Assem Bayaa is an American of Middle Eastern descent. He filed a lawsuit of racial discrimination against United Airlines after he was told to get off a flight in December, 2000 because other passengers felt uncomfortable seeing him on board. The lawsuit ended with an out of court settlement between two parties which was announced in June, 2005.
The English word 'joke' is said in African Abaluhya (Luhya) language as "bayaa".
The African Luhya term for the English word 'play' is Bayaa.