MTV produces "The Husseins" in 2000

So, what if prior to 9/11 MTV started the reality show "The Husseins" (instead of starting "The Osbournes" in 2002).
The show featured the dictator of Iraq with his family, their everyday lives, footage of the luxurious palaces, etc.
The show became very popular in some Middle Eastern countries and was also watched by many Arabs abroad. Then in 2001, 3 months before 9/11 the show started in the US as well and was soon a big hit.

Could this prevent the Second Gulf War?


:)
 

ninebucks

Banned
What makes you think Arabs would want to watch the murderous antics of the al-Tikriti clan?

This is just ASB, surely someone with an ounce of decency would put a halt to the idea of making the life of a genocidal madman a piece of entertainment.
 
What next: the Stalins?

The Milosevics?

The Hitlers?

The Zedongs?

Kim Jong Il: the series?
 
View this all as a public-relations campaign by Saddam.
Of course he would not allow the cameras to be around 24/7.

But it is insane enough, I think for people to watch it.

I'd watch it, wouldn't you?
 

Tellus

Banned
I am really peeved by how easily people call "ASB" on anything these days. Cmon, this is perfectly possible. Hussein was painted as a genocidal madman because the US chose to make him a foe; a character like him could have easily been painted as a stoic, pragmatic secularist that saved his small nation from Iranian domination and the ravages of extremist theocracies that plagued the rest of the mid-east.

Dont believe me? Just look at Pakistan, how quickly Musharaff became a respectable and selfless stateman when he chose the right side.

In other words, make Iraq continue to be a US ally after the Iraq-Iran war, and a show like this is most likely a probable outcome.

Need I remind you all that Hitler, Stalin and Khomeinei were all Time's "Person of the Year"? Stalin twice?

ASB my ***.
 
Considering my television stopped receiving MTv the day I moved out and put the bunny ears up, no. I wouldn't watch it. Actually, come to think of it, I've never been a fan of ANYTHING MTv put up once they stopped showing actual music. Hm. I hate Hollister.

But I digress.

It wouldn't be popular anywhere but Saudi Arabia and/or Egypt. The rest of the Middle East was a) too alive during the First Gulf War and Iraq/Iran War to think the Husseins are in any way worthy of that kind of celebrity, and b) are still too poor in most cases to even receive MTv. But all the spoiled oil-rich kids in Saudi Arabia would be like the mindless drones of American Suburbia--lapping it up and loving it.

Its ratings would, of course, be phenomenal in the US (because we'll accept any old tripe MTv or VH1 gives us) but it wouldn't prevent the Second Gulf War. You would just start seeing all the scene kids walking around with Saddam, Uday, and Kusei on their t-shirts from Hot Topic. *shudder* I would hate to see that.
 
Its ratings would, of course, be phenomenal in the US (because we'll accept any old tripe MTv or VH1 gives us) but it wouldn't prevent the Second Gulf War. You would just start seeing all the scene kids walking around with Saddam, Uday, and Kusei on their t-shirts from Hot Topic. *shudder* I would hate to see that.
But it would be fun, wouldn't it?

Here's a good POD:

Have Uday Hussein take part in an episode of "Cribs" in MTV, showing one of his dad's palaces in the late '90s (perhaps before the inspectors had to leave?).
It would be probably far bigger than any place we have seen in Cribs so far.
Then a couple of years later, some MTV producer thinking of a new show, sees how popular that "Cribs" episode was and proposes "The Husseins" to Saddam.
As a pilot a 1-hour feature is produced, which is very popular.
Then full production starts with multiple episodes coming out.


I do understand that Saddam is not popular in the Middle East, but that would not prevent people from watching the episodes. In fact I believe its the reason that his is so unpopular that will make the people watch him. They will love to see the proof of the luxurious life Saddam is living, while his people are hungry due to the embargo.
I feel like such a series would also be alot more popular among grown-ups than "The Osbournes" were.

Everyone wants to see the monster.
 
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Need I remind you all that Hitler, Stalin and Khomeinei were all Time's "Person of the Year"? Stalin twice?

ASB my ***.

Time's "Person of the Year" is awarded to people who have the most impact on American and global society that year, not because that Time Magazine's editors like them or anything like that...
 
Originally Posted by Avalon1
The Milosevics?

The Hitlers?

The Zedongs?

Kim Jong Il: the series?

Actually, The Zedongs would be The Maos. Mao was his surname, Zedong his personal name. The custom of designating the surname as last name and the personal first name is a European one, whereas in the Sinosphere, the reverse order is used.

Come and think about it, Kim Jong Il: the series seems like it would be disturbingly close to Team America: World Police (fucking Hans Brix!). Would Kim sing "I'm Ronery, So Ronery" on the show?
 
i can see it now:

John Pilger presents the Milosevics: a tale of persecution and resistance to imperialism

Part 1.

JP: today, we are looking at a leader that has resisted imperialism and the child murdering US forces. He is of course, Slobodan Milosevic.

Pilger comes in on Milosevic at his desk shredding documents about Srebrenica as well as vote rigging.

SM: Hello John. As you can see, i am being persecuted because of my nationalism.

JP: of course. the US has always overthrown democratically elected leaders.

SM: but i just wanted to show my side of the story, and about how this persecution is illegal. Here comes my daughter now. Marija, how did your brother [who doesnt want to be on the show] do in that bout of Ethnic Cleansing?

End of Part 1
 
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