If you've seen both <em>Zero Dark Thirty</em> and Eddie Griffin's stand-up, you'll probably appreciate that US military intelligence didn't employ the comedian's advice when it came to finding Osama bin Laden. "I can't understand how they can't find a guy who's six-foot-six and has a natty beard, and yet they can find my cousin who's 4-foot-11 in Compton," he said in stand-up routine several years ago. "He's worth half a billion dollars. Look for the cave with the satellite hookup. If a Rolls-Royce is parked in front of the cave, he's probably in there. If you go inside and there are velvet pictures of Saddam Hussein on the walls, I think he's probably in there." The comedian might have been wrong about bin Laden, but Griffin is now heading to the region for his first regional tour, including a show at the Dubai World Trade Centre Friday. "It's my first time visiting the Middle East, and I'm looking forward to it," he says. "I heard so much about Dubai." The Middle East might not be the first place you'd expect a comedian known for a somewhat bawdy, outspoken act that veers towards the tasteless (one of his most famous sketches involves an impersonation of Michael Jackson on crack). But Griffin - who also starred in the sitcom <em>Malcolm & Eddie</em>, along with a few lesser appreciated films (<em>Norbit</em>, anyone?) - is confident he'll do just fine. "I've done this for many years, travelling around the world. So I speak one language, and that's called funny," he says. "Each show has its own character. I'll definitely alter my material for Dubai. It's going to be a blast." Will he pull out his Michael Jackson routine? "It's been a while. I loved Michael, but we'll see." <em>Eddie Griffin performs Friday at the Sheikh Rashid Hall in the Dubai World Trade Centre at 8pm. Tickets are Dh350, available at Virgin Megastores. Visit <a href="http://www.facebook.com/yakevents" target="_blank">www.facebook.com/yakevents</a></em> Follow us Follow us on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thenationalArtsandLife">Facebook</a> for discussions, entertainment, reviews, wellness and news.