If You're Black, Your Color is The Joke

That's comedy in the Arab Entertainment.

I have posted this clip of an Egyptian comedy film, which I translated (my first ever attempt!).  Please watch the clip first, then continue reading.




Welcome back!  So Gamila didn't turn out to be the one they were looking for.  She is an African woman who apparently is understood if she spoke in her untranslated  native language (insert laugh tracks here).  Also, her skin color is the MAJOR joke that closes the scene.  The actor says, "she doesn't resemble the girl in the photo, even in the negatives, even if it's been burned six times."  Wow.

This is not the first, there are many.  In another film, a beautiful dark skinned girl, maybe Nubian or Sudanese, is enjoying her time chatting and laughing with a character named Sameer (named for this blog), both appear to be drunk.  His friend knocks on the apartment door and asks the girl to hide.  Oh, I forgot to mention that the lights are turned off and he tells her to hide under the table and don't smile otherwise her white teeth will expose them!

Wow. Isn't that racism?  Oh by the way, they love Somali references too!

Here's one that will really blow your mind away.  I am sorry for not having a link to the video with translation (hopefully soon).

Last month was the month of Ramadan for muslims and it is the biggest premiere season in the Arab entertainment.  From 60+ soap operas, sitcoms, talk shows, and cooking show (note the absence of religious shows unless it's on a religious channel).  Most of these drama series (30 episode soap operas) are filled with drug, sexual, and romance themed storylines which I believe is not appropriate to watch during this vital month. The audience enjoy watching the series, yet complain about them later for...i don't know....say night gown and passionate embrace actress Elham Shahin in Imra'a fi Warta or Woman in Trouble

In an episode of Kuwaiti sitcom show, Ghareeb Ageeb (Strange Weird), the father and everyone else in the household were waiting for their son to arrive with this new bride from the United States.  Prior to his arrival, they were wondering what happened between him and his previous marriage to Alexandra, also an American.  Now he is married to Monica.  They had a hard time saying Monica.  Here's an outline of the events that took place:

- The son arrives, they greet, next a pretty African American girl comes in and her Afro. ( I suspect the actress is a Somali girl)
- The family is in shock and Monica seems happy and doesn't understand what they are saying.
- Monica is with her husbands sisters and the father and the rest of the family talk to him and asks why, why, why he chose to marry Monica.
- Father asks what was wrong with his previous marriage to Alexandra.
- Father says that Lebanese girls are the best in the Arab world, they do plastic surgery, botox, face lifts, have their lips pumped.  Why go away and marry someone like Monica?
- Father now questions if his son is doing a favor for Obama.
- Son says that you should consider her personality not her looks.
- Monica becomes homesick and then the grandma has a great idea that would make her fee like home.
- They have two not so bright black Kuwaitis that work for the family to be around her.  Yes, because Monica and the two guys have the same skin color.
- Of course, she likes them, they go out dancing, etc.  Become her friends.
- They are surprised that she would party every day and night.  "What kind of a wife is she?" the father asks.  The son defends and says that's how she is in America, implying that that's how Americans are.
- Next day, Monica asks for the guys and the father becomes frustrated then understands why she is so attached to them.  He points at the hand saying, "El sabgha" meaning the paste or color.  Monica is attached because of the color bond.

This story eventually ends when one of the guys she's attached to said, "I will kill you."  He doesn't speak English well and doesn't  even know what it means.  U.S. Embassy gets involved, she goes home and of course the marriage ends.

Are you offended?  I am.  Being Somali, and an African, I am mad.  This is disrespectful.  I believe if the Arab entertainment had an agency equivalent to the FCC, they would help prevent subjects like these from airing.  Reality is, they wouldn't bother to prevent them from being produced.  It's racism and it's offensive.  First of all, Islam teaches peace and love and that everyone is created equal.  Well, that is the same as with every other religion, but I wouldn't image that the Arab entertainment is still producing prehistoric comedy.  Seriously.  That shows the lack of creativity.   Above all, it was aired during Ramadan.   Unfortunately,  opportunities are limited if you are an African living in an Arab country.