The tour's name is derived from a speech by US President George W. Bush which designated Iraq, Iran, and North Korea as the "axis of evil".
[2][3] All of the comedians state that their lives changed considerably with 9/11, with one member, Egyptian American Ahmed Ahmed, whose name matches the alias used by an Osama bin Laden henchman, noting that he is frequently stopped by airport immigration officials on suspicion of terrorism – including a 12-hour stint in a jail in Las Vegas.
Along with Ahmed, Maz Jobrani and Aron Kader had their own personal accounts of racist experiences that they have undergone within the United States, and used these stories as material for the comedy tour.
Before the group had even been formed, Ahmed had been hired to perform a private fundraiser in Dubai to benefit Palestinian medical students.
Jamil Abu-Wardeh, the producer of the Axis of Evil, brought the tour back to its origin, the Middle East.
According to The New York Times, the result was a success, beginning with the selling out of numerous performances from the first one at Lisner Auditorium at George Washington University.