Posted by BeautyandtheEast on 06-01-2010 | Comments | Share | Filed under: Entertainment, Film/TV
Wahajat Ali writes in Salon: I’m a heterosexual, Muslim dude who until recently thought pleated khakis and loafers were “hip” and mistook Bergdorf Goodman for an expensive Swiss chocolate. So it is not surprising that 40 minutes into “Sex and the City 2,” a 150-minute cotton candy fantasy accessorized with materialism and fashion porn, I was comatose with boredom. But I was defibrillated by the film’s detour into Abu Dhabi (really Morocco and studio sets) and what can only be described as an Orientalist’s wet dream. After discovering they will visit the Middle East, the ladies whip out hall-of-fame Ali Baba clichés: References to “magic carpet” (a double entendre, naturally), Scheherazade and Jasmine from “Aladdin” come in rapid succession. Upon hearing a stewardess give routine flight instructions in Arabic, Samantha behaves like a wild-eyed child hearing a foreign language for the first time. “I wonder what she’s saying. It sounds so exotic!”
Michael Patrick King’s exquisitely tone-deaf movie is cinematic Viagra for Western cultural imperialists who still ignorantly and inaccurately paint the entire Middle East (and Iran) as a Kubla Khan in desperate need of liberation from ignorant, backward natives. Historian Bernard Lewis, the 93-year-old Hall of Fame Orientalist and author of such nuanced gems as “The Arabs in History” and “Islam and the West,” would probably die of priapism if he saw this movie. It’s like the cinematic progeny of “Not Without My Daughter” and “Arabian Nights” with a makeover by Valentino. Forget the oppressed women of Abu Dhabi. Let’s buy more bling for the burqa!
Our four female cultural avatars, like imperialistic Barbies, milk Abu Dhabi for leisure and hedonism without making any discernible, concrete efforts to learn about her people and their daily lives. An exception is Miranda, whose IQ drops about 100 points as she dilutes the vast complexities of a diverse culture into sound bites like this: “‘Hanh Gee’ means ‘yes’ in Arabic!” Only it doesn’t—it’s Punjabi, which is spoken by South Asians. She also incorrectly tells the audience that all women in the Middle East have to cover themselves. And, yes, nearly every single Middle Eastern female character in “SATC 2’s” imaginative rendition of “Abu Dhabi,” is veiled, silent or subdued by aggressive men. Like curious visitors staring at an exotic animal in the zoo with equal doses of horror and fascination, the four “girls” observe a niqabi female eating French fries by carefully lifting her veil for each consumed fry. After witnessing this “Ripley’s Believe It or Not” event, Samantha declares, “It’s like they don’t want [women] to have a voice.”
If our cultural ambassadors truly cared about saving Muslim women, they surely would try to help them during the film’s interminable two and half hour running time, no? Sadly, instead, these incredibly shallow mock-feminists can’t even bother to have one decent conversation with a Muslim woman, because they’re too immersed in picnics on the desert and singing Arab disco karaoke renditions of “I Am Woman.” In fact, Abu Dhabi is just peachy when it’s a fantasy land where they ride around in limos and get comped an extravagantly vulgar $22,000 hotel suite. However, only when that materialism is taken away do they worry, in only the most superficial way, about sexual hypocrisy and women’s oppression.
Meanwhile, the perpetually self-absorbed Carrie finds enlightenment in the simple, wise words of her Indian manservant Gaurav, who functions as the movie’s life-changing, magical minority. And Samantha, our “Western” avatar of freedom and liberation, offers a juxtaposition to the silent, oppressed Muslim women by making immature puns like “Lawrence of my Labia” and performing fellatio on a sheesha pipe in public.
The movie uses only two broad colors to paint the Middle East: One depicting an opulent Eden for our blissfully ignorant protagonists to selfishly use as a temporary escape, and the other showing an oppressive dungeon populated by intolerant men that cannot comprehend cleavage or bare shoulders. Consider the film’s painful climax, in which Samantha, now wearing shorts and a low-cut top, spills dozens of condoms from her purse in the middle of a crowded market. Right before the condom explosion, the Islamic call to prayer, the Adhan, is conveniently heard for no discernible reason. The angry, hairy men, overwhelmed by anger and shock, decide to abandon their daily activities and busy life to encircle Samantha and condemn her as a harlot and slut, but not before Samantha proudly holds the condoms up high and dry humps the air telling the men she uses them to have sex. Because they cannot tolerate a sassy, back-talking, condom-using female baring her legs, they decide en masse to spontaneously chase all four women. Appearing like an oasis in the desert, two mysterious women in a burqa silently nod to the four girls, who subsequently follow the women into a secret room revealing the existence of a secret book club attended by a dozen niqabi women, who disrobe to reveal their hidden designer clothes, fashionable shoes and makeup.
OK, a bubble gum approach to reality is to be expected from “SATC2.” And one could imagine a scenario in which the frothy light comedy could be used to erase mutual misunderstandings. After all, Muslim women around the world, who religiously watched the show, would love a strong, empowered Muslim female “SATC” character who could enlighten Western audiences about the complex, and at times oppressive, reality of Middle Eastern women while simultaneously rocking Ferragamos. Instead, the film exists in a wacky cultural vacuum blissfully unaware of its own arrogance and prejudices.
