{{Short description|Swedish writer, comedian and podcaster}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}} {{Infobox comedian | name = Aron Flam | image = Aron Flam 2015.jpg | image_size = 250px | caption = Flam during a seminar at Kulturhuset in May 2015 | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1978|06|12|df=yes}} | birth_place = Bergshamra, Solna, Sweden | medium = Stand-up, television, podcast | alma_mater = Stockholm University | genre = | subject = | active = 2007–present | relatives = Harry Flam (father) | website = {{url|aronflam.com}} }}
[[File: Aron_Flam_och_Jonathan_Unge_2015-02-20.jpg|thumb|Aron Flam and Jonatan Unge before the standup tour called '' Super Epic Mega Sweet Titans of Comedy '' conducted together with Ahmed Berhan and Branislav Pavlovic in 2015.]]
'''Aron Flam''' ({{IPA|sv|ˈɑ̌ːrɔn ˈflamː}}; born 12 June 1978) is a Swedish writer, stand-up comedian, podcaster, and occasional actor.
Flam started his career in stand-up comedy in his hometown of Stockholm in 2007 and was awarded the "Rookie of the Year" award in 2009 at the Swedish stand-up gala. He was co-host of the podcast ''Till slut kommer någon att skratta'' alongside fellow Swedish comedians Soran Ismail and Petter Bristav. He was the host of SVT Play's political satire web series ''Folkets främsta företrädare''.
Since 2016, Flam is hosting his own podcast, ''Dekonstruktiv kritik'', in which he conducts interviews in Swedish or English with invited guests on a wide range of topics.
==Early life and education== Flam was born in the Solna Municipality of Stockholm to Harry Flam, a professor of economics at the Institute for International Economic Studies at Stockholm University, and Eva Meyersohn. He is of Jewish origin and has spoken frequently on this in his stand-up comedy routines.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3chyMLuXpk |title=Extremt politiskt korrekta skämt om min kulturella identitet |last=Flam |first=Aron |date=8 May 2014 |via=YouTube |language=Swedish |trans-title=Extremely politically correct jokes about my cultural identity |access-date=26 February 2017}}</ref> Flam attended the prestigious Enskilda Gymnasiet in Stockholm, where he participated in the social science program.<ref name="EG">{{Cite news |last=Lundin Ziegler |first=Lovisa |date=17 March 2015 |title=Ett möte med Aron Flam |trans-title=A Meeting with Aron Flam |url=http://egelevkar.com/2015/03/17/ett-mote-med-aron-flam/ |language=Swedish |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150521001828/http://egelevkar.com/2015/03/17/ett-mote-med-aron-flam/ |archive-date=21 May 2015 |access-date=26 February 2017}}</ref> After high school, he attended Stockholm University and graduated with a bachelor's degree in film studies. He subsequently obtained a master's degree in financial economics at Stockholm University.
==Career==
=== Stand-up === Aron Flam debuted in 2007 as a stand-up comedian in the competition at the Stockholm Comedy Club, which he attended with his friend and colleague Jonatan Unge, with whom he had previously written the book ''Sista ordet: citat och fakta om döden''. Flam won the competition and the following year, 2008, he won the award "Komikaze of the Year". The following year he became the winner in the category "Rookie of the Year" during the Swedish stand-up gala. He has performed at clubs including Stockholm Comedy Club, Norra Brunn, and the television show ''RAW''.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://rawcomedy.se/komiker/aron-flam/ |title=Aron Flam |website=rawcomedy.se |language=Swedish |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903145914/http://www.rawcomedy.se/komiker/aron-flam/ |archive-date=3 September 2014 |access-date=26 February 2017}}</ref>
=== Podcasts === In October 2010, started Aron Flam podcast ''Till slut kommer någon att skratta'' (''TSKNAS''), along with comedian Soran Ismail and Petter Bristav.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://podcasts.apple.com/se/podcast/tsknas/id406410304 |title=Till Slut Kommer Någon Att Skratta |publisher=iTunes Store |language=Swedish |access-date=26 February 2017}}</ref> In January 2012, however, he left the podcast due to burnout,<ref>{{Cite podcast |url=http://podcasts.nu/avsnitt/till-slut-kommer-nagon-att-skratta/65-ar-2011 |title=Till Slut Kommer Någon Att Skratta (TSKNAS) – Avsnitt 65: "År 2011" |date=29 December 2011 |website=podcasts.nu |language=Swedish |trans-title=Till Slut Kommer Någon Att Skratta (TSKNAS) – Episode 65: "Year 2011" |access-date=26 February 2017}}</ref> but later returned in March of the same year.<ref name=TSKNAS76 />
