At first, the swaggering aspiring stylist is reduced to sweeping up hair for no pay. But once Dalia gives him a chance to cut hair, he proves to be quite talented — and quite popular, which is a boon to her struggling salon. His customers are older women who enjoy the attention he lavishes on them. Some of the attention is paid in a back room after their hair is done.

Zohan can't escape his past, however, and so he finds himself in the midst of feuding Palestinians and Jewish immigrants in a New York neighborhood. An Iraqi cabbie (Rob Schneider) recognizes Zohan and conveys Zohan’s whereabouts to his archenemy, Palestinian terrorist The Phantom (John Turturro), eventually setting the stage for a showdown.

Several comedy and celebrity figures drop in along the way - Rob Schneider and Kevin Nealon show up in support. Others include veterans Lainie Kazan, Shelley Berman, Charlotte Rae, ring announcer Michael Buffer, and musicians Dave Matthews and Mariah Carey. But that doesn't do much to improve things, either.