Apparently, we’re meant to believe Muslim women in the Middle East are equally self-absorbed, vain and materialistic. After completely dissing the Middle East, its people, its religion and its culture, it’s “Sex and the City” that truly insults the Muslim women, by silencing them entirely.
Tags: sex in the city 2, muslim cliches, stereotypes, wahajat ali
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Posted by BeautyandtheEast on 05-27-2010 | Comments | Share | Filed under: Entertainment, Film/TV
Dean Obeidallah (comedian) writes in the Huffington Post today:
I know there are a lot of important issues to discuss this week - like BP’s oil spill, Europe’s financial meltdown and of course the opening of “Sex and the City 2”- but stop the presses because apparently we have all missed one big thing: The Prince of Persia was a white guy!
At least that is what the new movie “Prince of Persia” opening this weekend would have us believe. And who is playing the title role - an actor whose very name conjures up the Middle East: Jake Gyllenhaal- who would’ve thought that the guy from “Bubble Boy” - who is of Swedish heritage - could be the Prince of Persia. Was Owen Wilson busy? Why not just get Will Ferrell - who in all honestly would’ve been great and I would’ve been at the midnight screening of the film if he was the star of it!
The way the producers were able to justify a white guy playing the Prince of Persia was by the story line that “yes, we know he is white, but he was adopted by the benevolent Persian King” - so apparently in ancient Persia they had their own version of Angelina Jolie but who instead of adopting poor African children, would adopt poor white kids. (Can anyone tell me how a poor white kid traveled to and found ancient Persia? Did they even have Google maps then?)
And get this - apparently in ancient Persia they all spoke English with an English accent! I wonder when the Persians began speaking Farsi?! And not only did they speak with an English accent, apparently from the trailer, Jake Gyllenhaal’s English accent is an almost cockney Eliza Doolittle “My Fair Lady” type accent. Spoiler alert: I haven’t seen the movie but wouldn’t it be cool if they gave Jake an “Eliza Doolittle” type makeover so by the end he really speaks Farsi and learns actual Persian culture.
Maybe Hollywood will make up for casting a white guy as the Prince of Persia by casting as the star in the upcoming “Captain America” movie a guy with a name like Waleed Zuaiter, or Omar Metwally or even Dean Obeidallah (okay, that’s me but I think you get the point.)
On some level I’m thankful that we have evolved from the days of those crappy Chuck Norris type films filled with us only depicted as terrorists - played typically by Hispanic, Indian and Italian guys. But it’s not all great - the new “Sex and the City 2” movie depicts every Arab women covered in a burka and that is just ignorant crap - I have performed stand up comedy across the region and all the women are NOT covered -in fact most are not! (In fairness, I didn’t see “Sex and the City 2” yet but will be soon with my girlfriend in exchange for her having to see “Avatar “- which I argued really wasn’t a “guy “film but more a family picture but alas I lost that argument so off I go to the girliest movie since “He Is Just Not That Into You.”)
I have a dream - actually I have many dreams but the one that is relevant to this article is my dream that there will be a day when Hollywood makes a movie about the Middle East and actually casts Middle Eastern people in the starring roles. There are some great Middle Eastern actors out there who would bring a realism and depth to these characters that a non-Middle Eastern actor could never do. If not, get ready for “Prince of Persia 2” starring Tony Danza and “The Jonas Brothers.”
Tags: prince of persia, jake gyllenhaal, hollywood stereotypes
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Posted by BeautyandtheEast on 05-27-2010 | Comments | Share | Filed under: Entertainment, Film/TV
What do you think of Keifer Sutherland’s recent comments about 24’s depiction of Muslims?
“In the second season, we worked with the Muslim community, and I know we did a PSA. But, if you want to just take a look at 9/11, they were Muslims. Deal with it. It’s a fact, and Muslim extremists exist, and we have also done Christian right extremists, and we have also done political, Eastern block terrorists, and those who had financial and religious motives — all kinds. We weren’t going to pretend that the 22 hijackers in 9/11 weren’t Muslim. By the same token, I do believe you have a responsibility to say that this is a show about extremes. And I think you have to do whatever you can to make sure that people understand that this is not a commentary on what you believe people of the Muslim faith are doing. There’s a very, very small group, and so we did everything we could to do that, while protecting the right to tell the story that we wanted to tell.”
Tags: keifer sutherland, muslims, 24
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Posted by BeautyandtheEast on 05-25-2010 | Comments | Share | Filed under: Entertainment, Leaders/Stories
You are invited to a special event: “In the Age of Global Civilization, There is No ‘Us and Them’”: How Cultural Diplomacy Can Bridge the United States & the Middle East”
with Ms. Farah Pandith, Special Representative to Muslim Communities, U.S. Department of State, under Sec. Hillary Clinton, Simon Mainwaring & additional speakers will be announced, with musical performances by the Naser Musa-Jim Grippo Trio. Moderated by Mariam Atash Nawabi
This public forum on cultural diplomacy will examine the ways that the film and other media and arts can bind together people of diverse and sometimes conflicting cultures and beliefs. How can Hollywood produce film and television that reflects the way the world really is—broadening its storytelling capacities to include more films such as Slumdog Millionaire, or Amreeka? How can the arts reach Americans to broaden perceptions of the Arab/Muslim world? How can the arts and cultures address thorny issues such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, or the situation in Iran?
