Does America Need ‘Sitcom Diplomacy’ or Muslim Reality TV?
- Posted on February 7, 2011 at 10:11am by
Mike Opelka
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As reported here late last year, CBS News‘ Katie Couric’s year-end wrap webcast included a discussion of some of the cultural problems in our country, specifically how many Americans feel about Muslims. The host speculated that most, if not all of the misconceptions might be cleared up if we only had a funny TV show to better explain this misunderstood religion. She suggested a “Muslim Cosby Show.”
This message was not lost on the Hollywood community as last Sunday (1/30/11), the L.A. Times printed an Op-Ed piece from author and television writer, Firoozeh Dumas. In the article, Dumas recounted her family’s move from Iran to America and how much she learned about American people though the lessons taught weekly on tv shows like The Brady Bunch and The Partridge Family. Ms. Dumas agrees with Ms. Couric and is pushing for what she calls “sitcom diplomacy.”
A Muslim Cosby Show would certainly be seen as an alternative to some of the current Muslim-centric programming available around the world. It would be quite different than the program, “Shariah & LIfe” that airs on Al Jazeera Network, hosted by Yusef al-Qaradwi and is viewed by an estimated 40 million people each week (At it’s ratings peak, Cosby averaged just over 30 million households weekly). al-Qaradawi is the guy who declared February 3rd of 2006 as an “international day of rage” in response to the cartoon image of the Prophet Muhammad in a Danish newspaper. Yes, that was over five years ago, but he’s also made some incendiary statements on Al Jazeera since then.
In early January of 2009, his sermon included;
“Oh Allah, take this oppressive, Jewish, Zionist band of people… do not spare a single one of them. Oh Allah, count their numbers, and kill them, down to the very last one.”
A short few weeks later, on January 30 of 2009, al Qaradawi again delivered a rather un-Cosby statement to the Al Jazeera audience;
“Throughout history, Allah has imposed upon the [Jews] people who would punish them for their corruption. The last punishment was carried out by Hitler. By means of all the things he did to them – even though they exaggerated this issue – he managed to put them in their place. This was divine punishment for them. Allah willing, the next time will be at the hand of the believers.”
With statements like those quoted here, plus others supporting genital mutilation of women, repeated calls for suicide bombers to attack American troops, and the constant drumbeat for the complete and total annihilation of Israel, it is surprising to this reporter that the call is for a frivolous TV comedy to be added to the airwaves and not a demand for the removal of violent, hateful, and incendiary rhetoric of folks like Mr. al Qaradawi.
Regarding these calls for “sitcom diplomacy” and to those wondering if the American people NEED to be force-fed pro-Muslim propaganda in the form of a television show, I wonder;
- Is America (and American television programming) the problem here?
- Would a series based on a Muslim-American family change the reality about radical Muslims and their hopes and dreams for the world?
- Did “Hogan’s Heroes” really change the way people felt about the Nazis?
For the record and also as previously reported here on The Blaze, there is a Muslim sitcom called “Little Mosque On The Prairie” currently airing in Canada and several countries around the world.
There are reportedly 1.5 billion Muslims on the planet, making up one quarter of the world’s population. That’s a staggering number, and certainly a market that TV producers would love to tap. So, if television executives want to make and sell a program that highlights Muslims who live their religion and their lives accepting others as equals, then is their choice to do so and the free market will decide if there is a demand for such programming.
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Comments (75)
rmblount
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 12:38pmI have some episode ideas:
Report Post »Johnny makes a bomb,
Mary gets beaten for looking at a boy,
Daddy “touches” the boy next door,
Mommy gets beaten for ? “insert reason here”
The family goes to local block party and kills everyone else,
etc….
cliftonb
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 2:53pmYes, in another episode the thirteen year old daughter gets raped by an uncle and then gets sentenced to 100 lashes for committing adultery. for added drama, the lashing would be so severe that she dies and the uncle and family just go about their daily business….Oh wait, that really happened. Disgusting
Report Post »banjarmon
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 11:09pmWhat about the episode of papa taking the son to the neighbors goat farm and teaching him how to become a man?
Report Post »Paul -Indiana
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 3:13pmC’mon, man. We need some NEW plots.
