"Little Mosque On the Prairie"

[babylonsister]

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/16/world/americas/16canada.html?em&ex=1169096400&en=640a3c54f36b57e4&ei=5087%0A

TORONTO, Jan. 15 — When it comes to producing a funny television show or movie in Canada, producers here have a reliable stable of topics: French-English relations, urban-rural dynamics and anything that involves a bumbling politician or the United States.

But Islam — something of a third rail of comedy throughout the Western world — did not make the list, which is one reason the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s new situation comedy, “Little Mosque on the Prairie,” is attracting such attention here. “It is a risk doing a sitcom about what can be considered a very touchy subject,” said Kirstine Layfield, executive director of network programming at CBC.

But last Tuesday’s series premiere attracted 2.09 million viewers, impressive in a country where an audience of one million is a runaway hit. The CBC had not had a show draw that size audience in a decade, according to the network.

The show follows a small group of Muslims in, of all places, a prairie town in Saskatchewan where, in the first episode, the group was trying to establish a mosque in the parish hall of a church. A passer-by, seeing the group praying, rushes to call a “terrorist hot line” to report Muslims praying “just like on CNN,” which touches off a local firestorm.

more...

[sharp_stick]

1. I'd like to see that

I wonder if a US network would consider adding it to the lineup. BBC America ran an edited version of "The Trailer Park Boys", maybe they would try it.

Ahh, The Trailer Park Boys, one of my harmless vices. A friend sent me a DVD of the uncut version that plays on Canadian TV, I laughed my ass off while my wife looked at me like I'd just lost my mind. She just doesn't get it and is horrified that I might consider buying the other available seasons.

[Clark2008]

15. Spent most of my Halloween watching the Trailer Park Boys.

:hi:

[rubberducky]

2. Using humor do diffuse the "fear" of Islam,

seems like a good way to teach people that we all have more in common than what we would have thought. Seems like a winner to me.

[cdnwannabe]

3. I've seen the commercials for it while watching Hockey Night in Canada...

it looks like a lot of fun. They show them participating in a curling match - and doing quite well!

[applegrove]

4. It is on tonight at 8PM on CBC. Second episode.

[glarius]

5. I saw the first show....very funny.....looking forward to tonight's 2nd episode!

:)

[reprehensor]

6. Only in Canada, eh?

Pity. One "greatest" vote for you.

[Nikki Stone1]

7. k & r

:)

[Lisa]

8. here's an article about the originator ...

http://www.boloji.com/wfs/wfs210.htm

I saw one of her earlier movies and laughed myself sick. Unfortunately I've missed the new series (my landlady decided to do some home repairs earlier this month and accidentally severed my cable connection), but hope to tune in next week.

[enigmatic]

9. Hilarious first episode

It's coming on here in an hour and we'll be watching..

[tuvor]

13. That's unusual. We don't generally "do" sitcoms well in Canada.

We do kick ass at sketch comedy, though.

In the meantime, I'm afraid I'll be watching American Idol.

:hi:

[enigmatic]

16. Ha!

It's alot like Corner Gas in the sense that it's very much a character driven comedy; this is great stuff...

I wanted the Amish Dude to get on the freakin' AMerican Idol; I may contact him to do something for us!:)

[tuvor]

19. Ah, yes. "Urban Amish".

One of the few entertaining parts from last night.

Me, I don't get why "Apollo Creed" didn't get a chance, but the Colombian girl gets an OK after being told to "do Shakira".

Anyway, I'm "degrading" this into something more fit for the Lounge.

[Jeffersons Ghost]

10. K&R here's a 4th vote... sounds like a hoot! n/t

[Canuckistanian]

11. They've been playing promos of it for months

I'm ashamed to say that I haven't seen it yet. But undoubtedly, I will.

Maybe it'll be the new "Corner Gas"

[Rosco T.]

14. I would pay good money to see a "Little Mosque"/"Corner Gas" crossover...

Watching Oscar and Yassir go at it would be gold.

[enigmatic]

17. Oh man, that would be Gold

Oscar is my favorite role on TV right now..

[Rosco T.]

20. I find the actor does amazing work...

comparing Oscar against the Mental Health Judge on "This is Wonderland"

[Canuckistanian]

21. Hahaha, it probably would be gold

But Brent LeRoy's comments on it would be better comedy...

[Rosco T.]

12. It's Hilarious...

recording for my permanent archives.

[otherlander]

18. Do you smell something burning?

:yoiks:
Seriously, though, the show seems kind of silly, but not racist.

[Warren DeMontague]

22. They're lucky they never saw ME "praying."

[BlueDissenter]

23. One of the funniest shows I've watched.

I loved the reaction of the airport security and how Fred just spun everything to fit his worldview.

For those interested in watching the first episode I was able track it down on youtube. There are commercials on this version but it's the best quality I could find.
Part 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tu2-lXDe2to

Part 2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmSAYyTKD0o

Part 3:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4SH-vxBZEo

Part 4:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsOH7Kmmfrs