Sabbah Report » SuperStar

Haifa Wehbe denies role in Gaza-bound voyage

Haitham Sabbah — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 17:33:39 +0000

By Habib Toumi, Bahrain Bureau Chief

Lebanese superstar Haifa Wehbe and Hezbollah have denied media reports that the religious formation had banned the singer from boarding Mariam, the Gaza-bound ship carrying humanitarian aid.

Haifa said that she did not sign up to be among the activists planning to board the ship to break the Gaza blockade, but added that the media claims (ar) about Hezbollah rejection of her participation were malicious.

According to Nasreen Dhawahra, Haifa's media officer, the singer "was not even aware of a Lebanese ship trying to reach the besieged Gaza Strip."

Ibrahim Al Mousawi, Hezbollah public relations officer, said in Lebanon that the allegations about the Gaza ship and Haifa Wahbe were untrue.

Kuwaiti daily Al Siyassah this week reported that "senior Hezbollah leaders have categorically rejected a request by singer Haifa Wehbe to join the activists who will sail within days from Lebanon to Gaza carrying humanitarian aid”.

The paper attributed the report to "extremely well-informed sources", but did not name them.

According to the paper, Haifa’s request was conveyed to the journey organizer Yasser Qashlaq, a Palestinian businessman living in Syria, who consulted Hezbollah.

He was told that Haifa’s presence was not welcome on the grounds that “nudity, degradation and immodest clothing would harm the reputation of all the women participating in the journey.”

Haifa, who at the age of 16 won a beauty contest in South Lebanon before becoming the “most beautiful young woman in Lebanon” in 1995, has often caused stirs in the Arab world through her provocative outfits.

SMS’ing Star Academy is Haram

Haitham Sabbah — Thu, 29 Dec 2005 22:29:23 +0000

Saudi mobile phone company Mobily has barred users from text message voting in the pan-Arab version of Star Academy, after an earlier religious edict deemed the show immoral. The program is carried by the Lebanese channel LBC and was very popular in its first two seasons. [Source: Reuters]

Business decision based on funny Fatwa (religious decree), branding the reality show-Star Academy- immoral. Well, I don't like the show myself, and I said that before, but that does not mean that I agree to zone it into the "Haram" list. After the infamous fatwa last year, the winner of the show; who happened to be a Saudi, was detained by the Saudi religious authorities for causing an ï¿½indecent scene.ï¿½

From my experience in the telecom market in this part of the world, I can confidently claim that Mobily press release has nothing to do with religion and it is just playing a cleaver marketing game. Keeping in mind that Mobily was newly launched at Saudi Arabia, and will do anything to eat part of the Saudi telecom market share.

On the other hand, such fatwa is so meaningless and aimless, that it seems to be directed to a particular show but not the other. Why? Just because it is reality show? Under their terms, does Superstar qualify as not Haram? What about the 100's music and chat-TV channels? Are they Halal?

This is where I noticed that the Saudi mobile companies are playing on using religion and Islam in their marketing ads, directly and indirectly. I wonder how many noticed the brainless ~~religious~~ ads of Saudi Telecom (Mobily competitor) during the month of Ramadan. While they had good intentions, but the ads were always negative. I think they had the chosen the worst marketing companies to come with these TV ads

It seems that Mobily understood the game of commissioning the religious game in their marketing campaign, but in more clever way than Saudi Telecom did. After all, as I said before, there are 100's of music and chat-TV channels as well other reality shows, which I personally see more fundamentally destructive to our youth and culture than a ~~talent~~ reality show like Star Academy. And none of these are banned, and the customers of both of the Saudi mobile companies have full access to these channels and shows!

SuperStar 3

Haitham Sabbah — Sat, 15 Oct 2005 10:34:52 +0000

Tomorrow will be the second roundup of Future SuperStar 3. A show that has broke records over the last two years, in spite of all the controversy that went around it. Some of it (if not all) was of political background, and very few of artistic.

Anyway, I think the producers (Future TV) and the jury team are trying to counter previous negative issues. Therefore, I just read about the plan for this year contest, which is going to be in four levels. Of course level one finished as we saw last week, where 100 nominees were selected from around the world.

Tomorrow will be level two. A new level in the contest, were all the 100 nominees will be asked to perform their best song on theater. For three consecutive days, the 100 nominees will be short listed to 20 only, and selection will be by the official jury team only.

Next will be level three. Again a new concept is introduced here, were females will be separated from males (singing wise), so that both genders get equal and fair share of training as well as participation then voting from their fans. Over a span of two weeks, 5 girls and 5 boys will be elected by the public. One more week will be added and dedicated to a 'last chance' roundup for those who lost in the previous two roundups, but only 2 nominees will be elected and they will join the other 10 to make the total of 12 finalist.

Here starts last and final level of the contest. One of the most difficult, interesting and breath taking (I hope) like previous years, to elect a new 'Arab SuperStar 2005', after Diana Karazon 2003, and Ayman Al Atar 2004.

All the best for everyone, and pleasant watching (during Ramadan and After :-D)

Latest Ban, Hejran, Kan-Zaman and ‘Habalan’

Haitham Sabbah — Tue, 27 Sep 2005 11:58:16 +0000

The Ban:

Officials at the Kuwaiti Information Ministry have confirmed that its ï¿½Censorship Departmentï¿½ has refused a request for a concert during the Muslim holiday Eid Al Fitr for Lebanese singer Nancy Ajram.

A committee member stated that Nancy should not be allowed to sing at public celebrations in Kuwait and supported the Ministryï¿½s decision to ban her. I was told that Egyptian singer Ruby is also banned from performing in Kuwait.

Welcome onboard, Kuwait (previously Morocco).

Al Hejran:

The organizers of the reality TV program ï¿½Al Wadiï¿½ (The Ranch) have announced that they received a formal letter from the managing office of Lebanese singer Haifa Wahbi informing them of her withdrawal from the show.

Haifaï¿½s departure from the ï¿½Ranchï¿½ was filmed live and she had requested the camera man to stop filming saying ï¿½If you are filming me pack stop, I want to leave, I am fed up and want to be alone.ï¿½ The singer left her room at the ranch in tears seeking solitude and some peace of mind.

Ya 7aram!

And Kan Zaman:

Once more, photographs of Lebanese singer Alissa are splashed across Western magazines, after winning the ï¿½2005 World Music Awardï¿½ for highest record sales in the Middle East and Northern Africa. Alissa is the first Arab to receive the prestigious award.

But this time it was not Alissaï¿½s accomplishments as a singer that drew the attention of American magazine ï¿½US,ï¿½ instead it was to compare the dress she wore to the awards ceremony to the same one worn by American pop star Jennifer Lopez at an event in New York.

Wallahe it looks better on Elissa. Kan Zaman ya Jenny, you are getting old!

I can't believe I'm writing about all this :-)

The Habalan:

Well, actually when I came across these stories today, they reminded me of the headline on Al-Arabiya (in Arabic) that these ladies are serious threat to the Israel:

Official Israeli report (by the General Agency for Israeli Cinema and Arts, September 2) denounced Nancy Ajram, Hayfa Wehbi, Maria and other Lebanese popstars as posing a destructive and serious threat to the Israeli state because of their ï¿½political activities which have great influence in the Arab world due to their great popularity.ï¿½

Well, I like to believe what the Israeli report said. In fact I believe that they are "destructive", but to Israel?

Hence, I've decided to promote these brigade artists. Who knows, we might get our rights and occupied lands on their hands one day!

Long live Nancy, Haifa, Maria, Elissa, Marwa, Khadejeh (Future SuperStar), etc...