Latest season of satirical show with same format as US Saturday Night Live had just ended

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

Egypt has banned broadcasts of a homegrown version of the US satirical television show Saturday Night Live for using “sexual expressions that are inappropriate for viewers”.

Egypt’s supreme council for media regulation issued the decision late on Sunday, a day after the latest season ended.

SNL Arabia, which followed an identical format to its US namesake, featuring celebrity guests and comedy sketches, became a huge hit after its debut in February 2016. Unlike its US relation, the Egyptian show avoided political references. Nevertheless, in a market saturated with pro-state nightly talkshows, light comedy and soap operas, it was deemed too provocative.

A statement released by the council said an investigation “confirmed that the programme has consistently used sexual phrases and insinuations that cannot be presented to viewers, and violates ethical and professional criteria”.

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The state-run Al-Ahram newspaper reported that the council also sent a cease-and-desist letter to the head of the Egyptian Media Company, owner of the private satellite channel ON, which has been broadcasting reruns of SNL Arabia for the past year. It is unclear whether the decision to ban the show will also affect the Dubai-based Orbit Showtime Network, which broadcasts the new episodes filmed each week in Cairo.

Several people who worked on SNL Arabia on Monday declined to answer questions about the ban, saying they were unable to discuss the issue publicly.

Two cast members, Shadi Alfons and Khalid Mansour, who presented the SNL Arabic version of the Weekend Update segment, previously worked on the Al-Bernameg show presented by the comedian Bassem Youssef.

Youssef, referred to as the Egyptian equivalent of the former The Daily Show host Jon Stewart, ceased production of the political satire show Al-Bernameg in 2014 saying that it was “no longer safe to satirise Egypt”. He later fled the country fearing for his safety.

When interviewed by CNN in 2016, Khulud Abu Homos, the executive vice-president of the OSN network, said the programme’s creators were aware of the challenges of creating comedy in a difficult environment.

“SNL will ruffle some feathers for sure, but we will always be respectful to our cultural identity,” he said. “It’s a thin line sometimes, but we are determined to make sure a balance is set between edgy comedy and responsible comedy.”

The decision to ban SNL Arabia “reflects the broader intolerance for any socially challenging narratives in the public sphere and the government’s attempt to protect a narrow and conservative notion of austere morality”, said Timothy Kaldas, an analyst with the Washington-based thinktank the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy.</s>CAIRO (AP) - Authorities in Egypt have ordered a ban on airing the Arabic version of the hit U.S. satirical show Saturday Night Live for allegedly using "sexual expressions," an official said Tuesday.

An investigation of the show's content by the Supreme Media Regulatory Council showed that SNL Arabia has consistently used inappropriate "sexual phrases and insinuations that should not be presented to viewers," Ahmed Salim of the council told The Associated Press. The show's entire content "violates ethical and professional criteria," he said.

SNL Arabia was first aired in Egypt two years ago. It follows an identical format to its U.S. namesake, featuring celebrity guests, comedy sketches, musical performances, videos and parody news. It has stayed well away from politics.

FILE - In this Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2016 file photo, people wait for this first "Saturday Night Live Arabia," show to start in Cairo, Egypt. An Egyptian official says authorities have ordered a ban on airing the Arabic version of the hit U.S. satirical show Saturday Night Live for allegedly using "sexual expressions." Ahmed Salim of the Supreme Media regulations Council told The Associated Press Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2018 that an investigation of the show's content showed that SNL Arabia has consistently used inappropriate "sexual phrases and insinuations and that the show's entire content "violates ethical and professional criteria."(AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty, File )

The show is produced by the United Arab Emirates' pay-tv network OSN and has been aired most recently by Egypt's ON ENT. The station's chief, Mustafa el-Saqa, told the AP they have stopped airing the show's promos since the ban was announced late Sunday. He did not say whether Saturday's episode would be aired or not.

"We are now negotiating with the Supreme Council in an effort to continue to air the program," he said. "I hope they understand that we are airing the program late at night and flag it for an audience that is 18 or older," he said.

Repeated telephone calls to the producers of SNL Arabia went unanswered.

Two comedians from Egypt's hit satirical show al-bernameg - Shady Alfons and Khaled Mansour - star in the Arabic SNL.

The al-Bernameg, modeled after the U.S.'s "Daily Show," was hosted by popular heart surgeon-turned-satirist Bassem Youssef. It was taken off the air in June 2014, the month when Egypt's general-turned-president Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi took office. Youssef now lives in exile in the United States.

As defense minister, el-Sissi led the military's 2013 overthrow of Islamist president Mohammed Morsi and went on to oversee the biggest crackdown on dissent in Egypt's modern history, jailing thousands of Islamists before broadening the crackdown on dissent to include secular activists. He has also silenced most critics in the media and rolled back most of the freedoms won as a result of a 2011 popular uprising that toppled the regime of autocratic ruler Hosni Mubarak.</s>CAIRO — An Egyptian official says authorities have ordered a ban on airing the Arabic version of the hit U.S. satirical show Saturday Night Live for allegedly using “sexual expressions.”

