Tommy Tiernan Show viewers praise 'wonderful' interview with 'amazing' activist Dr Manizha Khan
Viewers tuning in to Saturday night's show were blown away by the chat between Tommy Tiernan and dentist and activist Dr Manizha Khan
RTÉ viewers have heaped praise on the 'wonderful' and 'insightful' Tommy Tiernan Show interview with dentist and activist Dr. Manizha Khan on Saturday night.
Dr Khan was formerly a senior dentist in Afghanistan and served as the Dean of Dental School in Herat University.
However, as soon as the Taliban regained power in 2021, Dr Khan's world, along with the lives of so many others in her home country, changed for the worst.
After receiving threats from the Taliban due to her career, Dr Khan and her family were forced to seek refugee status and they secured visas to come to Ireland in December 2021.
Since then Dr Khan, who now lives and works in Cork, has been a strong activist for women’s rights of education and equal opportunities for work inside and outside Afghanistan and she has become a voice for refugees and asylum seekers seeking a new life in Ireland.
She was among the guests on Saturday's episode of The Tommy Tiernan Show where she opened up about life in Afghanistan and how she was forced to flee the country after receiving threats from the Taliban for choosing to continue to work as a dentist.
She also detailed what life was life for a woman under Taliban rule and the issues facing her homeland, as well as her experience as a refugee.
During the powerful interview, Dr Khan revealed that she had been a huge fan of Tommy's while she was living in Afghanistan and that his "comedy was something that kept us going" when the Taliban regained power in 2021.
"I'm just going to tell you, I'm a big fan of yours," she told the Navan comedian. "I knew you before coming to Ireland so today is another big privilege and I would be very proud of this moment, that I am sitting here talking to you face to face.
"You are the only celebrity in the whole face of the earth that I always wanted to meet. I'm never the type of person who wanted the meet stars, you know?
"I really love listening to comedy and somehow I love the comedy that you would make. But at that time, I didn't know that one day I'll come to Ireland and during the times we were stuck in that small, dingy apartment in Kabul, your comedy was something that kept us going. We would keep listening to your shows from YouTube.
"I even went back from the time when you were young and I've listened to so many of your jokes so many times and I've seen you grow through your shows and with age and everything, and that is so amazing."
VIewers were blown away by the fascinating interview, with fans taking to social media to heap praise on the chat between Tommy and Dr Khan.
"A privilege to hear Dr Khan talk about her fascinating life, and living as a refugee. Wonderful interview and insights," one person said.
"Amazes me how @Tommedian can get such utterly insightful interviews from random everyday people as well as the more well known stars - treating them all equally, with the same level of respect regardless of their stature in society. Adore this show - bravo Tommy," another added.
"What a fascinating interview with Dr Khan," a third said, while another viewer added: "Dr Khan, what an amazing woman, giving a great insight to how women are treated in Afghanistan."
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