Arab "Superstar" Program -- Just Like Us

The biggest hit on TV in the Arab world has not been Al-Jazeera's tapes of Usama bin Laden but rather a talent contest that most of the west would recognize as "American Idol." Some 55 singers from across the Arabic speaking world participated on Future Television International out of Beirut, Lebanon. Passions ran high, the people voted, and in the end, a young lady from Jordan, Diana Karazoun, became the latest star in the musical sky. If anything, this proved that the Arabs and the west aren't all that different after all, and that maybe the problems arise from being too much alike.

In the final phase, Diana Karazoun was joined by Melhem Zein from Lebanon, Rowaida Attieh from Syria, Saber Shouerif from Algeria, Palestinian Mohammad Lafi, Egypt's Wael Mansour, Suoud Abu Sultan from the UAE, Lebanon's Merhi Serhal, Nancy Zaabalawi of Syria, Egyptian Haytham Said, Shadi Aswad and Saad Jamaleddine both from Lebanon. This dozen was selected by viewers who voted by phone, text messaging and internet.

Like the American and British counter-parts, "Superstar" got interesting as the finals approached. Unlike the more sedate English-speaking versions, fisticuffs broke out in the studio when Melhem Zein was voted out by viewers in the semi-finals.

There are two puzzling questions, though. Why did they start with 55 rather good singers, when the most entertaining part of the program in the US is watching those with no talent learn the sad news? And why didn't they have anyone like Simon Cowell bash that news over the heads of the untalented? Perhaps the Arabs are different in another way --they may just be more polite.



© Copyright 2003 by The Kensington Review, J. Myhre, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent.



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