A lot of people said a lot of stupid things last year, but this is probably my favorite: news reader Katie Couric thinks that America -- in the interest of embracing diversity and getting over its icky, racist ways -- needs a "Muslim Cosby show."
So... Americans will feel all warm and fuzzy about Muslims, and Muslims will feel all welcome and tolerated, if we have a Muslim-themed sitcom? Headed up by a successful Muslim father, a successful Muslim wife with a career of her own, and some lovable kids?
Oh, god, spare me.
I won't go into the particulars of just why this is such a bad idea for a successful TV series, but I will bring up one thing that ought to be a deal-breaker:
Muslims don't like to be laughed at.
In fact, some of them -- a significant number, if not necessarily a significant percentage -- dislike being laughed at so much, that they will take action against those who engineer the laughter. Up to the point of killing them.
Remember the Mohammed cartoons incident? A bunch of Danish cartoonists drew cartoons of Mohammed, and a Danish newspaper ran them. (I thought the angry-looking Mohammed with a bomb in his turban was especially funny and on-point.) The Muslim response to this mild japing? Riots. Death threats. Threats of retaliation against not just the cartoonists and the newspaper, but against all Danes and all westerners.
Remember when South Park wanted to feature Mohammed? They'd done it before, but this time, it was after the Danish cartoons mess. The message had changed: now it was, "yes, we have free speech and artistic freedom and no one has the right to not be offended, but these people don't issue press releases or file lawsuits -- they kill folks. So go ahead and keep pissing off most people, but don't piss off the crazies -- because freedom just isn't that important."
Islam does not have a great record for artistic criticism. The greatest moment in Islamic film critique was the assassination of Theo Van Gogh, and Islam's most famous literary critic was the Ayatollah Khomeini, who issued the death sentence for Salman Rushdie.
So, here's a TV sitcom that is supposed to feature a normal American family that happens to be Muslim, and their wacky adventures. How long before the studio or the network gets its first bomb threat? How long before the actors are threatened with death? And how long before some offended Muslim decides that the best way to react to this "insult" is in blood?
Hmm... but would that be really that bad? I mean, yeah, it would suck for the folks behind "Achmed And Family," but it just might wake up Hollywood to a bit of reality. They have their own fantasy land, where Muslims never do bad things. These are the same people who rewrote "The Sum Of All Fears" to change the bad guys from a Palestinian faction to European neo-Nazi businessmen, and put out an episode of "E-Ring" that featured radical Christians taking over a mosque and holding hostages. Perhaps a little taste of what their idea of "freedom" actually means -- and the price it demands -- would knock some sense into their heads.
Nah. They're too insulated.
But Katie Couric, for even suggesting that the best thing we can do to improve relations with Muslims is to laugh at them, and hopefully laugh with them... good lord, it takes a special kind of "smarts" to come up with something this stupid.
But I'd watch it anyway.
So... Americans will feel all warm and fuzzy about Muslims, and Muslims will feel all welcome and tolerated, if we have a Muslim-themed sitcom? Headed up by a successful Muslim father, a successful Muslim wife with a career of her own, and some lovable kids?
Oh, god, spare me.
I won't go into the particulars of just why this is such a bad idea for a successful TV series, but I will bring up one thing that ought to be a deal-breaker:
Muslims don't like to be laughed at.
In fact, some of them -- a significant number, if not necessarily a significant percentage -- dislike being laughed at so much, that they will take action against those who engineer the laughter. Up to the point of killing them.
Remember the Mohammed cartoons incident? A bunch of Danish cartoonists drew cartoons of Mohammed, and a Danish newspaper ran them. (I thought the angry-looking Mohammed with a bomb in his turban was especially funny and on-point.) The Muslim response to this mild japing? Riots. Death threats. Threats of retaliation against not just the cartoonists and the newspaper, but against all Danes and all westerners.
Remember when South Park wanted to feature Mohammed? They'd done it before, but this time, it was after the Danish cartoons mess. The message had changed: now it was, "yes, we have free speech and artistic freedom and no one has the right to not be offended, but these people don't issue press releases or file lawsuits -- they kill folks. So go ahead and keep pissing off most people, but don't piss off the crazies -- because freedom just isn't that important."
Islam does not have a great record for artistic criticism. The greatest moment in Islamic film critique was the assassination of Theo Van Gogh, and Islam's most famous literary critic was the Ayatollah Khomeini, who issued the death sentence for Salman Rushdie.
