Max Amini at Dubai’s 1 Billion Followers Summit: "If numbers own you, you’re a loser”

Dubai: The laughs started early and they barely stopped.

When Max Amini took the stage at Dubai’s 1 Billion Followers Summit, the Iranian-American stand-up comedian didn’t just deliver punchlines. He delivered perspective. The kind that lands harder than a viral clip and lingers longer than applause.

“This is Dubai,” he announced to a packed hall. “Every day is so much better here.”

With more than 25 million followers and 5.8 billion views across platforms, Amini is the most-watched comedian on Instagram. But at the summit, he was less interested in flexing numbers than dismantling the obsession with them, offering creators an unfiltered look into his philosophy, creative process and deeply human approach to comedy.

Earlier this year, Amini topped Deadline’s list of “Comics Who Won 2025”. But he was quick to puncture the idea of overnight fame.

“I’ve been doing stand-up comedy for 24 years, since I graduated high school,” he told the audience. “Whatever you’re doing, it takes time. This isn’t the moment of glory. It’s the journey.”

For creators chasing viral highs, his message was pointed: enjoy where you are now.

“You think when you arrive, life starts,” he said. “Then you arrive and there’s more pressure, more responsibility. Enjoy right now. Life is short.”

Despite sold-out world tours, a booming digital audience and a historic milestone ahead, he will become the first Iranian-American comedian to headline Madison Square Garden on February 15, 2026, Amini resists defining himself by his profession.

“I don’t define myself as a comedian,” he said. “I’m a good brother. A good son. A hard-working citizen. I believe my life is to serve humanity.”

His mission, he explained, is to use humour to unite people across cultures, religions and backgrounds. “We’re all one,” he said. “What makes us better humans is our actions.”

Amini didn’t hide his admiration for the host city. “If you look at this city, look at what they’ve built,” he said. “Dubai is an example of what happens when people in leadership genuinely care about their citizens.”

For him, the city represents collective effort, individuals choosing service in their professions, whether as engineers, doctors or creatives. “It’s an example the world should be watching.”

Much of Amini’s philosophy, he said, comes from his father, a spiritual Sufi.

“He believed in love,” Amini said. “He said, ‘We practise the religion of love. As long as what you do is positive for people, your presence counts.’”

That belief shapes both his comedy and his life. Amini was candid about imperfection. “I’m just a guy trying his best,” he said. “I recognise my flaws and try to do better. Intention matters. If your direction is positive, you’ll end up on the right path.”

Then came the line that landed hardest.

“If the numbers affect you,” Amini said bluntly, “you’re a loser.” He clarified quickly: numbers matter, anyone who says they don’t is lying. But obsession is dangerous.

“Don’t be a slave to numbers. Own them,” he said. “The moment they control you, they destroy your mental health.” In a room filled with creators chasing metrics, the message cut through the noise.

Amini also addressed online criticism, joking that most creators had already survived parental disappointment.

“You guys have all disappointed your parents,” he quipped, drawing laughter. “So I don’t think comments are going to hurt you.”

Still, his advice was serious. “The moment you realise your content isn’t about you, it’s about helping others, everything changes,” he said. “Make content that makes the world better, and the views will follow.”

Creators, he argued, build loyal audiences by offering value, not shortcuts.

Every career, Amini reminded the audience, starts small. “My first fans were my mum, my dad and my sisters,” he said. “Then my uncles. Then my cousins.”

That niche audience became the foundation of his success. “Never turn on your niche,” he warned. “The people who love you today will build your career tomorrow. It always starts small.”

Touring globally requires cultural sensitivity without diluting authenticity - a balance Amini credits to curiosity. “If you love people, you’ll be curious about their cultures,” he said. Family dynamics, beliefs and everyday conversations, he believes, are universally relatable.

“The stories stay the same,” he said. “Because humans are the same everywhere.”

Amini shared what he called his real secret. “To improvise, you have to be free,” he said. “And to be free, you have to let go of what people think.”

The knowledge, he said, is already there. “It’s insecurity that holds you back,” he told the crowd. “Let it go. Don’t hold back. Trust it and you’ll shine.”

By the time he left the stage, the laughter lingered but so did the message. In a room obsessed with metrics, Max Amini offered something rarer: perspective.