How would you feel about seeing a person trapped inside a burning room, pinned down by a large predator, kidnapped by terrorists or abandoned in a lion infested jungle?
If you think that is funny then you share the same twisted and sick sense of humor with the makers of the nonsensical prank shows that air every Ramadan.
As a viewer I ask myself: what is the purpose of such shows? Where is the fun in seeing celebrities having an anxiety attack from being surrounded by actual fire? Or watching them saying their final prayers as a “fake” terrorist points a gun at them? Or seeing pure fear in their eyes as they come face to face with a lion inside a locked cage?
Where is the value in watching this? I don’t think it is funny. In fact, I think this is dangerous, irresponsible and completely unacceptable, especially when it is combined with bullying and body shaming them like the “hilarious” prankster Ramez Galal did with his two guests Shaimaa Saif and Wizo in his equally “hilarious” show " Ramez Plays with Fire. "
How can Galal get away with calling these two ladies "elephants" and "barrels?" Or, how can he get away with saying, "give him a marijuana joint to wake him up," referring to his other guest Antonio Banderas?
How can the other oh-so funny prankster Mohammed Al Serafi get away with trapping his guests with a wild animal inside a locked cage? Why does he think that watching a celebrity screaming hysterically in fear of being attacked by the lion will have us in stitches? The same thing applies to so-called comedian Hani Ramzi in his tasteless shoW "Hani in the Jungle."
What is so funny about a prank show called "Mini ISIS?" The name itself is sickening regardless of the show’s inappropriate and stupid content. Do we really want to make light of one of the worst terrorists groups in the history of mankind and imitate what they do? Do the producers and presenter expect us to roll on the floor laughing at this?
There are so many questions about these shows that need answers. Some might say. “If you don’t like such programs don’t watch them." But I refuse this logic, and I’m sure I’m not the only one who has this opinion, just take a look at people’s comments on Twitter and Facebook. We – the viewers – are not stupid. We don’t want producers or TV channels to force such trash on us, whether we watch them or not. We definitely like to laugh, but there is nothing funny about watching people suffer, even if the guests of these shows are aware of the plot.
I hope that next Ramadan we won’t have to endure watching such rubbish and that the makers of such shows will give us more credit as intelligent viewers with valuable opinions.