Ahmed Salim of the Supreme Media regulations Council told The Associated Press on Tuesday that an investigation of the show’s content showed that SNL Arabia has consistently used inappropriate “sexual phrases and insinuations” and that the show’s entire content “violates ethical and professional criteria.”

SNL Arabia was first aired in Egypt two years ago. It follows an identical format to its U.S. namesake and is produced by the United Arab Emirates’ pay-tv network OSN and has been aired most recently by Egypt’s ON ENT. The station’s chief, Mustafa el-Saqa, told the AP they have stopped airing the show’s promos since the ban was announced.</s>Egyptian authorities have banned channels from airing the Arabic version of Saturday Night Live for using 'sexual expressions.'

An investigation of the show's content by the Supreme Media Regulatory Council showed that SNL Arabia has consistently used inappropriate 'sexual phrases and insinuations that should not be presented to viewers,' Ahmed Salim of the council told The Associated Press.

The show's entire content 'violates ethical and professional criteria,' he said.

SNL Arabia was first aired in Egypt two years ago, and follows an identical format to its US namesake, featuring celebrity guests, comedy sketches, musical performances, videos and parody news.

An investigation of the show's content by the Supreme Media Regulatory Council showed that SNL Arabia has consistently used inappropriate 'sexual phrases and insinuations that should not be presented to viewers,' Ahmed Salim of the council told The Associated Press. Pictured are people waiting for the first ever airing of the show in Egypt in 2016

It has stayed well away from politics.

The show is produced by the United Arab Emirates' pay-tv network OSN and has been aired most recently by Egypt's ON ENT.

The station's chief, Mustafa el-Saqa, told the AP they have stopped airing the show's promos since the ban was announced late Sunday.

He did not say if Saturday's episode will air or not.

'We are now negotiating with the Supreme Council in an effort to continue to air the program,' he said.

'I hope they understand that we are airing the program late at night and flag it for an audience that is 18 or older,' he said.

Repeated telephone calls to the producers of SNL Arabia went unanswered.

Two comedians from Egypt's hit satirical show al-bernameg - Shady Alfons and Khaled Mansour - star in the Arabic SNL.

The al-Bernameg, modeled after the U.S.'s 'Daily Show,' was hosted by popular heart surgeon-turned-satirist Bassem Youssef.

It was taken off the air in June 2014, the month when Egypt's general-turned-president Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi took office. Youssef now lives in exile in the United States.

As defense minister, el-Sissi led the military's 2013 overthrow of Islamist president Mohammed Morsi and went on to oversee the biggest crackdown on dissent in Egypt's modern history, jailing thousands of Islamists before broadening the crackdown on dissent to include secular activists.

He has also silenced most critics in the media and rolled back most of the freedoms won as a result of a 2011 popular uprising that toppled the regime of autocratic ruler Hosni Mubarak.</s>FILE - In this Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2016 file photo, people wait for this first "Saturday Night Live Arabia," show to start in Cairo, Egypt. An Egyptian official says authorities have ordered a ban on airing the Arabic version of the hit U.S. satirical show Saturday Night Live for allegedly using ‚Äúsexual expressions.‚Äù Ahmed Salim of the Supreme Media regulations Council told The Associated Press Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2018 that an investigation of the show‚Äôs content showed that SNL Arabia has consistently used inappropriate ‚Äúsexual phrases and insinuations and that the show‚Äôs entire content ‚Äúviolates ethical and professional criteria.‚Äù(AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty, File )</s>Under Investigation For Sexual Assault Again

TMZ Live: Nelly: Under Investigation For Sexual Assault Again</s>Egypt has banned the Arabic version of US comedy "Saturday Night Live" from television for violating ethical standards, the country's media regulator said.

"Saturday Night Live bil Arabi" began broadcasting on television two years ago, with episodes shot in Cairo.

It was being aired by both the ON TV network and the Dubai-based satellite service Orbit Showtime Network.

"The Supreme Council for Media Regulation has decided to stop the SNL in Arabic programme starting from today," the council said in a statement issued late Sunday.

"The programme consistently used sexual expressions, phrases, and gestures which are not suitable for viewers and which violate ethical and professional standards."

Unlike the popular US version of SNL, the Egyptian edition kept clear of harsh political satire.

That used to be the focus of Bassem Youssef, a comedian known as Egypt's Jon Stewart whose show was canceled in June 2014, days after President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi was elected.

Youssef says he had come under pressure to end the show, and was concerned over the safety of his family at the time.

Instead of politics, it tried to focus its jokes on other aspects of life in the country.

Artists say censorship has gradually expanded since Sisi -- then defence minister -- led the military ouster of former Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in July 2013, a year before he himself was elected.

Several movies have been banned, including "In The Last Days of the City", although it has been screened in 60 countries and at 91 festivals, winning more than 10 prizes since 2016.

Another award-winning film, "The Nile Hilton Incident" directed by Tarik Saleh, a Swede of Egyptian origin, takes place in Egypt but could not be shot in the country. It was released in 2017 but cannot be shown in Egypt.
Egypt bans Saturday Night Live Arabia for using "sexual expressions that are inappropriate for viewers".