(BEIRUT, LEBANON) — Lebanese drama queen Amal Hamadeh first went viral during a street interview with a Future TV reporter about political conflicts in Lebanon.
But now Hamadeh is offering her opinion on the presidential deadlock, gays in Lebanon, Myriam Fares’ recent marriage, hashtags, Haifa, and more!
Watch her hilarious rant here:
Hamadeh went viral after this street interview on Future TV where she claimed there are “no more men” in Lebanon:
(WASHINGTON, DC) — Arab-American standup comedian Remy Munasifi, also known as “GoRemy” on his YouTube channel, released a new video called “All About That Paste,” a parody of Meghan Trainor’s hit song, “All About That Bass.”
Born in Washington to an Iraqi father and a Lebanese mother, Munasifi gained internet popularity after uploading several comedic sketches that focus on Arab life in the United States.
Watch him bring Tabbouleh back:
LYRICS:
Because you know
I’m all about that paste
’bout that paste
that hummus
Yeah it’s pretty clear
this ain’t no Thai food
but I can dip it, dip it
when I would like, dude
It’s got tahini, an Arab-like taste,
and all the right oil in all the right places
You said you get your hummus
down at the corner shop?
You know that dish ain’t real, habibi
Make it stop
Ain’t got enough tahini?
You toss it back
But every other kind is tasty
from Beirut on to Iraq
I said my Momma she told me
don’t worry about your thighs
She told me eat some tabbouleh with it
and you’ll be alright
(tabbouleh-bouleh)
(no booty-booty)
You know you won’t see me eating from
silicone hummus cups
So if that’s what you’re into then
go ahead and move along
Remy Remz and I’m back again
Don’t know who I am? Baby, ask your friends
If they say they don’t know? Better ask again
They still don’t know? I guess that makes sense…
If you suspect that the content is teeny
Go to the lab and check the tahini
Never dip a carrot or tortilla
Hummus is like Katniss: it needs pita.
I brought tabbouleh back
You tell your skinny sandwiches that
You think it’s tasty but it’s really bad
But I’m here to tell you
Every kind of it is tasty
from Beirut on to Iraq
I said my momma she told me
don’t worry about your thighs
She said that girls will not like you
does not matter what your size
(that’s kind of spooky)
(why’d you tell that to me?)
No you won’t see me eating from
silicone hummus cups
So if that’s what you’re into then
go ahead and move along
(BEIRUT, LEBANON) — Lebanese singer Sabah, one of the leading Arab performers of her generation, has died at the age of 87, her family said on Wednesday.
Born Jeanette Feghali and known to her fans as the “singing bird,” Sabah recorded at least 4,000 songs in her lifetime, released over 50 albums, and acted in 98 films.
In the mid-1970s, she became the second Arab singer after Egypt’s Oum Kalthoum to perform at L’Olympia in Paris. She also performed at London’s Royal Albert Hall and the Sydney Opera House.
Sabah was born to a Christian family in the village of Bdedoun, a Lebanese town in the Baabda-Aley province. She is known for her multiple marriages, tying the knot with at least nine men.
Her last marriage, to Lebanese artist Fadi Lubnan, lasted 17 years. She had two children, Dr Sabah Shammas and actress Howayda Mansy, both of whom live in the United States.
She released her first song in 1940, while her parallel screen career began three years later in Egypt, the centre of the Arabic film industry.
In Lebanon, Sabah was often humorously mocked for refusing to leave the limelight, as well as her garish outfits and use of cosmetic surgery.
But she was unabashed: “I’m proud that I’m a village girl but I had a lot of ambition,” she said in 2008.
“She broke so many taboos. I don’t know if she was even aware of it,” said Chady Maalouf, head of programming at Voice of Lebanon radio.
“She was the example of a star, she was totally complete in her appearance, behavior and voice. She shocked people all the time.”
“Today, Lebanon lost a legend. Sabah is gone but she remains in our hearts,” famed Lebanese pop singer Nancy Ajram said on Twitter. “Her memory will remain in the minds and hearts of millions.”
Lebanese politician Walid Jumblatt wrote on Twitter: “She was a great singer of a Lebanon that my generation knew, that will never come back”.
Rest in Peace, Sabah.
(BEIRUT, LEBANON) — Lebanese superstar Haifa Wehbe shocked the Arab world on Thursday when she wore a revealing dress during a talent show performance on Arab Star Academy.
Haifa, who is 38 years old, appeared on a live episode, flaunting a tight-fitting black dress with revealing sheer panels.
More than two million people watched the seductive performance and many women took to social media to criticize Wehbe for her racy choice of outfit.
Most of the negative reactions on social media came from women in Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia.
