McDoc and I went on vacation in Montreal a couple of weeks ago, and while watching Canadian television, I was reminded of a CBC sitcom I discovered a couple of years ago. If you're ready for some comic relief from the current mosque-related news, join me over the fold!
One of the things McDoc and I miss about living in Detroit (yes, that's right, there are things we miss, not to mention people!) is having easy everyday access to Canadian media. CBC Radio 2 was frequently heard in our house and car, and we had a CBC channel as part of our cable TV package. That's how I came to watch a cheeky little sitcom called Little Mosque on the Prairie.
It's a show about a small community of Muslims in the fictional town of Mercy, Saskatchewan. Their mosque is housed in basement of the Anglican Church, and their imam, Amaar Rashid, is an energetic young man from Toronto who leaves his career as a lawyer to follow his spiritual calling in this small town on the prairie, to the consternation of his more secular family. The first episode depicts the comedy of errors that unfolds on his arrival in Mercy.
Skip to around 3:08 on the video for a funny scene in the airport, where an innocent phone conversation with his mother gets Amaar in trouble with security:
What I love about the show is that it is the quintessential sitcom, with all the middlebrow goofiness that implies. The characters are stock types straight from Central Casting: Baber, the cranky middle-aged man who loves to complain and criticize, and is certain of the superiority of his opinions -- he's a bit like an Islamic Archie Bunker; Yasir, the small business owner who's always hatching crazy schemes that never work; Rayyan, the plucky young woman who is loyal to the community even though all of its members drive her up the wall. Rev. Magee, the Anglican priest and landlord to the mosque, becomes a sort of mentor to the rookie imam Amaar, advising him on such things as how to get plenty of free meals as a member of the clergy. You can tell from the first episode of the first series who will eventually fall in love, but you hope it doesn't happen too soon, because a series always goes downhill after that romantic tension is broken!
The show does touch on controversial issues, but in a gently farcical way, as with the airport security scene above. The show's creator, Zarqa Nawaz, says this is on purpose. "On the news, they're always talking about Muslims with extreme positions. Our comedy just tells a funny story of perfectly normal people."
In its utter normalcy, the show does a lot to humanize and normalize a group often viewed with fear and suspicion. Plus, it's really funny and cute!
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From NCrissieB:
From my Morning Feature today, [this gem from addisnana this gem] from addisnana about the current state of our political dialogue, a call to action, and this wonderful objective:
"My goal is to turn on the news election night and watch the sputtering pundits try and explain that the voter turnout looked nothing like the narrative they had been spinning."
From JG in MD:
Hannah tells us how banks and corporations get away with murder.
From JanF:
From casperr's great diary, this comment by mindoca and the conversation that followed has great, practical advice for everyone talking to voters this election season. A sample: "In fact, on average, for every fourteen people that we speak to, we bring in one more vote. Not one vote. One MORE vote than we would have had we not spoken to that voter. And here's a motivational thought: When there are other eligible voters in a household, even when we don't actually speak to them, the propensity for the other members to vote goes up substantially. It's an 'invisible' multiplier effect."
From spedwybabs:
omg i couldn't get this comment to you fast enough!
From kestrel9000:
This exchange between corvo and Geekesque is the kind of off the cuff friendly sparring I'd really like to see more of on Daily Kos. Whichever view you attend to, you'll find the interplay enjoyable.
From maybeeso in michigan:
In her own Voice relates a Cherokee Elder tale that's always worth hearing again.
From lineatus:
In a diary titled Dear Glen Beck: When did we lose our honor?, beltane gives an answer for the ages.
From sberel:
In today's High Impact Diaries, bleeding heart leaves nothing to the imagination.
From Inland:
jaywillie punctures the self congratulation of a Beckerhead.
brillig brings Top Mojo!
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4) Consistent, reality-based reporting.... by bobswern — 148
5) When someone tells you what they think by bruh1 — 143
6) Don't blame the left for DC Dem failures by FishOutofWater — 120
7) Um, no. by Cassiodorus — 118
8) Yep, the corporate dems by FishOutofWater — 114
9) I don't, but that's an obscene use of power. by Ezekial 23 20 — 112
10) what is hell are you talking about? by Badabing — 108
11) You are the one saying "corporate sell out." by Jim P — 107
12) wow, I'm on vacation and by Julie Gulden — 95
13) Multiple absurdities by fladem — 90
14) I recognize Glenn Beck's version of by blue aardvark — 85
15) Obama is getting bad advice by FishOutofWater — 82
16) People Need to Go to Jail by Major Tom — 80
17) Shorter: Centrism has no tools by bruh1 — 80
18) Amen! by gjohnsit — 79
19) This is just crazy. So many people are by blue jersey mom — 76
20) exactly Jim, as the saying goes, the truth will by Badabing — 73
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29) One to add a point by bruh1 — 65
30) You Are Right On, Badabing by mcartri — 64
31) False dichotomy: One can criticize Obama and by Vtdblue — 64
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4) Tip Jar by greendem — 304
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7) As a disclaimer I too ride a motorcycle by Lefty Coaster — 258
8) The false dilemma test by Cassiodorus — 233
9) that is bullshit, I am saying both parties are by Badabing — 205
10) Tip Jar by TomP — 193
11) Tip Jar by millwx — 169
12) Tips for a million people by oxfdblue — 166
13) Tips? Flames? by Something the Dog Said — 149
14) Consistent, reality-based reporting.... by bobswern — 148
15) I'll match up to $500 you commit to donate by bubbanomics — 145
16) When someone tells you what they think by bruh1 — 143
17) Don't blame the left for DC Dem failures by FishOutofWater — 120
18) Um, no. by Cassiodorus — 118
19) Yep, the corporate dems by FishOutofWater — 114
20) Tip Jar by Amber6541 — 113
21) I don't, but that's an obscene use of power. by Ezekial 23 20 — 112
22) what is hell are you talking about? by Badabing — 108
23) You are the one saying "corporate sell out." by Jim P — 107
24) Tip Jar by stef — 104
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26) Multiple absurdities by fladem — 90
27) I recognize Glenn Beck's version of by blue aardvark — 85
28) Obama is getting bad advice by FishOutofWater — 82
29) Shorter: Centrism has no tools by bruh1 — 80
30) People Need to Go to Jail by Major Tom — 80