Report Post »clinicalminded
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 12:30pmNo. We do not NEED this. We NEED to get back to following the constitution.
Report Post »dinadp
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 12:27pmMake it a reality TV show, with a staunch islamic family. We could see the women all wrapped up in burkas and the men performing honor killings on them when they don’t behave.
Report Post »8jrts
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 12:35pmGreat idea!! All the characters will be killed off in an episode or two, then it will be off the air. I like it!
Report Post »dantom
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 12:20pmDidn.t the just run her a– out of Egypt?
Report Post »Robert-CA
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 12:15pmHere’s a good title “BOW TO THE KING”
Report Post »……………oh wait he already did !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
MJR
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 12:07pmHow do you know who the female actors are? Under those burkas you cant see anything.
Report Post »dumb redneck
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 12:04pmWake up America. We may not be at war with Islam, however Islam is at war with us.
Report Post »uzi4u2
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 12:04pmI wonder if any of these peolpe that suggest we “imbrace and love” islam have any idea what is in the quaran and how it is taught? I clearly says and is taught that killing those unbelievers, what does Couric think she is under sharia?
Report Post »This is just another example of the stupidity of the main stream media, report and comment on things they know nothing of.
mcFirst
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 11:33amMuslim people may be nice grandma, but their leaders have zero tolerance for other religions and have long term plans to take over countries. Why should we help their evil plans.
Katie don’t be fooled by their thin facade as a tolerant religion.
Report Post »Bronco II
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 11:28amI SAY NO AND HELL NO and hell isn‘t a curse word it’s in the Bible.
Report Post »redsred
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 11:25amsince tv has major impact on our society, just what we need is another mindless sitcom. the ones we have now play only to witless twenty-somethings who believe it is “fun” to slide down a stairwell on your chin.
if you want a muslim tv show, make it one that chronicles daily muslim activities, like stoning, beheading, sexual mutilation, pedophilia, vicious invective and hate.
“moderate” muslims cannot open their mouths or they become infidels.
if this continues to escalate as it surely will, i recommend returning some of their millions to their primary atomic state via WMD. new diplomacy to counteract islam…….velvet glove covering an iron fist.
Report Post »Lantern
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 11:01amCouric can spout her garbage all she wants, but I will bet a million dollars that she would NOT travel into a Middle East country alone, without security. And I am not talking about Israel.
Report Post »Katie, go take a walk around Egypt, Syria, Iran, even Arabia without a burka or anything covering your head, like you would in America.
You think they are a peaceful people, show us how peaceful they are. I challenge you.
It will never happen, because she is, but one of thousands of West Coast or East Coast, “do as I say, not as I do” hypocrites.
Freebird
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 2:37pmShe did that very thing last week in Egypt.Probably couldn’t wait to get her self outta there and back to her home in the U.S.A.,when the mob turned their anger toward her.
Report Post »Wonder what she thought of her Muslim friends while that was happening.
moriarty70
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 10:59am” It would be quite different than the program, “Shariah & LIfe” that airs on Al Jazeera Network, hosted by Yusef al-Qaradwi ”
So the article goes, it wouldn’t be like this show, hosted by this guy. Then it proceeds to show all the hateful things that one guy says. In other words, they use to quotes not to make a point about the op-ed piece mentioned, or Couric’s comment, but to show the worst parts of Islam.
And to answer one of the questions: “Would a series based on a Muslim-American family change the reality about radical Muslims and their hopes and dreams for the world?” NO, but it might remind some people that most Muslim-American families ARE NOT radical Muslims.
Report Post »DMcPher316
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 11:50amOne of the things I’m tired of is hearing some muslims claim they are not radical and islam isnot “like that” If theythink radicalism is bad and wrong and all that, why the hell don’t they do somethng about it? They tell us that the radical element is a very small segment, then why don’t they DO SOMETHING to stop those that are radical?
Report Post »It’s because it IS what islam says, not the religion of love and peace and all that crap. It DOES say in the quaran to kill infedals that can’t be converted. People like Couric will be the first to suffer under sheria, I agree, she needs to go to Afganistan and live there for awhile, see what they are really like. I hope she likes waring a vale and having her daught sold, or mutilated so she can’t enjoy marraiage. This woman has NO clue what she believes.
southernloyalty
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 10:55amAs these muslims and every other third worlder comes here and insults American society, don’t forget that its not them to blame, but those who allowed them to immigrate here who are to be held accountable. We must confront and tell them, like you do a dog owner who has an out of control dog in neighborhood, you need to get your diversity pets under control.