So, here's a TV sitcom that is supposed to feature a normal American family that happens to be Muslim, and their wacky adventures. How long before the studio or the network gets its first bomb threat? How long before the actors are threatened with death? And how long before some offended Muslim decides that the best way to react to this "insult" is in blood?
Hmm... but would that be really that bad? I mean, yeah, it would suck for the folks behind "Achmed And Family," but it just might wake up Hollywood to a bit of reality. They have their own fantasy land, where Muslims never do bad things. These are the same people who rewrote "The Sum Of All Fears" to change the bad guys from a Palestinian faction to European neo-Nazi businessmen, and put out an episode of "E-Ring" that featured radical Christians taking over a mosque and holding hostages. Perhaps a little taste of what their idea of "freedom" actually means -- and the price it demands -- would knock some sense into their heads.
Nah. They're too insulated.
But Katie Couric, for even suggesting that the best thing we can do to improve relations with Muslims is to laugh at them, and hopefully laugh with them... good lord, it takes a special kind of "smarts" to come up with something this stupid.
But I'd watch it anyway.
Comments (30)
Vapid is pretty nice.... (Below threshold)1. Posted by jim crane | January 7, 2011 11:58 AM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Vapid is pretty nice.
1. Posted by jim crane | January 7, 2011 11:58 AM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on January 7, 2011 11:58
2. Posted by Roy | January 7, 2011 12:13 PM | Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
Why not do it up right, and have a Muslim Cosby with his four wives? And who aren't allowed to drive.
2. Posted by Roy | January 7, 2011 12:13 PM |
Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
Posted on January 7, 2011 12:13
3. Posted by simkeith | January 7, 2011 12:15 PM | Score: 9 (9 votes cast)
I've got a good idea for the title of the show. How about "Make Room for Jihadi". :-)
3. Posted by simkeith | January 7, 2011 12:15 PM |
Score: 9 (9 votes cast)
Posted on January 7, 2011 12:15
4. Posted by gary gulrud | January 7, 2011 12:21 PM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
I imagine Mr. Cosby has some colorful language with which to edify Cougar Colon on her effete fantasies.
4. Posted by gary gulrud | January 7, 2011 12:21 PM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on January 7, 2011 12:21
5. Posted by Brian The Adequate | January 7, 2011 12:35 PM | Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
And when it comes time for the kids to rebel.....
Bingo- Perfect product placement opportunity for bacon!
Maybe this is not such a bad idea after all
5. Posted by Brian The Adequate | January 7, 2011 12:35 PM |
Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
Posted on January 7, 2011 12:35
6. Posted by WildWillie | January 7, 2011 12:36 PM | Score: 5 (7 votes cast)
"I'm going to stone you Alice."
"Go to your bedroom Reza or I'll honor kill you."
"Kiss my falafel."
"Don't make a Mohammed out of a mole hill."
This is fun. ww
6. Posted by WildWillie | January 7, 2011 12:36 PM |
Score: 5 (7 votes cast)
Posted on January 7, 2011 12:36
7. Posted by LeBron Steinman | January 7, 2011 12:36 PM | Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
In the spirit of Krazy Katie's idea,Dennis Miller just came up with a Muslim children's show:
"Sharia Lewis and Hand Chop".
7. Posted by LeBron Steinman | January 7, 2011 12:36 PM |
Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
Posted on January 7, 2011 12:36
8. Posted by Matt | January 7, 2011 12:38 PM | Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
Papa Muslim could run a used car dealership, Mama muslim work as a pat down technician for the TSA. The kids could attend Madrassa with all their muslim friends etc. They could deal with difficult issues such as to whether or not it is ok for Jr to have sex before he blows up a bank/bridge etc, is it okay for the daughter to be sold to a cousin etc. Yup, would be a great sitcom. Would have to be on NBC since they normally suck with programming.
8. Posted by Matt | January 7, 2011 12:38 PM |
Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
Posted on January 7, 2011 12:38
9. Posted by zipity | January 7, 2011 12:46 PM | Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
The Muslim Mr. Cosby could be a doctor too, then he can do the cliterectomy on his daughters himself! A particularly hilarious episode will be the one where he cuts off his daughters head with his sons help in an honor killing because his daughter is dating a Christian and wearing "Western" clothes.
Side-splittingly funny, that one.
Anyone else smell multiple Emmy Awards?
As I recall, the last movie with terrorism as it's main focus that had radical Islamists as the bad-guys was "True Lies" in 1994, a mere 17 YEARS ago.... We are well and truly f**ked, thanks to the Liberal PC world we let the Left enslave us in.
