Mike Batayeh(1970-2023)

Mike Batayeh is a native of Detroit, though he later moved to Los Angeles. As an actor he guest-starred and recurred on several television shows including notable appearances on Everybody Loves Raymond, The Shield, Sleeper Cell, Touch and Breaking Bad. He co-starred in films including American Dreams, Gas, American East, You Don't Mess With The Zohan, and his leading role in Detroit Unleaded. As a comic, Mike performed and headlined all over the USA at reputable comedy clubs such as Gotham in NYC, Los Angeles clubs such as Laugh Factory (regular), Comedy Store, Improv and Icehouse. He was part of the first wave of western comics to perform for local audiences in the Middle East in such places as Dubai, where he filmed a comedy special for Showtime Arabia, Egypt, Lebanon, and Jordan, where he was invited 2 years in a row by the royal family for the Amman international Comedy Festival and Nazareth.