Report Post »Mackerel
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 10:54amMuslim Sitcom? How about, “The Obama’s.”
Report Post »Gita
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 11:16amlol
Report Post »Lantern
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 11:39am“Allah in the Family”
Report Post »“Husseinford and Son”
“Touched by 72 Virgins”
absolutely
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 10:43amOh and hey I forgot, they could also show us how they want to destroy us and have a Christian free society and have gay scenes between gay Muslim lovers being stoned. Am I ready to program the DVR, Absolutely
Report Post »Deda1
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 10:41amI say we force Katie Couric and libby friends to go liver with the taliban for a couple of years. Oh, and make them take their daughters. lol
Report Post »Edgar Bennet
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 12:43pmThey’d have protection from the Muslim Brotherhood (yay Code Pink)
Report Post »Disabledvet
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 10:39amAs long as they show the true muslim, one that ignores his wife, except when he beats her or forces her to have sex, and don’t for get to show the daughter being in a child arranged marriage, or traded for farm animals. and not aloud to go to school, hey they would be able to save money because the daughter and wife would not need their own car they are not aloud to drive. Then be sure and show the women being beat in the street for talking to another man, or Honor killings, we will need, the stoning and decapatation and they can sign off at the end of the show with KILL ALL INFIDELS
Report Post »Disabledvet
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 10:46amsorry Allowed not aloud
Report Post »absolutely
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 10:38amHey, great idea, they can show us how they kill their kids and beat their wives (kill when appropriate) and explain how they don’t want to assimilate into American Society. They could call it Criminal Minds of the Middle East. Would I like to see it? Absoluely
Report Post »Mackerel
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 10:38amScene from Muslim Reality show: Ali is in bed with his wife, he becomes angry because his wife is apparently enjoying the moment.
Report Post »Helldogger
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 10:35amAmerica does’nt need muslim anything. America needs to destroy Islam before Islam destroys America, and mankind along with it.
Report Post »Sergio Q
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 3:28amI got one bigg ole’ ~AMEN !!~ for ya “HELLDOGGER” on that one.
Report Post »GeauxAlready
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 10:31am.
“Oh Allah, take this oppressive, Jewish, Zionist band of people… do not spare a single one of them. Oh Allah, count their numbers, and kill them, down to the very last one.”
“Oh God, please look at these crazy Mudhut dwellers, and the fornacators of goats that they are and do not spare a single one of the flea bitten pices of camel dung. God, please count their numbers, and kill them down to the last one.”
There that should do it…………
Report Post »Gita
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 10:28amWTF I would not trust Hollyweird to give us any program that is not propaganda. They will show sharia law as reasonable and the muslim brotherhood as a group for good. Hollyweird is in bed with satan, and we are now reaping what they have sown.
Report Post »bikerr
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 10:27amIt will not be profitable.The networks have to make money to keep it on the air. Who would put ads on it? The Muslim people force their belief on you ,why put ads in a show.
Report Post »8jrts
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 12:33pmAhhh….the next bailout.
Report Post »TexasCommonSense
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 10:22amThey portray white people as total boobs.
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 10:29amTrue indeed, the administration is forcing the ‘muslum diplomacy and apology’ policies of theirs down the throats of America more and more each day of the year. If the country survives, and I pray she will, then we will be left weaker and more vulnerable than we were after Carter left the white house at the end of his term as POTUS.
Report Post »oldguy49
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 10:30amjust watch what the relegion of love and peace does to the christians in the nmiddle east{egypt}when the brotherhood takes over….the libs don’t get it……..they will be the first to get the blade{non believers}
Report Post »HillBillySam1
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 10:32amOnly those white people who are not Progressives are portrayed as boobs…..
Report Post »hickoryrat
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 10:32amcouric is an idiot.If that were her only fault we would give her a pass.However she is also an American hating traitor.
How could anyone with half a brain waste time listening to anything she says?
