Reality TV, Emirati style
I just came across this on YouTube and it blew me away. Below is a clip from this year’s Million’s Poet, the Arab take on Britain’s got Talent.
Poetry is a popular artform in Arab countries, where poets are veritable celebrities - an alien concept to most Westerners, myself included. Contestants competed for $1,361,207.64 this year, which was awarded to Saudi poet Ziyad Hijab bin Naheet (34).
I admit, my jaw dropped in wonder watching this clip of a fully veiled female contestant bringing poetry to primetime TV:
Tags: media culture, middle east, million's poet, poetry, prince of poets, reality television, TV, UAE
