Arts and Culture

Beware Bahrain: Attack of the Raunchy Dancer !

Aaliyah Anon, South Africa, Friday 2 May 2008

Top entertainment news of today concerned a certain Haifa Wehbe, a very sultry, raunchy and controversial Lebanese singer from the Middle East. Certainly a lighter note to take our minds off the daily carnage and destruction we see around the world today!

Ms Wehbe was to perform for the very first time in Bahrain. The result - unrest within the members of the Gulf Kingdom’s Islamic parliament, who have urged the government to ban the performance. Powerful words indeed from an impotent ‘elected’ parliament !

Their objections, are based on the fact that the pop superstar’s performance would be “sexually provocative” and would violate Islamic conventions and Bahrain’s traditions ( doesn’t exactly stop the kingdom’s princes from benefiting from the same fan fare!). Although the organisers had promised that Ms Wehbe would dress modestly during the show, it seems like the authorities aren’t willing to take their chances.

Four years ago, an Arab version of “Big Brother” was launched which caused outrage amongst Muslims in the Middle East. At the time, MPs forced the satellite channel MBC to suspend the production being filmed in Bahrain, because it offended “the virtues and traditions of the Arab world” (no comment…).

In this case, Ms Wehbe, a renowned exotic dancer, infamous for her revealing clothes and sexy performances, has left Bahrain’s Islam dominated parliament a little unimpressed to say the least. Then again, probably as impressive as the treatment of the kingdom’s Shia minority !

Ms Wehbe’s career began when she was 16 years old, and had won the Miss South Lebanon beauty contest. She later became a runner-up for Miss Lebanon, a top fashion model and released three albums and made countless TV appearances. She has featured in many magazines and website polls. However, although famous across the Middle East, she is little known outside the Arab world

Ms Wehbe has received numerous criticisms from the Arab media about her dancing, lack of modesty and provocative dancing.

Although the organisers had promised that the singer would dress modestly, that wasn’t enough for Bahrain's parliament - dominated by MPs who regularly conduct campaigns against entertainment which they are too liberal.

Ms Wehbe lashed back at the parliament stating that she knows she has fans in Bahrain and that she wants to perform in Bahrain for them, and is not concerned with the issues raised by the government.

Aaliyah Anon ~ who I am is not important, what I stand for is

Note: The Author of this article chooses to remain anonymous, and so goes via a pseudo name.