In spring 2015, Flam formed a stand-up tour called ''SEMST of Comedy'' (''Super Titan Epic Mega Sweet of Comedy''), together with comic colleagues Jonatan Unge, Branislav Pavlovic and Ahmed Berhan. The tour started in Malmö on 9 April 2015 and concluded in Stockholm on 3 May 2015.<ref name="semst">{{Cite web |url=http://www.mynewsdesk.com/se/mindflyers/pressreleases/sveriges-semst-a-komiker-foerklarar-vad-humor-aer-1119426 |title=Sveriges "SEMST":a komiker förklarar vad humor är |date=20 February 2015 |website=mynewsdesk.com |publisher=Mynewsdesk |language=Swedish |trans-title=Swedish "SEMST": a comedian explains what humor is |access-date=26 February 2017 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304220900/http://www.mynewsdesk.com/se/mindflyers/pressreleases/sveriges-semst-a-komiker-foerklarar-vad-humor-aer-1119426 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
Aron Flam also operates a stand-up club "Till slut kommer alla onekligen att skratta" ( "TSKAOS"), together with the comics Soran Ismail and Petter Bristav.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.scalateatern.se/biljetter/tskaos/ |title=TSKAOS Standup-Klubb |website=scalateatern.se |language=Swedish |trans-title=TSKAOS Stand-Up Club |access-date=26 February 2017 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170223214350/http://www.scalateatern.se/biljetter/tskaos/ |archive-date=23 February 2017 }}</ref>
==== ''Dekonstruktiv kritik'' ==== In January 2016, Flam started his own podcast, ''Dekonstruktiv kritik'' ("Deconstructive Criticism"), in which he conducts long-format interviews in Swedish or English with an invited guest on a wide range of topics. Some of the topics are, or have been, considered sensitive, controversial or even taboo<ref name="res-20170826"/> to examine or criticize in the public discourse in Sweden. Some recurring topics are free speech, drugs,<ref name="res-20170826"/> immigration, feminism,<ref name="res-20170826"/> socialism,<ref name="res-20170826"/> politics, comedy, academia, and Sweden during World War II. As of July 2023, 280 episodes have been produced.<ref name="soundcloud-dk"/><ref name="podcastrepublic"/> The podcast is published on several platforms like Acast, SoundCloud and YouTube and is (2017) considered one of the most financially successful podcasts in Sweden.<ref name="res-20170826"/>
The podcast has attracted numerous guests, both Swedish- and English-speaking: Public intellectuals, writers, comedians, politicians, and academics.
{{Hidden | style = | headerstyle = background: #ccccff; font-size: 100%; width: 100%; | header = Guests | contentstyle = text-align: left; font-size: 100%; width: 100%; | content = Some of the interviewed guests are:<ref name="soundcloud-dk"/><ref name="podcastrepublic"/> {{div col|colwidth=22em}} * Alexander Bard (miscellaneous topics) * Martin Wallström * Petra Mede (humour and philosophy) * Makode Linde (art, comedy and drugs) * David Nutt (psychedelic drugs) * Hanif Bali (immigration and racism, Sweden's policy on drugs) * Magnus Norell (Muslim Brotherhood, Islamic State) * Dave Rubin (''Rubin Report'') * Omar Makram (atheism) * Cassie Jaye (''The Red Pill'') * Brendan O'Neill (alt-left) * Christina Hoff Sommers (feminism) * Harald Eia (''Hjernevask'') * Ann Heberlein * Charles Grob (drugs) * Christer Sturmark (faith and science) * Ivar Arpi (equality, academic freedom) * Mattias Svensson * Charlotta Stern (gender scientists) * Gad Saad (antisemitism) * Jörgen Huitfeldt * Katerina Janouch * Jonatan Spang * Malcom Kyeyune * Henrik Jönsson * Adam Cwejman * Mattias Svensson * Andrew Doyle * Michael Soussan * Magnus Henrekson * Lars Vilks * Ivar Arpi * Lorentz Tovatt * Flemming Rose * Bilan Osman * Ola Wong (Groupthink, Sweden, China) * Jan Emanuel Johansson (Swedish Social Democratic Party) * Einar Askestad (Logos) * Lena Andersson (Liberalism) * James A. Lindsay (the Grievance studies affair) * Konstantin Kisin (Russia) * Benjamin R. Teitelbaum (Traditionalism) * Jonathan Conricus (information war and politics) * Ari Shaffir