V
Report Post »fertlmind
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 10:37amWe already had Muslim TV
Report Post »The Flintstones! LOL
Lantern
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 10:37amDo people really sit around watching TV, thinking it is real? Maybe some of the stuff on TRU-TV is real, because it was recorded by police cameras, but I know other stuff on there is re-enacted and I don’t watch that junk. Even so-called “reality” shows are planned and acted out, just by unknown or little known people. It seems like everything you see on TV has some political slant to it, in one way or the other.
Report Post »streetrodder
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 10:43amDid you notice in just about every tv add the white people are made to look like dummies.
Report Post »copper
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 10:46amThese ‘peace-loving muslims’ in Egypt have already killed 15 Christians this past week while the world watched them rioting. There were no police available to protect them, they were all at the RIOTS!
Report Post »watchtheotherhand
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 10:48amThis should be quite interesting. You think that the sitcom would divulge what Muslim’s think about homosexuals and how they should be dealt with? Do you think homosexual militant groups will become outraged and divert their energies against this religion? How about stonings will they depict that at all in the sitcom. No they will whitewash many things and put a smiley face on all of it!! It is not the reality of what many Muslims are all about. Again, we will tolerate this false religion and try to make it palatable to the masses by illustrating half truths and misconceptions. All the while we will demonize Christianity and ban their ads from the Superbowl !!! I am so sick of this tolerance attitude that is hardly anything but tolerant !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Report Post »Dustyluv
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 10:54amI dont need a sitcom to laugh at Muslims. the religion of idiocy…
Report Post »TexasCommonSense
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 10:56amstreetrodder, yes I have.
Report Post »KICKILLEGALSOUT
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 10:56amNever, I will never watch this! The only people that would watch is Muslims. I am so tired of being forced to like people that don’t like me, tolerate people who aren’t tolerant, and smile at people who want to kill me!
Report Post »Enough is enough! England has the anti-Islam English Defense League when are we going to have an anti-Islam American Defense League!
Our government is allowing a foreign invasion in this country because they know it will bring instability and this is exactly what they want because when it collapses they can implement the Socialist slavery system.
How can you allow freedom to a Religion that commands you to murder unbelievers! Anyone who supports Islam and is not a Muslim is essentially giving them the right to murder themselves.
How Naive, Islam is a direct contradiction to our laws and values and should be BANNED NOW!
TexasCommonSense
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 11:02amKICKILLEGALSOUT, do you think they’ll be all about separation of church and state, as they are with Christianity, when Sharia tries to infiltrate our government? Methinks not.
Report Post »Lord_Frostwind
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 11:08amAcceptable Hollywood Targets: White People, Housewives, Christians, White People, Cops, Soldiers, White People, Businessmen, Mormons, oh did I remember to say white people? Am I the only one who see’s a pattern here?
Unacceptable Targets: Anybody else
Report Post »DirectlyUnPCman
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 11:46amI dont need a reality show about muslims, I just watch the news.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 12:29pmWhat we need is for American (government) to grow a pair and call a terrorist a terrorist .. BEFORE we get sharia law and burkas ….
Report Post »Secret Squirrel
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 2:50pm……………………..
Report Post »All I need to know about muslims, I learned on 9/11.
1911a1
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 3:52pmNot untill they are the ones being drug out into the street and stoned, then they will want conservatives to fight and die to get them their freedom back ,, as usual !
Report Post »dr_funk
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 6:51pmSo instead of Dr. Huxtable sitting down and having a chat with Denise’s friend when she got pregnant out of wedlock, he would call the girl’s father and they would have an honor killing.
Yeah, totally primetime appropriate.
Report Post »Sergio Q
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 8:31pmhow about we do something intellegent like outlaw islam in America since its T-totally contrdictory to the freedoms & right this Nation was founded on!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Report Post »~one more hate for Nancy P. ta gag on … I hate islam!~
TheNationalDoctor
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 4:25pmTo OldGuy49 you are right they cant defend themselves in anything (logic is unknown to them) but some of us (as always) will stand and defend Western Civilization some of my relatives where at Wien in 1683 we denied them then and looks like their making another run at it nice thing is that after wards we just get stronger (we just have to wake up first).
Report Post »