When it comes to producing a funny television show or movie in Canada, producers have a reliable staple of topics: Quebecois v English speakers and anything that involves a bumbling politician or the United States.
But Islam does not make the list, which is one reason the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s new sitcom, Little Mosque On The Prairie, is attracting such attention in North America.
The show follows a small group of Muslims in a prairie town in Saskatchewan where, in the first episode, the group was trying to establish a mosque in the parish hall of a church. A passer-by, seeing the group praying, rushes to call a “terrorist hot line” to report Muslims praying “just like on CNN”, which touches off a local firestorm.
The show has generally been well received by Muslim leaders, who welcome the light touch it brings to issues that are normally debated in numbing seriousness.
The show is a hit in Canada and the producers are offering it to networks around the world. I wonder if it will get any play in Saudi Arabia — or the U.S.?
Cripes, I don’t even get to see Trailer Park Boys, anymore.
One of the things I miss most about Canada is the CBC. They have a mandate to bring diversity to their programming using Canadian artists. It is truly unfortunate that the only results seen in the US are the comedies and comedians such as John Candy, Martin Short, and Jim Carey. Some of the best dramas I have ever seen will never be seen in America because the locale is too alien to American audiences.
Exposure to various cultures will bring us together and foster much understanding. Unless, like traxx, you are already beyond hope.
Yeah, if i knew where to email it to guys, I wouldnt post the links in other threads – does anyone know?
PS the link was sweet, it was about this guy who tried to commit suicide by jumping in front of a subway train (in mexico city), the cops were called in, hauled his ass away “for questioning” and then proceeded to beat him to death…
seriously though, whats the email addy i can send article submissions to?
From the masthead:
“Users may register and submit posts for consideration. Anyone wishing to contribute to the blog should contact john@dvorak.org for guidelines.”
I saw the first episode. It was kinda funny, but it got real tiresome that EVERY SINGLE non-muslim character was a complete idiot.
Thanks Pedro. I’ve wondered about that myself. I guess it falls into the RTFM category, when you come right down to it.
24. “but it got real tiresome that EVERY SINGLE non-muslim character was a complete idiot.”
Wow, in the US every single network TV show represents all white males as being complete idiots.
It could be one of the reasons I haven’t watch prime time TV in about 25 years.
26-
You make a ridiculous assertion that network tv shows represent white males as being complete idiots, then go on to say you haven’t watched prime time tv in 25 years?
There are plenty of shows in which white males are depicted as anything BUT idiotic. But then I guess you couldn’t sit in judgment of mass media if you actually opened your mind, could you?
#27, I watch little TV. But I guess you are referring to characters such as Monk, House, Homer Simpson, and the Fox Football crew as outstanding white male role models.
“Little Mosque” depends of offensive stereotypes for its humour.
Also, while at times funny, I do wonder about how “real” the situation is. I once saw a show about how the Nazis made two propaganda films about the conflict between the British and the Irish. The films, at least according to those who were interviewed who had seen them were quite good. The only problem was that the people in the movies were not Irish. What I mean by that was that the culture of the Irish portrayed in the films in no way reflected actual Irish culture as I guess the Germans who wrote, produced, and acted in the movies never took the time to get to understand the traditions and feel of the Irish people. It just wasn’t important to them because in the end it had nothing to do with the Irish. It was as one commentator of the movies said “Germans talking to Germans”.
And that is kind of what I am getting with the “Little Mosque” show. In the end it isn’t really about small town Saskatchewan or Muslim communities living within small town Saskatchewan. In the end what it comes down to is just Liberal Urbanite Canadians talking to Liberal Urbanite Canadians, with their political message being far more important to them than whether or not the situation portrayed reflects a real situation in the country accurately enough.
By the way, why does “The She Mayor” remind me so much of the mayor on South Park?
The comment regarding September 11th in the 3rd episode was extremely offensive.
To compare an electrical fire (caused by a member of the mosque albeit accidentally) where no one was even injuried and the damage to the mosque amounted to a few rugs and other minor property to an act that caused the deaths of 2996 people was beyond the pale.
Can you imagine having to make the decision between either jumping to your death or being burned alive? Yet by that comment the show tries to trivalize this. That the CBC would allow that comment shows it to be lacking of any decency and conscience.
It is even more concerning when you realize that the vast majority of the people in the Muslim world and even one third of Westerners believe that September 11th was caused by the Americans and/or the Israelis. Was that the idea that was trying to be promoted? Just like that Muslim was blaming the infidels in the town for the fire that was really caused by another member of the mosque, the Muslims are being blamed for something that was caused by members of the West and therefore the electrical fire was indeed their September 11th.
I am quite offended that the CBC would go into encouraging that kind of thinking.
I love this show.
White people who live in Saskatchewan are so stupid.
It is so fun to laugh at them
Fred Tupper is very smart.
He is right to be concerned when a foreign element comes into his community and tries to take over.
Look at what happened in Antelope, Oregon, USA during the 1980s.
Yeah, first it was all about tolerance and diversity and all of that. But pretty soon they took over, changed the name of the town and most of the original inhabitants were forced out.
Fred Tupper knows that Mercistan is a real possibility (or is it Merciabad). Especially with She Mayor in the the corner of the Muslims with the hope that she can count on them as a solid voting block for her. In the end though, when the Muslims do gain overwhelming numbers in the community, she might just find herself pushed aside as they are going to want one of their own as mayor. But then again, when it reaches that point She Mayor would probably convert to Islam though I believe the Muslims would see her conversion to Islam for what it is – a lame political ploy.