{{div col end}} }}
===Film and television=== In 2005, Flam appeared in the TV3 program Rivalerna as one of the 12 participants. He dropped out immediately, however, because he felt that the program was an "incompetent production."<ref name="TSKNAS106">{{Cite podcast |url=http://podtail.com/podcast/till-slut-kommer-nagon-att-skratta/106-i-m-felix-baumgartner-welcome-to-jackass-1/ |title=Till Slut Kommer Någon Att Skratta (TSKNAS) – Avsnitt 106: "I'm Felix Baumgartner, welcome to Jackass" |date=17 October 2012 |website=podtail.com |language=Swedish |trans-title=Till Slut Kommer Någon Att Skratta (TSKNAS) – Episode 106: "I'm Felix Baumgartner, Welcome to Jackass" |access-date=26 February 2017}}</ref>
He has also appeared in ''VAKNA! med The Voice''<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_14QKWBJugI |title=Özz Nûjen och Aron Flam Roastar Vakna gänget del 1 av 2 |date=2 March 2009 |via=YouTube |publisher=NRJ Sweden |language=Swedish|access-date=26 February 2017}}</ref> and starred in the television program ''Grillad''.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.hd.se/2009-03-10/ra-humor-i-grillad |title=Rå humor i "Grillad" |date=10 March 2009 |work=Tidningarnas Telegrambyrå|publisher=Helsingborgs Dagblad |language=Swedish |trans-title=Raw Humor in "Grilled" |access-date=26 February 2017}}</ref> In spring 2010, he starred in Nyheter24's comedy program "Någonting annat" alongside Soran Ismail.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Rosén |first=Eric |date=13 June 2010 |title=Någonting annat: Centerpartiet |trans-title=Something Else: Centre Party |url=http://nyheter24.se/nyheter/413304-nagonting-annat |language=Swedish |newspaper=Nyheter24 |access-date=26 February 2017}}</ref>
Beside his stand-up career, Flam has also starred as an actor in the 2011 feature film ''Certain People'' by Levan Akin and Lisa Östberg and played Death in Michael Rendell's 2012 short film ''When the Man Comes Around''.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4192596/ |title=Aron Flam |publisher=IMDb |access-date=26 February 2017}}</ref>
Aron Flam is one of the writers for Kanal 5's Kristallen-winning program ''Betnér Direkt''.<ref name="TSKNAS76">{{Cite podcast |url=http://podtail.com/podcast/till-slut-kommer-nagon-att-skratta/76-supa-sonder-kuken/ |title=Till slut kommer någon att skratta (TSKNAS) – Avsnitt 76: "Supa sönder kuken" |date=17 March 2012 |website=podtail.nu |language=Swedish |trans-title=Till slut kommer någon att skratta (TSKNAS) – Episode 76: "Supa Broken Cock" |access-date=26 February 2017 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170709134349/http://podtail.com/podcast/till-slut-kommer-nagon-att-skratta/76-supa-sonder-kuken |archivedate=9 July 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The same year he was also the editor of ''Jag bombade'', an anthology concerning life as a stand up comedian.<ref>{{Cite book |url=http://libris.kb.se/bib/13272561 |title=Jag bombade: scener ur ett ståuppliv |publisher=LIBRIS |isbn=978-91-7092-206-0 |language=Swedish |trans-title=I Bombed: Scenes from a Stand-Up Life |access-date=26 February 2017}}</ref>
In autumn 2013, the first season of Flam's self-produced program ''Folkets främsta företrädare'' aired on SVT Play. ''Folkets främsta företrädare'' is an infotainment television series with satire on various parts of the Swedish government and similar topics. Flam speaks to the camera, together with others including David Druid and Henrik Dorsin. The program began its third season in autumn 2015, in a partially new format. The third season has longer episodes and is recorded weekly with a greater focus on news and current affairs.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.svt.se/folkets-framsta-foretradare/sa-blir-nya-folkets-framsta-foretradare-sasong-3 |title=Folkets främsta företrädare blir matigare – med Dorsin i ny roll |last=Lindqvist |first=Anton |date=12 November 2015 |publisher=SVT |language=Swedish |trans-title=Folkets främsta företrädare gets fuller – with Dorsin in new role |access-date=26 February 2017}}</ref>