Thursday, May 27th
Mark Taper Auditorium, Los Angeles Central Library
Fifth and Flower Streets, Los Angeles CA 90071
Parking entrance on Figueroa (validation $8)
7:00-8:30 pm Panel
8:30-10:00 pm VIP Reception (by invitation only)
Gourmet Food & Live Music
For more information:
Tags: Farah Pandith, Levantine Cultural Center, Mariam Atash Nawabi, Naser Musa-Jim Grippo Trio, In the Age of Global Civilization, There is no Us and Them
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Posted by BeautyandtheEast on 05-22-2010 | Comments | Share | Filed under: Entertainment, Comedy, Episodes
Beauty and the East TV’s new host Rick Khalil interviews Arab-American comedy superstars Dean Obeidallah, Aron Kader, Mike Batayeh, Noel Elgrably, Jimmy Goson, Maria Shehata, Meena Dimian, Amer Zahr. Featuring Monk’s Tony Shalhoub, Baha Khalil, Eman, Eman Morgan:
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Posted by BeautyandtheEast on 05-10-2010 | Comments | Share | Filed under: Entertainment, Leaders/Stories, Episodes
Beauty and the East TV covers Obama’s 2010 Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship, featuring Dr. Naif Al-Mutawa (The 99) and Fadi Ghandour (Aramex)
During his “A New Beginning” speech in Cairo, President Obama announced that the U.S. will host a Summit on Entrepreneurship to identify how we can deepen ties between business leaders, foundations, and entrepreneurs in the United States and Muslim communities around the world. The Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship, was held in Washington, DC on April 26-27, and follows through on President Obama’s commitment. It represents an opportunity to highlight and support business and social entrepreneurship in Muslim-majority countries (MMCs), including their minority populations, and Muslim communities around the world.
Tags: White House, Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship, Obama, Dr. Naif Al-Mutawa, The 99, Fadi Ghandour, Aramex, Nadia Roumani, American Muslim Civic Leadership Institute, Roshaneh Zafar, Kashf Foundation, Alamine Ousmane Mey, Afriland First Bank, Masooma Habib, Checkup Electrical Engineering, Aneesa Azizi, Samira Atash
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Posted by BeautyandtheEast on 05-07-2010 | Comments | Share | Filed under: Entertainment, Comedy
Watch comedian Reza Peyk’s funny take on Muslim hypocrits:
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Posted by BeautyandtheEast on 05-06-2010 | Comments | Share | Filed under: Entertainment, Comedy
Waseem MoeMoney is a Muslim Canadian, with Middle Eastern heritage. Canadian-Muslim-Arab equals some seriously funny comedy. Watch this hilarious clip:
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Posted by BeautyandtheEast on 05-02-2010 | Comments | Share | Filed under: Entertainment, Film/TV
Born in 1974, Mahershalalhashbaz Ali is an American Muslim Actor. He accepted Islam in his early 20’s during his studies in New York. An accomplished actor, Ali excels in his career while shedding a positive light on Islam. He has appeared as a lead actor in The 4400, and a supporting actor in numerous television shows and movies.
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Posted by BeautyandtheEast on 04-28-2010 | Comments | Share | Filed under: Entertainment, Leaders/Stories
Anousheh Ansari is an Iranian American business entrepreneur who made headlines several years ago by visiting the International Space Station as the first female, private space traveler. Ansari is an entrepreneur and co-founder/chairman of Prodea Systems. Prior to founding Prodea Systems, Anousheh served as co-founder, CEO and chairman of Telecom Technologies, Inc. She earned a bachelor’s degree in electronics and computer engineering from George Mason University, followed by a master’s degree in electrical engineering from George Washington University. She has an honorary doctorate from the International Space University and is currently working toward a master’s degree in astronomy from Swinburne University.
“In her memoir, “My Dream of Stars: From Daughter of Iran to Space Pioneer,” Ansari tells the story of her childhood in Iran and her family’s exodus to America after the Islamic Revolution. After settling down in Texas, Ansari built a computer technology firm from the ground up, which eventually realized a net worth of $750 million and ultimately allowed her to achieve her childhood dream of spaceflight. In her groundbreaking role as the first-ever female commercial spaceflight participant, her story became politicized and fraught with the prejudices and obstacles she had to overcome as an Iranian woman, culminating in a debate over whether she would be allowed to display both the American and Iranian flags on the sleeve of her spacesuit.
Watch her “Greetings from Space” video here:
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Are you a Muslim/Middle-Eastern/South Asian actor, musician, singer, comedian, designer, film-maker, journalist/host, or have a special story? Show us what you got!
