Hello All,

I have recently completed episode 1 of a comedy TV sitcom and it does have a politically incorrect old man who says what he thinks.

There is a Muslim family that have moved in next door to him and I feel some of the dialogue or actions "MAY BE"? offensive to Muslim's. Not sure.

I thought I would post to see if there are any Muslim screenwriter on the site, that would be so kind to do a read and give me their opinions as I do want to get it right.

I feel that I have tried to be sensitive to any issues, though would like someone who is more connected with the faith to have a read.

Regards Alex

Would you have asked this question if the family next door were Hindus?

Not trying to cause trouble, but I don't like this hyper sensitivity around muslims. We're artists. We should write how we see things.

Hey Alex,

Screw sensitivity, if someone is offended that's their problem not yours.

Political correctness has gone to far to the point where people are scared to say what they think and feel which to me is bullshit.

Just my opinion

Michael

Thanks Pia,

I do agree with you though to be honest I really don't want to create any hassle or comeback on myself.

I have considered dropping the Muslim family and adding another race and are still undecided so the opinion of a practicing Muslim may be the balancing factor.

Alternatively making the family Arabs so it is a race and not a religion, though it probably would not change a lot.

I do know where you are coming from Pia and appreciate it, as I have gone back and forth over this in my head for weeks.

Alex.

Quoted from trickyb Hey Alex, Screw sensitivity, if someone is offended that's their problem not yours. Political correctness has gone to far to the point where people are scared to say what they think and feel which to me is bullshit. Just my opinion Michael

Thanks Michael.

I am sure there are many people that feel the same, though with occurrences happening around the world I am really not sure if I want the comeback !!!!!

Alex

It really depends how you portray this guy.  Archie Bunker (from All In The Family) is the epitome of bigotry on television.  For ten years he spoke his mind.  He got away with it because, when you listened to him, you realized just how foolish he sounded.  He wasn't going to convince anyone that his opinions were right.


Phil

Quoted from dogglebe It really depends how you portray this guy.  Archie Bunker (from All In The Family) is the epitome of bigotry on television.  For ten years he spoke his mind.  He got away with it because, when you listened to him, you realized just how foolish he sounded.  He wasn't going to convince anyone that his opinions were right. Phil

Thanks Phil,

The guy is a lot like Archie Bunker and is a bigoted idiot though very lovable. He is an Aussie character and even though he says what he thinks, I feel it may be too much for someone to accept a few of his lines.

Really considering changing it to a non-sensitive race !!!!

Alex

Comedy is very subjective and it depends on the delivery.

I have a comedy here that has Muslims in it and the material I wrote would be considered very offensive if taken on its own.

Stop drop and pray, five times a day...

I have the daughter of the Muslim father in a Burka...the entire script. You never see her, yet the jokes are all lined up pertaining to her facial expressions… that are never seen.

And no matter where they are, they have to stop drop and pray, five times a day.

Even in a lesbian porn theater or at a carnival where they drop and pray towards Mecca, even though it aims them straight at a cow's a$$hole while it's taking a shite.

The reason no one bitched about it was because they were not singled out. I slammed all religions in the script.  

If it feels like you are spotlighting only them and you are putting it to an extreme. If you have them in the script for no other reason than to just be Muslim, then you're gonna fall a bit flat. Make them outlandish Muslims and it plays well, because like Phil alluded to...

If it's foolish, it's funny.

And here's my second answer...

Write how ever the fuck you want to write. No brakes...none at all.

Shawn.....><









  

Thanks Shawn,

My screenplay does have several races in it including Africa's, Indian's, pom's, Aussie's as well as gays and Muslims so not picking on one individual race or religion.

It does have many one liners. E.g the main character Ernie is talking to a lady in a Burka and he says to her "You look familiar"....... It's more that type of humor.

Regards Alex

South Park, Family Guy and other shows have won the freedom of making fun of everyone. If you target one specific religion or race you may be in tricky water.

It could come off as the writer seeming to have a specific issue with said group. If you write a comedy about muslims, I would make sure to diversify your cast and rip on everyone. So we know it's no holds barred. Just my opinion.

James

Quoted from jwent6688 South Park, Family Guy and other shows have won the freedom of making fun of everyone. If you target one specific religion or race you may be in tricky water. It could come off as the writer seeming to have a specific issue with said group. If you write a comedy about muslims, I would make sure to diversify your cast and rip on everyone. So we know it's no holds barred. Just my opinion. James

Hey James, I feel that the consensus is heading in the same direction as you.
Thanks for your input. Appreciated.

America's too uptight...that's my answer.

Well, as someone who's read the script, I can give you my opinion and say it's not offensive apart from a few cracks at the poms. Also, the script shows the multicultural society here in Australia.

But I would still give you a word of caution because it's a very fine line in Australia (where you'd hope to market this) at the moment.

Best of luck with it.

Quoted from CoopBazinga Well, as someone who's read the script, I can give you my opinion and say it's not offensive apart from a few cracks at the poms. Also, the script shows the multicultural society here in Australia. But I would still give you a word of caution because it's a very fine line in Australia (where you'd hope to market this) at the moment. Best of luck with it.

Thanks Steve,

You are one of the rare selected few who have done a read and I appreciate it.

Just a bit concerned that some of the jokes may be offensive and over and above that a producer would not want to take something on that would be a problem.

Having a character who does or says offensive things doesn't necessarily make your script "offensive". Those are two very different things. The question is of how the script treats that offensiveness. If you have a character that says bigoted things about Africans, and the script plays this as a straight laugh -- ie., we would laugh because we more or less agree with the statement -- then the script's probably "offensive." On the other hand, if we're supposed to laugh at the shock value of an inappropriate old man, obviously racist and sort of satirized or made pathetic for it, there's probably not anything "offensive" about that? Eastwood says terrible things throughout Gran Torino, but it works because we're able to see why he's that way, to pity him for it, and to laugh at him for it. When he says offensive things, it's still a joke at his expense, not at the expense of the culture he's being bigoted against.

As per Pia's point, I'd also say that there's no difference whether they're a Muslim family, or a Hindu family, or whatever. The question is whose expense the joke is at.

Quoted from Alex_212 My screenplay does have several races in it including Africa's, Indian's, pom's, Aussie's as well as gays and Muslims so not picking on one individual race or religion.

Hahahah! "Gays"?