Post by PapaEZRA on Apr 25, 2005 23:19:08 GMT -5
Genie jokes, sewage skits — giving people a way to laugh at their country's plight
By Ahmed Taha & Babak Behnam
Reporters
NBC News
Updated: 2:22 p.m. ET April 25, 2005
BAGHDAD - The Bedouin furiously rubs his lantern while ordering the genie to come out and grant him his three wishes. The genie emerges from the lantern in full splendor, and bows down in front of the grinning Bedouin.
"I am at your service sir. I am prepared to grant you three wishes and fulfill your dreams.
"But as you are an Iraqi I have to warn you from the start that there are three things I can not change for you in Iraq: Security, jobs, and the infrastructure!"
The crowd, which had gathered around the small wooden stall to watch the TV show, burst out in laughter.
The market in downtown Baghdad offers all manner of entertainment videos and movies. Choices range from video of a Sunni cleric preaching in favor of the Fallujah insurgents, to a local belly dancer with dark long hair dressed in a tight, colorful dress and dancing in a provocative manner. For the right amount of money even adult movies can be purchased.
But these days the best-selling item is the Kashkool Comedy Show starring Nahi Mehdi and Ihssan Dadoush. “I sell about 150 copies of their episodes every day. Their show outsells all the other ones, like insurgents videos, belly dancers or even music videos,” said the stall’s owner Ahmed Al-Lami.
More at
www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7603020/
By Ahmed Taha & Babak Behnam
Reporters
NBC News
Updated: 2:22 p.m. ET April 25, 2005
BAGHDAD - The Bedouin furiously rubs his lantern while ordering the genie to come out and grant him his three wishes. The genie emerges from the lantern in full splendor, and bows down in front of the grinning Bedouin.
"I am at your service sir. I am prepared to grant you three wishes and fulfill your dreams.
"But as you are an Iraqi I have to warn you from the start that there are three things I can not change for you in Iraq: Security, jobs, and the infrastructure!"
The crowd, which had gathered around the small wooden stall to watch the TV show, burst out in laughter.
The market in downtown Baghdad offers all manner of entertainment videos and movies. Choices range from video of a Sunni cleric preaching in favor of the Fallujah insurgents, to a local belly dancer with dark long hair dressed in a tight, colorful dress and dancing in a provocative manner. For the right amount of money even adult movies can be purchased.
But these days the best-selling item is the Kashkool Comedy Show starring Nahi Mehdi and Ihssan Dadoush. “I sell about 150 copies of their episodes every day. Their show outsells all the other ones, like insurgents videos, belly dancers or even music videos,” said the stall’s owner Ahmed Al-Lami.
More at
www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7603020/