9. Posted by zipity | January 7, 2011 12:46 PM |
Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
Posted on January 7, 2011 12:46
10. Posted by mag | January 7, 2011 12:50 PM | Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
Katie Couric is another dumb ----. You fill it in with your favorite 4 letter word.
10. Posted by mag | January 7, 2011 12:50 PM |
Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
Posted on January 7, 2011 12:50
11. Posted by Meiji_man | January 7, 2011 12:56 PM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
It's been done
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Mosque_on_the_Prairie
11. Posted by Meiji_man | January 7, 2011 12:56 PM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on January 7, 2011 12:56
12. Posted by ODA315 | January 7, 2011 1:08 PM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
"ALLAH KNOWS BEST"
12. Posted by ODA315 | January 7, 2011 1:08 PM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on January 7, 2011 13:08
13. Posted by GarandFan | January 7, 2011 1:26 PM | Score: 6 (6 votes cast)
Maybe one episode can be where we follow Dad around as he tracks down one of his daughters for an "honor" killing, and arranges a marriage for another 8 year old daughter. Lots of giggles there.
Kute Katie is a freaking idiot.
13. Posted by GarandFan | January 7, 2011 1:26 PM |
Score: 6 (6 votes cast)
Posted on January 7, 2011 13:26
14. Posted by Hank | January 7, 2011 1:33 PM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Somehow my comment ended up in another thread...
"72 is enough"
14. Posted by Hank | January 7, 2011 1:33 PM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on January 7, 2011 13:33
15. Posted by Les Nessman | January 7, 2011 1:43 PM | Score: 4 (6 votes cast)
"I mean, yeah, it would suck for the folks behind "Achmed And Family," but it just might wake up Hollywood to a bit of reality. "
So....it's a win-win. A few Hollywoodies get beheaded, a few Hollywoodies wake up.
Everyone wins!
(yeah, it's /s.
mostly.)
15. Posted by Les Nessman | January 7, 2011 1:43 PM |
Score: 4 (6 votes cast)
Posted on January 7, 2011 13:43
16. Posted by Liza18 | January 7, 2011 2:12 PM | Score: -4 (6 votes cast)
please check out http://www.islamicsolutions.com/propaganda-against-islam-and-muslims/
16. Posted by Liza18 | January 7, 2011 2:12 PM |
Score: -4 (6 votes cast)
Posted on January 7, 2011 14:12
17. Posted by Peter F. | January 7, 2011 2:13 PM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
I've got some better show ideas:
"The Fresh Wahbist Prince of Bel Air"
"Everybody Loves Mahmmoud"
"$$@# My Imam Says"
"Married....with 44 Children"
"Diff'rent Religions—Die, Infidel!"
17. Posted by Peter F. | January 7, 2011 2:13 PM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on January 7, 2011 14:13
18. Posted by Brett | January 7, 2011 2:23 PM | Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
SNL had it right in the 70's = the Bel-Arabs!
18. Posted by Brett | January 7, 2011 2:23 PM |
Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
Posted on January 7, 2011 14:23
19. Posted by simkeith | January 7, 2011 2:30 PM | Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
The Bel-Arabs
Let me tell you a story about a man named Abdul
A poor desert rat, barely kept his family full
Then one day he was shootin' at some Jews
And up from the ground came a bubbling crude.
19. Posted by simkeith | January 7, 2011 2:30 PM |
Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
Posted on January 7, 2011 14:30
20. Posted by prustage | January 7, 2011 3:08 PM | Score: -11 (15 votes cast)
You clearly dont know any Muslims. Here in the UK many of my neighbours and friends are Muslim. They have a perfectly normal sense of humour. You know why? - because they are human beings just like you and me. What is it with Americans that makes them need to demonise everyone who doesnt share their views. Your blog shows the truth behind so-called American multi-culturalism - it is a lie.
As for the TV show - it has been done very successfully in the UK. "Goodness Gracious Me" was a BBC comedy series produced, written, directed and starring Muslims and Hindus of Indian and Pakistani ethnic background. It was very very funny and included a lot of self mockery. It was a warm-hearted programme that even made bigots like you look human.
20. Posted by prustage | January 7, 2011 3:08 PM |
Score: -11 (15 votes cast)
Posted on January 7, 2011 15:08
21. Posted by PIle of Pooh | January 7, 2011 3:08 PM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Couric represents the horrific end results of a career built on promotion-by-casting-couch.
