Kenneth Cole Hires a Palestinian Model for the Company's New Ad Campaign!?!??!

Well, of course you know there was going to be a catch. Since Palestinians can't escape their Western-imposed politicization, it would be unfair to show a Palestinian wearing clothes without showing the other side. Apparently appearing to be politically unbiased is not just a university concern, but it's also a fashion industry concern. The Palestinian film-maker Hany Abu-Assad, famous for the Academy Awards nominated Best Foreign Film entry "Paradise Now" and Israeli film-maker Dror Shaul are featured Kenneth Cole's recently launched "Non-Uniform Thinkers" ad campaign. The slogan?

"Kenneth Cole: 25 Years of Non-uniform Thinking"

I like how a Palestinian befriending a Jews/Israel or vice versa is unconventional thinking. "Wait? You mean treat people nicely? I never thought of that-especially considering my years of hate education at "Hate Madrassa For Boys."

But it all wasn't sweet, sweet sugary attar or smooth sailing when they first met. Incidentally Hany and Dror speak about a "politically disagreement" they initially had when they first met, but "found peace" 5 minutes later. It's a shame that this dynamic can't be applied festering wound in another part of the world. I know what you're thinking: "if only the same could apply to the region." Actually, the logical transition was going to be my relationship with Hany. When "Paradise Now" screened in Los Angeles at the Director's Guild a couple of months before it's release, I happened to be on the Q&A panel with Him, a Sundance exec, and a USC director of some institute that followed the screening.

The first question asked by the moderator to the panel was what our initial reactions to the film were. I was second to last (Hany being the last to comment on his film). So, in summation, I applauded the film on it's ability to humanize a dehumanized people in the boobtube glazed eyes of average media-consuming Americans. Incidently, after roar, clapping and cheer from the packed house died down, Hany retorted with:

"I disagree. How can I (or this film) humanize Palestinians when they are already humans?"

I explained the context of the representation of Palestinians in American media, the ahistorical, sub-human, one-dimensional portrayal that invades primetime news, CNN, blockbuster movies, and front-cover stories and images. To which the all too familiar crowd of mostly Arab Americans applauded in support of countering statements. Sadly, we never did patch things up after the "political disagreement."

Maybe in the near future we will have the opportunity to make amends for a clothing line ad campaign; when Gap decides to launch their next line of "Red" T-shirts, ones like "Ti(RED)" of Arab-on-Arab Violence/Hate."

[Tarboush Tip: Diana]