Racist Ramadan TV Shows
Nobody really bothers to look at the credits to figure out who the writer is for the Arabic comedy and family shows that are targeted as pan-Arab and Khaleeji, but there is a consistent pattern of ignorance prevailing themes of racism in their content. You would think that events from the Sudanese Revolution would instill some form of solidarity, even comically in the Arab media, but nevertheless, the writers still reuse the same jokes and same blackface, assuming that that is what makes a joke nowadays.
Does cultural sensitivity ever begin to be a question for those that write these shows? It's surprising to even wonder where the censorship and authorities are on this, since it degrades religious values of which Ramadan stands for—or is visual censorship just the main concern here? And is it because Ramadan is the only time throughout the seasonal TV grids that channels and digital platforms are able to profit most (money from ads), and that including production companies and distributors which gives them the right to cast away any form of ethical values?
Gulf broadcasting channels need to reconsider their content value, and to be honest, one should wonder if anyone really watches the episodes before they air! There are some TV shows right now that provide a humorous cultural dynamic on the ye olden days of the 50s and 60s and add coastal attributes, yet still show a subsequent amount of racism. My question is, why is it that most of the insults are towards the dark-complexioned characters, and why is it these characters always seem to be stupid?
This is a dialogue from a Gulf TV show that is now airing translated:
Father: My girls are going to marry the best and richest men. They are my daughters after all! Am I not right?
First daughter: I actually want a poor man because he’ll do whatever I tell him to do.
Second daughter: She’s right, I want a poor man too.
Third daughter: Actually even if he is an ashy asmar (of dark complexion) I’d marry him.
This year’s Ramadan selection showcases a lot more skin color diversity—admirable, especially since there are dark-skinned puppets now that convey positive characterization—but we have to remove stereotype and discriminatory jokes out. Comedians need to stop misappropriating other cultures for amusement. Unlike Europe and America, we are the only region that's getting away with it blindly (remember Myriam Fares?). Arab media is not being regulated enough in its content and there is not much massive contribution in creating valuable content for the masses. Let's assume that content analysis is not even part of the production process internally, and that perhaps diminishes the credibility of a production department’s role.
A lot are changing this by creating their own entertainment content, and we are seeing the shift slowly as Netflix begins to produce Arabic content, yet we can only hope that people begin to consume content consciously. Regulation is not the answer, because that would prohibit some form of progress that is needed. But if this ever gets to change, who gets to hold the accountability for diffusing misappropriate cultural information—the writer or the broadcaster? ◆
Nouf AlJahdami is an Emirati creative based in Dubai. Her prime exploration is within topics of identity, spirituality, culture and developmental politics in the Middle East and Africa—in the aim of redefining the narratives in the region.