TV humor, political correctness, sensitivity, and freedom
Television commercials are sometimes different from one country to the next. Sometimes we see funny or sexy TV commercials from other countries and enjoy them. But not often do we fear that a funny TV commercial would anger or humiliate someone in another country. But this is what is happening with an Israeli commercial for Nissan Tiida poking fun at Arab oil executives. The commercial started airing about two weeks ago and has been very successful. It shows a group of well dressed Arabs leaving an upscale building on their way to a stretch limousine. Just a few feet away from the group a shiny new Nissan Tiida is parked. They apparently talk about the fuel economy of the car. Suddenly one of the Arabs starts getting excited. He curses and beats up on the car. His group is quick to hold him back and restrain him. All this is in Arabic, so for most of the Israeli TV viewers this is just a skit of an angry Arab. An voice-over and text in Hebrew says, the Nissan Tiida is so economic, it is certain to anger your average oil executive.
An Israeli commercial for Nissan Tiida: poking fun of Arab oil executives?
Up to now everything is fine. A few Arab Israeli actors get a job doing a commercial. Israeli TV viewers laugh at a funny commercial. Nissan sells more cars. Everyone is happy? Well, not exactly. Apparently a government commentator on Saudi Arabia's MBC TV decided to comment and came up with the conclusion that Nissan through the Israeli media is humiliating Arabs. Apparently he is offended by the fact that Arabs are used as caricatures or scape goats for the oil price or shortage in the world. I am actually not clear what the main complaint is. Israeli advertising agency and the Nissan importer were quick to reply that the Muslim Israeli (Arab) actors were not at all humiliated and that no intention to humiliate anyone was intended. But apparently this Saudi TV commentator wanted an official Nissan apology.
This is not a political or religious blog so this issue is not going to be debated here. (See Haaretz article) But this is a great opportunity to look at the Israeli TV and the Israeli viewer. From this commercial and it's topic you can see that both regular TV shows and commercials can be sarcastic and funny. Maybe because of the stress in the security and economy which the average Israeli feels, the TV is more of a funny relief than in other countries. I think that Israeli TV is simply a mix of serious communication and entertainment. In a country where Hebrew is mostly spoken and where nothing from the rest of the world is in Hebrew there is a need for everything. So satire and sarcasm definitely take back seat to political correctness. There is a regular comedy show on channel 1 which pokes fun at just about everything. Specially Israeli government officials and military leaders. But besides the talk when ordering coffee on Monday morning I don't think that anyone ever paid attention to the content of the show in terms of humiliating attacks. If the Saudis want to compare the Tiida commercial they should take a look at the latest McDonald's commercial. Here the US secret service picks average Israeli teen agers from a dance club and their home. Takes them to a closed McDonald's restaurant, open it just for the visiting US president. This pokes light fun of George Bush or the US secret service. But if George Bush as a US president didn't have a chuckle instead of a feeling of humiliation I would be worried. Actually, thinking about it, I would be worried if the US president even paid attention to a commercial on Israeli TV. In general, Israeli TV reflects the values of free speech and open communication.
But what does this say about Arab television? or worst, about Arab advertising? Well, it probably says that the main TV outlets in the Arab world can not be as free as in other places. Israelis are probably not really surprised or worried. Saudi Arabia and other gulf countries are not considered free politically. The dance between free press and state propaganda takes slightly different twists and turns, but than again this is not a political opinion blog.
Paris Hilton poking fun of John McCain - No Israeli TV commentator was offended.
One little bit of funny TV commercial mention. We get to see US television news channels (CNN, FOX, NBC, etc.) - Fox recently had a commentary on the Paris Hilton spoof of a John McCain presidential commercial. Apparently the mud slinging is starting in full force there. This is something we are going to see soon here when the primaries and the election campaign start soon. I wish Paris would come here, or better, we should get some Israeli bomb shell to copy her. We got lots to learn yet. Enjoy the commercials, they are sometimes better than the news!
An Israeli commercial for Nissan Tiida: poking fun of Arab oil executives? Up to now everything is fine. A few Arab Israeli actors get a job doing a commercial. Israeli TV viewers laugh at a funny commercial. Nissan sells more cars. Everyone is happy? Well, not exactly. Apparently a government commentator on Saudi Arabia's MBC TV decided to comment and came up with the conclusion that Nissan through the Israeli media is humiliating Arabs. Apparently he is offended by the fact that Arabs are used as caricatures or scape goats for the oil price or shortage in the world. I am actually not clear what the main complaint is. Israeli advertising agency and the Nissan importer were quick to reply that the Muslim Israeli (Arab) actors were not at all humiliated and that no intention to humiliate anyone was intended. But apparently this Saudi TV commentator wanted an official Nissan apology.
This is not a political or religious blog so this issue is not going to be debated here. (See Haaretz article) But this is a great opportunity to look at the Israeli TV and the Israeli viewer. From this commercial and it's topic you can see that both regular TV shows and commercials can be sarcastic and funny. Maybe because of the stress in the security and economy which the average Israeli feels, the TV is more of a funny relief than in other countries. I think that Israeli TV is simply a mix of serious communication and entertainment. In a country where Hebrew is mostly spoken and where nothing from the rest of the world is in Hebrew there is a need for everything. So satire and sarcasm definitely take back seat to political correctness. There is a regular comedy show on channel 1 which pokes fun at just about everything. Specially Israeli government officials and military leaders. But besides the talk when ordering coffee on Monday morning I don't think that anyone ever paid attention to the content of the show in terms of humiliating attacks. If the Saudis want to compare the Tiida commercial they should take a look at the latest McDonald's commercial. Here the US secret service picks average Israeli teen agers from a dance club and their home. Takes them to a closed McDonald's restaurant, open it just for the visiting US president. This pokes light fun of George Bush or the US secret service. But if George Bush as a US president didn't have a chuckle instead of a feeling of humiliation I would be worried. Actually, thinking about it, I would be worried if the US president even paid attention to a commercial on Israeli TV. In general, Israeli TV reflects the values of free speech and open communication.
But what does this say about Arab television? or worst, about Arab advertising? Well, it probably says that the main TV outlets in the Arab world can not be as free as in other places. Israelis are probably not really surprised or worried. Saudi Arabia and other gulf countries are not considered free politically. The dance between free press and state propaganda takes slightly different twists and turns, but than again this is not a political opinion blog.
Paris Hilton poking fun of John McCain - No Israeli TV commentator was offended. One little bit of funny TV commercial mention. We get to see US television news channels (CNN, FOX, NBC, etc.) - Fox recently had a commentary on the Paris Hilton spoof of a John McCain presidential commercial. Apparently the mud slinging is starting in full force there. This is something we are going to see soon here when the primaries and the election campaign start soon. I wish Paris would come here, or better, we should get some Israeli bomb shell to copy her. We got lots to learn yet. Enjoy the commercials, they are sometimes better than the news!
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