21. Posted by PIle of Pooh | January 7, 2011 3:08 PM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on January 7, 2011 15:08
22. Posted by WildWillie | January 7, 2011 3:12 PM | Score: 2 (6 votes cast)
Losen your tourbon prustage. We are having levity. That is where we satirize, etc. If you cannot play, get out. ww
22. Posted by WildWillie | January 7, 2011 3:12 PM |
Score: 2 (6 votes cast)
Posted on January 7, 2011 15:12
23. Posted by Brett | January 7, 2011 3:20 PM | Score: 13 (15 votes cast)
I guess it's the 3000 people that got blown up and burned to death by Muslims. I guess it's because they are killing people for putting out a cartoon they didn't like. I guess it's because they use religious reasoning to accuse rape victims of adultery. I guess it's because they either stand by while their fellow zealots lob rockets at elementary schools or come up with some sort of half-assed moral equivalent excuse for it. I guess it's because they have declared war on my country and my beliefs and taken positive actions to prosecute that war. Stuff like that.
And for the record, who the f*ck ever said "multi-culturalism" was some sort of ideal condition. I expect people that come to America conform with American values. I will respect their religious beliefs just like anyone else's, until they start trying to use their religious beliefs to infringe on someone else's rights - like the right to STAY ALIVE.
23. Posted by Brett | January 7, 2011 3:20 PM |
Score: 13 (15 votes cast)
Posted on January 7, 2011 15:20
24. Posted by jim m | January 7, 2011 3:51 PM | Score: 7 (9 votes cast)
". Your blog shows the truth behind so-called American multi-culturalism - it is a lie."
Yep. Just like Chancellor Merkel recently stated that multi-culturalism is a total failure in Germany.
Except of course that in the US the tradition hasn't been Europe's failed multi-culti BS, but it has been assimilation into a diverse culture. That's why america has been referred to as a melting pot. Only recently has the empty headed left insisted that people not be allowed to assimilate and that we somehow find ways to avoid everyone feeling like they are part of a united country, being Americans first and their ethnic/cultural heritage second.
I wouldn't trade the US for the ongoing disaster that is the UK any day. When the UK collapses due to the inability to assimilate their growing muslim population you are welcome to come over here as long as you leave your failed multi culturalism behind.
24. Posted by jim m | January 7, 2011 3:51 PM |
Score: 7 (9 votes cast)
Posted on January 7, 2011 15:51
25. Posted by epador | January 7, 2011 4:46 PM | Score: 4 (6 votes cast)
Just rewrite it to Gullible's Island and have Mr Howell and his wife be a Saudi with one of his wives, the Professor an Iman, and don't change the other characters. Yeah, sure, lots of laughs.
25. Posted by epador | January 7, 2011 4:46 PM |
Score: 4 (6 votes cast)
Posted on January 7, 2011 16:46
26. Posted by Osama bin Laden | January 7, 2011 10:37 PM | Score: 0 (2 votes cast)
Thank you for supportting our holy jihad, prustage and Liza18. You will be beheaded last.
26. Posted by Osama bin Laden | January 7, 2011 10:37 PM |
Score: 0 (2 votes cast)
Posted on January 7, 2011 22:37
27. Posted by Imhotep | January 7, 2011 10:50 PM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
I don't think Ms Couric should suggest anything related to TV as a good idea given her recent track record.
27. Posted by Imhotep | January 7, 2011 10:50 PM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on January 7, 2011 22:50
28. Posted by Olsoljer | January 8, 2011 7:48 AM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
@prustage - and you Brits are enjoying muslim protests at your returning troops, fear of entering predominately muslim neighborhoods, and allowing facets of sharia law. That is why we sent your dumb asses home over 200 years ago - you never learn do you?
28. Posted by Olsoljer | January 8, 2011 7:48 AM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on January 8, 2011 07:48
29. Posted by inge | January 8, 2011 7:50 AM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
The ignorance is astounding; muslims don't even allow music or girls going to school, unless they can throw acid into their faces.
What about muslim women showing a bit of cleavage by dressing 'western'?
29. Posted by inge | January 8, 2011 7:50 AM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on January 8, 2011 07:50
30. Posted by oldpuppymax | January 8, 2011 10:58 AM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
They also don't like to have the TRUTH told about them, or have their dangerous ideas exposed or their power challenged or...gee...they sound a lot like Democrats, don't they!!
30. Posted by oldpuppymax | January 8, 2011 10:58 AM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on January 8, 2011 10:58