Trouble for Lebanese comic

A Lebanese comedian has reportedly received death threats – over a Gangham Style parody.

Hardline Islamists are said to have issued the threats after Wissam Saad made a spoof of the ubiquitous Korean dance track whiched mocked the city of Sidon.

The imam of one mosque even dedicated his sermon last Friday to condemning Saad’s fictional character of Abu-Talal.

Without naming any names, Lebanese tabloid Al Akhbar said Saad had been accused of ‘promoting sex’ and is ‘obsessed with nakedness and undressing’.

The song Oppa Saida Style (Saida is the alternative name for the city) featured on the Al-Jadeed TV satirical show Chi.N.N, and been something of a viral hit.

People from Sidon, Lebanon’s third city, are traditionally stereotyped as stupid, while its problems include a massive 'rubbish mountain' landfill site and traffic chaos. Saad, who is from the city, told Al Akhbar that his song highlighted the issues ‘at a time when [Sidon] is absent from most people’s radar.’

Published: 7 Dec 2012