As expected.. Arab audiences across the Middle East,
in keeping with tradition, decided to vote for the
clown over the truly talented contestant. In a dramatic, tension-filled final episode of the talent contest
Star Academy Kuwait's Bashar Al-Shatti lost to Egypt's Mohamed Attiya.
Of course, Bashar never stood a chance of winning due to simple numbers: Kuwait's small population of voters vs. Egypt's endless millions. But if it was just that, we wouldn't really mind; Egyptians are just as entitled to blind nationalist favouritism as anyone else. But it's the rest of the Arab world - assuming they actually voted - who chose to play politics instead of picking a winner based on talent alone. I'm not one to believe in wild theories, and I accept the loss with an open mind, but a quick read through the silly text messages scrolling across the various music channels reveals an irrational hatred and gloating over Bashar's loss just because he's Kuwaiti.
We Kuwaitis may not be very popular among other Arabs for a variety of reasons, some of our own making, but this is ridiculous. And yet I'm sure we would be gloating if he had won. Still, most Kuwaitis are taking this loss very hard - its just the latest in a long string of losses. But to everyone, I say DO NOT DESPAIR. If everyone really hated Kuwaitis as much as you think, Bashar would NOT have made it all the way to the finals. There is no way that he got to the finals simply on Kuwait's votes.
Anyway, tonight Bashar will return to Kuwait triumphant. A new Kuwaiti star is born, with a promising musical career ahead of him. Mohamad Attiya will do a couple of silly video clips, and a really bad movie and then disappear into the seedy nightclubs of Cairo. Shame, because he seems to be a nice guy.
