[Kaye:] All right. This is no joke. The FBI says it is now investigating a threat against comedian David Letterman. Where is it coming from? A jihadist Web site. That's right. It turns out letterman made a joke back in June about an al Qaeda leader that didn't exactly go over well in the extremist community. Here's what he said.
[David Letterman, Host, Cbs's "late Show With David Letterman":] They picked a successor to Osama bin Laden, and his name was Ilyas Kashmiri. Well, guess what? He was blown up by an American drone. Yes.
[Letterman:] It wasn't going to work anyway. They got off to a rocky start with this guy. He botched up the story of Paul Revere, and then and that ain't going to work.
[Kaye:] Now, that Paul Revere part was referring to a history blunder Sarah Palin recently made. But what angered this jihadist group was what they called Letterman's mockery of Kashmiri. According to the SITE Intelligence Group that monitors terror activity, following Letterman's joke the Web site Shamuk al-Islam called on Muslims in American to cut off Letterman's tongue to "shut it forever." Letterman's publicist has declined to comment, but an FBI spokesman tells us, "In the post-911 world, we take all of these threats seriously." Joining me now is comedian Dean. He's currently heading up the comedy tour "The Muslims are Coming." Dean, what do you make of this?
[Dean Obeidallah, Comedian:] Well, it's ridiculous. I mean, it absolutely has nothing to do with Islam, this guy's threats. He's a radical, he's a terrorist, and he's certainly denounced by us and anybody else who is mainstream Islam. My question, though, is, the joke was told June 8th. The guy got offended August 17th. What happened in between? Was he watching "Glee" or "Jersey Shore" and finally got to his backed-up monologues on the DVR? I mean, it's laughable, this threat, but it's something we deal with. And unfortunately, it kind of tarnishes the image of the average American Muslim or Muslim around the world that, somehow, we agree with this on any level. We don't. Absolutely, it's despicable. We denounce it. It has nothing to do with Islam whatsoever.
[Kaye:] It's laughable, but it's certainly serious in this post- 911 world, as the FBI says. So how far can you go? I mean, when you want to make a joke, you want to be funny, but how do you know when you're going too far?
[Obeidallah:] Well, look at Trey Parker and Matt Stone, in 2009 received threats from some radicals because of their depiction, sort of depiction of the prophet Muhammad on "South Park." Since then, they've had a hit Broadway musical and won nine Tony Awards. I mean, that's the kind of success I want. I want someone to threaten me so I can be trending on Twitter. But in all seriousness, I perform around the Middle East. I perform with Christian, Jewish and Muslim comics. We've joked about almost everything. I've made fun of al Qaeda in the Middle East. I've never been threatened whatsoever. One person in Pakistan writing something on a Web site to me is not a credible threat, especially when the organization that's uncovered this threat is a for-profit group that wants you have to pay to read their article on their Web site. You know, they are making money from the war on terror.
[Kaye:] Right.
[Obeidallah:] To me, the source has so little credibility. I'm not saying to just fluff it off, but I want to make it clear, it's nothing to do with Islam. It's despicable act. It has nothing to do with the religion. It has to do with a crazy guy in Pakistan who wants to get a little press.
[Kaye:] Well, you said you've fun of al Qaeda, you've made fun of terrorists. Why do you think in this particular case, whoever is behind this, latched on to this particular joke by David Letterman?
[Obeidallah:] It makes no sense. They even describe him as being Jewish, this person. Dave Letterman is not. He's Presbyterian. That's what I'm saying. It's just a radical personal who it's actually elevated to the media stature that it did because of this for-profit organization that wants to fight jihad by selling you services. And that's something we get to know about it. If that group was so concerned about David Letterman, why go public? Why do a press release? Why not contact FBI, NYPD and Letterman's people? So there remains the question of the credibility of this source, and then the media taking it and running with it. And sadly enough, it ends up smearing Muslims again, because people go, look what they're about. We're not about this. This has nothing to do with us. And I can tell you, I perform in the Middle East for Muslim audiences, Christians, Jews, sitting together and laughing on stage. This has not been an issue with us at all.
[Kaye:] Just very quickly, yes or no if this was you, if this happened to you and the threat was directed at you, would you continue with these jokes or would you stop?
[Obeidallah:] I'd continue with the jokes, of course. I am not afraid of radicals of any faith whatsoever. We go out there you know, I'm going to live my life. I'm sure David Letterman is going to live his life. And I hope with the success of Trey Parker and Matt Stone and what they did with "The Book of Mormon" on Broadway. So threaten me. I'm ready for it. I have no problem. I'll make jokes about it.
[Kaye:] Well, I hope nobody threatens you.
[Obeidallah:] Me, too, Randi. But seriously, I prefer to tell jokes than be threatened. But I'm not really worried.
[Kaye:] Yes. I appreciate your jokes as well. All right, Dean. Great to see you. Thank you very much.
[Obeidallah:] Nice seeing you again. Bye.
[Kaye:] The damning allegations of Hurricanes' players getting gifts of cash, cars, prostitutes has put the University of Miami at the center of what could be the biggest scandal in college sports history. We are live in Miami with the very latest. Stay with us.