=== ''Det här är en svensk tiger'' === {{main article|Det här är en svensk tiger}} In 2020, Flam published a book titled ''Det här är en svensk tiger'' ("This is a Swedish Tiger") which addresses the official policies of Sweden during World War II. In the book, Flam claims that under the guise of neutrality Sweden assisted the German war effort intentionally and consistently. He casts Swedish efforts to save Jews from Nazi persecution as insignificant, and criticizes the appraisal of these efforts by many historians as highly exaggerated.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/sweden-seizes-book-by-jewish-comedian-criticizing-war-time-collaboration/ |title=Sweden seizes book by Jewish comedian criticizing war-time collaboration |last=AFP |date=17 July 2020 |work=The Times of Israel |language=English |access-date=1 August 2020}}</ref>
Swedish prosecutors seized the entire third print run of the book (2,000 copies), claiming that the cover of the book contained an image of the symbol En svensk tiger, a tiger sporting Sweden's national colors of blue and yellow, infringed on the copyright of the image. The image was part of a war-time information campaign now owned by the Swedish Military Preparedness Museum ({{Interlanguage link multi|Beredskapsmuseet|sv}}). The matter was presented to court on 24 September 2020, and ignited some debate in Swedish media on censorship and the boundaries of satire. Flam was found not guilty by the Swedish courts.<ref>{{Cite web |url= https://www.haaretz.co.il/magazine/.premium-MAGAZINE-1.9029866|title=What made the Swedish police confiscate the entire print run of a book by a Jewish comedian? |last=Stavrou |first=David |date=29 July 2020 |work=Haaretz |language=Hebrew |access-date=1 August 2020}}</ref>
==Bibliography== * {{Cite book | last = Flam | first = Aron (red.) | title = Det här är en svensk tiger | year = 2019 | trans-title = This is a Swedish tiger | publisher = Samizdat Publishing | location = Stockholm | language = Swedish | isbn = 978-9-198-56330-6 | oclc = 1263660844 }} * {{Cite book | last = Flam | first = Aron (red.) | title = Jag bombade: scener ur ett ståuppliv | year = 2012 | trans-title = I Bombed: Scenes from a Stand-Up Life | publisher = Ekerlids | location = Stockholm | language = Swedish | isbn = 978-91-7092-206-0 }} * {{Cite book | last1 = Flam | first1 = Aron | last2 = Unge | first2 = Jonatan | title = Sista ordet: citat och fakta om döden | year = 2006 | trans-title = Last Word: Quotations and Facts About Death | publisher = Norstedts | location = Stockholm | language = Swedish | isbn = 91-1-301585-0 }}
==References== <references>
<ref name="res-20170826">Thomas Nilsson. {{Cite web |url=https://www.resume.se/nyheter/artiklar/2017/08/26/tjanar-100000-i-manaden-pa-sin-podd-anklagar-svt-for-censur/ |title=Tjänar 100 000 i månaden på sin podd – anklagar SVT för censur |access-date=14 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180105093056/https://www.resume.se/nyheter/artiklar/2017/08/26/tjanar-100000-i-manaden-pa-sin-podd-anklagar-svt-for-censur/ |archive-date=5 January 2018 |url-status=live}}, ''Resumé'', 26 August 2017.</ref>
<ref name="soundcloud-dk">"[https://web.archive.org/web/20221231011243/http://feeds.soundcloud.com/users/soundcloud:users:197875983/sounds.rss Dekonstruktiv kritik]" (archived 31 September 2018 from [https://feeds.soundcloud.com/users/soundcloud:users:197875983/sounds.rss original]), soundcloud.com.</ref>
<ref name="podcastrepublic">"[https://podcastrepublic.net/podcast/1073859670 DEKONSTRUKTIV KRITIK]", podcastrepublic.net. Retrieved 22 July 2023.</ref>
</references>
==External links== * {{Commons category-inline|Aron Flam}} * {{Official website|http://aronflam.com/}} {{in lang|sv}} * {{IMDb name|id=4192596}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Flam, Aron}} Category:1978 births Category:Swedish male comedians Category:Swedish screenwriters Category:Swedish male screenwriters Category:Jewish male comedians Category:Jewish comedians Category:Swedish libertarians Category:Living people Category:Swedish Jews Category:Stockholm University alumni Category:People educated at Enskilda Gymnasiet Category:21st-century Swedish comedians Category:Swedish stand-up comedians Category:Swedish podcasters