Al Shamshoon

Simpsons; Culture; Entertainment; TV;

Homer Simpson just got rechristened Omar Shamshoon, Bart is Badr. Dubbing is passe, it's the age of adaptations.

Arab satellite channel MBC is running an adaptation of The Simpsons, customised to Arab culture. Homer (Omar) has dropped his favorite Duff beer for cola, hence can't really hang out at seedy bars with his chums. Bars being the topic of discussion, Moe doesn't own one anymore, but grazes goats.

With such adaptation, there's a serious risk of losing the USP of the show, it just may not be funny anymore, or at least in the way The Simpsons is perceived to be funny. A Simpsons fan (and I'm not sure if they ran the original Simpsons series in the Middle East) might miss out on what he takes for granted, when the Shamshoons suddenly behave so differently. For example, a lot of the best Simpson moments happen when a character is pissed drunk.

On the other hand, it might just start a whole new industry who's adapting American content for the Middle East and India, and Indian and Chinese content to suit American tastes.

Think of the possibilities, the Shamshoons on their way to India, would become the Sharmas, where Amar (Homer) guzzles Old Monk and Masala Papad, instead of beer and doughnuts, at a theka owned by Moe-han.

Whether that happens and when would probably be decided by the popularity of Al Shamshoon.....(I wonder how they adapt D'oh!!!)

Links to related news items and blogs:
News article in The Independent
FumbleMcStupid's Blog
Image courtsey: Oblogatory Anecdotes