American Television in the Middle East

• "The Biggest Loser" version for arabs is called "The Biggest Winner" because the two words are apparently interchangeable to soothe arab egos.


• Rachael Ray has hosted "how to be tacky on a budget" too many times for it to be amusing anymore, let alone endearing.


• Why do we have "So You Think You Can Dance"?


• HATE soap operas, and now programming has devoted HOURS to Turkish(!) soap operas in addition to the american ones.


• We get ET & The Insider, CBS The Early Show & Good Morning America one day late. Letterman fluctuates between a couple of days and re-runs. The View (when it was on) was a month late (Elisabeth Hasselbeck looking angelical and spouting hatred of just about anything except her children).


• Oprah, of course, has a devoted following that will watch her regardless of when the show was taped, or if they're going to implement the fashion tips. Ditto for Dr. Phil, although what was that whole bit about the American girl that ran off with an Arab guy? "Her life in danger" blah blah? Are we all terrorists now? Love the show but actually didn't watch that episode(s).


• CSI's - gotta love 'em. With their intricate stories that include the ability to track shoe prints and t-shirts. I told myself the other day that they solve normal crimes with plausible plots and straightforward evidence and database-d fingerprints but those cases lacked the drama & flair to make it to tv.