Anything else you’re sick of seeing about Arabs in movies? And for the non-Arabs, what movie stereotype are you sick of seeing about people from YOUR country?
Overused Arab stereotypes… Let me see, there’s the taxi driver who is a fountain of wisdom, being moral guardians/crusaders and unable to reason like everyone else.
As to Malaysian Chinese stereotypes, there is the stereotype that we are all gamblers, overcompetitive and extremely miserly. Or involved in organized crime.
While writing my masters thesis I came across a book about perceptions of Arabs in the West. And the author presented his 3Bs framework for Arabs in movies: Bombers, Belly dancers and Billionaire Sheikhs.
This reminds me of the movie Crash, where Terrance Howard’s character is told he needs to be and act more black, as well as Jack Shaheen’s “Reel Bad Arab’s (http://tinyurl.com/kax63uh). Have you heard of it Sareen?
Oooh actually I hadn’t seen this documentary before, but someone JUST posted this documentary on my Ink On The Side facebook page and added the documentary. I’ll definitely be checking it. Thanks for sharing!
This isn’t nearly as bad as the portrayal of arabs but it always annoys me a bit how the Dutch language and Dutch accents are almost always portrayed as German language/accents instead in American movies. In the worst case they even just take german culture and stereotypes and act like it’s dutch. They actually do the same thing to Belgium, but with French instead.
There’s not so much of it now, but British actors were almost always cast as the villains in Hollywood movies. Any Brit actor not playing a villain would invariably end up dead, or was the ‘stoopid sidekick’ to the ‘great American hero’.
I’m not French but live in Paris and my French friends are always commenting how the French characters in American movies are usually villains, traitors or just generally unsympathetic. Their physical appearance almost always consists of a three-day beard and a cigarette hanging from their lips.
Its not so much in movies, but something I’m sick of seeing on TV are the ‘feed the children’ infomercials that always go to an African Village somewhere, show shots of normal Tribes-people going about their day, and then stick some random actor in front of the camera to talk about how horrible life in that village is.
As someone who was originally from Africa, just once I wish groups like that would choose a different continent to exploit for their infomercials
Arabs aren’t the only stereotypes. I’m from Texas and I’ve had people come up to me and ask me where the bars, Cowboys, and all of the guns are, so I feel your pain. After a while you just want to shoot the idiots, you’d think people could at least learn about different cultures and be open to new ideas. I know these comics are for Lebanese life but we all feel it. ☺️
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Overused Arab stereotypes… Let me see, there’s the taxi driver who is a fountain of wisdom, being moral guardians/crusaders and unable to reason like everyone else.
As to Malaysian Chinese stereotypes, there is the stereotype that we are all gamblers, overcompetitive and extremely miserly. Or involved in organized crime.
Wow, you nailed it with the Malaysian Chinese stereotypes! That’s all we see of them in movies!
While writing my masters thesis I came across a book about perceptions of Arabs in the West. And the author presented his 3Bs framework for Arabs in movies: Bombers, Belly dancers and Billionaire Sheikhs.
I think those three Bs sum up our stereotypes nicely!
This reminds me of the movie Crash, where Terrance Howard’s character is told he needs to be and act more black, as well as Jack Shaheen’s “Reel Bad Arab’s (http://tinyurl.com/kax63uh). Have you heard of it Sareen?
Oooh actually I hadn’t seen this documentary before, but someone JUST posted this documentary on my Ink On The Side facebook page and added the documentary. I’ll definitely be checking it. Thanks for sharing!
This isn’t nearly as bad as the portrayal of arabs but it always annoys me a bit how the Dutch language and Dutch accents are almost always portrayed as German language/accents instead in American movies. In the worst case they even just take german culture and stereotypes and act like it’s dutch. They actually do the same thing to Belgium, but with French instead.
There’s not so much of it now, but British actors were almost always cast as the villains in Hollywood movies. Any Brit actor not playing a villain would invariably end up dead, or was the ‘stoopid sidekick’ to the ‘great American hero’.
Oh man, every time I see a British actor in an American movie, I immediately know he’s the bad guy. Typical!
I’m not French but live in Paris and my French friends are always commenting how the French characters in American movies are usually villains, traitors or just generally unsympathetic. Their physical appearance almost always consists of a three-day beard and a cigarette hanging from their lips.
Its not so much in movies, but something I’m sick of seeing on TV are the ‘feed the children’ infomercials that always go to an African Village somewhere, show shots of normal Tribes-people going about their day, and then stick some random actor in front of the camera to talk about how horrible life in that village is.
As someone who was originally from Africa, just once I wish groups like that would choose a different continent to exploit for their infomercials
I would give anything to hear some of the witty one liners that the Arab protagonist would come up with!
Sad, but true.
being from the United States i get a little sick of the fat stupid gun toting JEEEEEEEEEESUS freak trope
Arabs aren’t the only stereotypes. I’m from Texas and I’ve had people come up to me and ask me where the bars, Cowboys, and all of the guns are, so I feel your pain. After a while you just want to shoot the idiots, you’d think people could at least learn about different cultures and be open to new ideas. I know these comics are for Lebanese life but we all feel it. ☺️