Timely Arabic Entertainment Roundup

While a lot has been going on in the Arab world, many entertainers have stopped or postponed their work due to the ongoing crisis in a large number of Arabic countries.

2010 In Arabic Music & Stolen Tunes

Maybe because that pop music sounds all the same now, maybe it’s because the lyrics do not add anything new. Lack of originality is hard to miss in Arabic pop. Also this year saw a high number of stolen musicals notes. Many songs released this year sounded all too similar.

Who is Hotter? Lebanese vs. Egyptians

Ask any Arab this question, which Arab country has the hottest women? Chances are they will instantly say Lebanon. Of course many will say their own county does, but most will point fingers to Lebanon as the country with an unlimited supplies of beautiful people. I guess this is true, even the ones deemed average looking in Lebanon are considered good looking wherever they go.

Moon is Both Her Name and Her Passion

While America’s teens revived a New Moon with the release of the latest Twilight flick, apparently we Arabs are still stuck with the same old one.

One Arab Singer to Give You the Middle Finger

Diab, up and coming Egyptian hip singer has managed to do in less than two months what it took MTV 10 years to accomplish. Diab releases two music videos that assault the common decency in the Arab airwaves and shove scum down the throats of each Arab viewer. Las Week Diab released his first album العو “Alaw”, which could be translated as the bogey man, or the thought of a dog, often used scares little kids. That’s for the title of the song, however his music video resurrects the feel of “Who Let the Dogs Out!” Models in the music video can be seen parking and acting like as dogs. To ensure his unquestionable love to his home, the Egyptian flag is thrown into the mix.

15 Arab Mind Readers Know All

When you like to travel to random places in America, taking the Greyhound, the Chinatown bus, or the Amtrak, you get to meet a lot of characters that you wouldn’t meet otherwise. Also when you taught Arabic in the States for few years, and went to a school in the middle of nowhere, you defiantly have a chance to be the first Arab, people meet. Here are few reactions and thoughts I have came to draw from watching people’s faces as I drop “I am Arab” or “Arabic is my native language” bomb.

23 Items Every Arab Immigrant Brought in Their Luggage

1. Marami’ah, sage for tea lovers, only to learn than tea is only one drink out of a million hot beverages and a gazillion tea blends conveniently placed at the closest supermarket. 2. Roasted Arabic coffee, only to find the local grocery store sells superior brands for less. You will end up leaving the package [...]

Arabic Music Videos I am Not Thankful for

It’s amazing how progressive Arab Music videos have gotten. I am impressed whenever a Westerner sees those music videos, they are shocking by how scandalous they are. Look, I am not complaining, these ladies are good looking and know how to “work” their fans by working what they’ve got it. For this stuff to be [...]

The Gaza Experience: High School Uniforms

I headed to the Beit Lahia High School to pick my video camcorder from my nephew Ahmad who has been using it to film sport activities at his school. I rode on my Cousin Mohammad’s scooter where he drove us through the narrow streets. As we entered the high school, I could swear that we [...]

High Fashion Goes Galabiya

The Moment, a New York Times blog, had a write-up on the Arab influence in some recent French fashion designs.

The writer argued the inspiration of recent designs was more on what Arabs actually wear, than what the stereotypes presume.

While some of the examples in the photo show that, there is a dude in a hijab. And the alien-looking, imperial Bengali soldier thing has no resemblance to the Arab world.

He also argues this signals a greater presence of Arabs in French society, what he considers a post-colonial irony.

For instance, while the West exploited Arabs for resources and colonized their lands, now Arabs own the most exclusive neighborhoods and places in Western European capitals. The writer misses the obvious point: the Arabs who do are a very small percentage and their wealth is the product of the continuing western domination of Arab natural resources