“They think if women dress this way it would misrepresent our culture,” said Dana Khairallah, a Lebanese lifestyle blogger, in an interview with BBC. “I find that hypocritical. I see Arab girls dressing more provocatively in clubs but no one cares because there are no cameras.”
The Egyptian channel CBC, which airs the Star Academy TV show, issued an apology on its channel for the star’s appearance on the show.
Wehbe herself blamed the stage lighting in a tweet, saying the original dress appeared more modest but that she “was surprised that it looked very different with the strong lighting on the stage.”
WATCH the performance:
Did you think it was controversial? Click here to share your thoughts on Facebook.
(SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA) — Lebanese superstar Najwa Karam recently lashed out at an audience member on stage in Sydney, Australia after reportedly getting harassed halfway during her performance.
“Money does not buy us nor does it buy you, and shame on you for what you are doing,” she told the unidentified man.
Karam, who is known for her modesty and lack of controversy, continued with her performance despite the man’s jeers.
“In my life, I have never liked problems on stage, but you are being rude tonight,” she said. “Isn’t there anyone who can push you back tonight?”
Other audience members cheered for her and yelled, “May God strengthen you Najwa!”
It is unclear why the man was supposedly upset.
Watch the amateur YouTube video below:
(BEIRUT, LEBANON) — It’s no surprise Lebanese fathers are not always the ‘smartest’ when it comes to smartphones.
But no matter how many doctorate degrees you earn, your Lebanese father, according to him, is always smarter than both you and your smartphone.
Watch below:
[youtube url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTM2YE0Z3Ts” width=”500″ height=”300″]
(BEIRUT, LEBANON) — Swedish-Lebanese singer-songwriter Maher Zain performs his new song “One Day”, written in honor of refugees worldwide, for the first time at the 2014 Nansen Refugee Award ceremony.
The Nansen Refugee Award marks its 60th anniversary this year and is UNHCR’s top humanitarian honor. A courageous Colombian women’s rights network – Butterflies with New Wings Building a Future (Butterflies) – received the Award for its outstanding work to help victims of forced displacement and sexual abuse in Buenaventura, Colombia.
Watch Zain’s live performance:
[youtube url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eS7-niMavSM” width=”500″ height=”300″]
(BEIRUT, LEBANON) — The 2013 Lebanese drama film directed by Amin Dora, “Ghadi” is vying for an official entry for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film at next year’s Oscars Awards.
The film was originally selected as the Lebanese entry last year, but was delayed to this year because it didn’t meet eligibility dates.
“Ghadi” set in a fictional village near Batroun, tackles the daring campaign waged by a father to overcome villagers’ animosity toward his disabled son.
Written by Georges Khabbaz, the film was previously awarded the audience choice award at the Busan International Film Festival in South Korea and was recently selected by the Culture Ministry as Lebanon’s official entry for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
Entertainment magazine Variety described it as “a sly and absorbing comedy whose particular resonance for Arab viewers (particularly fans of the fledgling Lebanese filmmaking industry) never undercuts its essential appeal to a potentially broad array of audiences.”
“Ghadi” will be competing against 80 other entries in the foreign language category. Lebanon has entered 11 films for the Oscars since 1978, but has yet to receive a nomination.
Watch the movie trailer here:
(LONDON, ENGLAND) — Human rights attorney Amal Alamuddin was recently featured in a UK newspaper’s list of the most powerful and influential people in London.
Alamuddin is the highest-placed female on the Evening Standard newspaper’s annual power ranking list.
This list, officially called ‘The 1000 most influential Londoners 2014’ features 1,000 people and at the fourth spot, she was placed higher than Kate Middleton, Victoria Beckham, Prince Harry and Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai.
Alamuddin is featured behind the Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne, the Mayor of London Boris Johnson and technology entrepreneur Demis Hassabis.
Prince Harry, who is currently fourth in line to the U.K. throne, claims the seventh spot.
Meanwhile, Amal has also been criticized for changing her last name from Alamuddin to Clooney after she got married in Venice last month.
The name change was first noticed on her law firm’s website on the day that she headed back to work in Athens on Monday to discuss how Greece can get back the Parthenon marbles from the British Museum.
Many critics are saying that the name change is “anti-feminist” and “backwards and subservient” to tradition while others are saying that Amal is “giving the impression that her name isn’t as valuable as his.”
Amal has yet to make any public comments about the name change to the media.
(BEIRUT, LEBANON) — Among the honking and prolonged lines of traffic on the streets of Beirut, you will often find new drivers learning the tricks of navigating Lebanon’s roads from their father.
Driving in Lebanon isn’t easy on it’s own, but clearly when your father is teaching you how to drive, things may get more difficult.
Watch below:
Send this to friend