'Sweet Talking' in the Arab world - Kalam Nawaem

If you watch one of the episodes of this highly-rated TV talk show in the Arab world, you will not hear a lot of Sweet Talk, which is basically what Kalam Nawaem, the talk show title is translated into, but you will be drawn in and interested in the opinions and the openness of the discussions.

MBC 10 is the channel that picked up this show that been pervading the homes with thoughts and ideas to help provoke discussion within the Arab countries. You may agree or choose to disagree with the topics chosen, and the points of views offered, but at least you are thinking or trying to form an opinion.

It's been compared to The View but personally, I think that perhaps the format is mainly what is similar. Given the context of the viewers, the location, and the potential impact it can have on the audience, it is quite different.


(Left to right: Fawzia, Rania, Manu, Farah)

The show includes four women -

Muna Abusulayman: Saudi Arabian, quite an accomplished single woman with two kids.

Farah Bseiso: Palestinian

Fawzia Salama: Egyptian journalist and social researcher - love her!

Rania Barghout: Lebanese journalist

Note: It seems that Manu was supposed to leave the show to pursue her own show. I'm still looking for the latest episodes of the the show to see who is on it right now.

Strong personalities. Strong words. Intelligent, but also quite diplomatic and tactful considering they discuss controversial issues, but are well-versed in knowing what to say, and more importantly how to say it without ticking off the wrong people.

It does take some amount of tact when discussing homosexuality and its place in the Muslim religion, or then masturbation, and even addressing viewers letters that tell them that 'they should all go to hell' (apart from Muna, coz she is veiled) for what they are doing.

It's worth checking out! You can watch more about the workings of the show, behind the scenes and the lives of the four women FREE on this cool site. Here's the link just for you my fav peeps, lots of other cool indie movies here too! - Satellite Queens.


Today I'm humming Just the Way you are by Bruno Mars