “The word of the day is HABIBI! Happy #ArabAmericanHeritageMonth from Ramy Youssef, Elmo, and all of your friends on Sesame Street!”

This isn’t Youssef’s first time breaking barriers – he’s known for his critically acclaimed show “Ramy” and co-creating “Mo” on Netflix. His latest project, “#1 Happy Family USA,” premiered on Prime Video in April 2025.