Aliens in America premiers tonight on the CW. Can someone tell me what that poor kid is wearing?
P.S. Considering it was filmed in Pasadena and Vancouver, let’s not forget to keep a tally of inaccuracies about Wisconsinites as well as Pakistanis.
P.P.S. Alessandra Stanley places Aliens in the genre of imaginary friend comedies. As she wisely observes: “Wish fulfillment gone awry is the essence of many a comedy, and there is no wish as potent and deep-seated as the yearning for an imaginary friend.” Thankfully she clarifies this assertion later on in the review with this clarification:
“Aliens in America,” which begins tonight on CW, follows in the same tradition except that the wished-for best friend is a Muslim exchange student from Pakistan, not a supernatural creature.
P.P.P.S.
It seems that the Pakistani character is named Raja Musharaff.
All Pakistani boys dress in bright purple, embroidered, bridalesque clothing. Did you not know that?
Also, AiA watchers should know that this show was screen-tested in a Chicago high school.
Also: consider that despite the Barney Goes Paki “traditional clothing”, the actor Adhir Kalyan has “an impressive command of languages and accents. He speaks both Afrikaans and French, and has wide range of accents, including British, South African, Middle Eastern, Indian, Pakistani, Scottish, French and Australian, as well as several American accents.”
That’s actually called a “poofti.” In the minds of Hollywoodians, American politicians, American pundits & their gullible prey, it’s the traditional garb worn by subcontinental male fauna under the age of twenty, before Wahabist madrasas issue patchy beards, turbans of indeterminate origin and all-weather “Fuck Bush” placards. Fez wore one in the pilot for “That ’70’s Show,” before the Fox wardrobe mavens discovered the ratings benefits of pouring Wilder Valderamma into vintage Haggar Ballhugger slacks. Fez’s poofti was day-glo orange, if memory serves.
“vintage Haggar Ballhugger slacks”
Gold. Man. Gold.
Btw, “Many American Muslims are thrilled to see a multi-dimensional Muslim character on TV who has nothing to do with terrorism” says this NPR story. I mean, wow. If god ever granted me powers beyond my puny control, I will write a Pakistani beer-swivellin, Packer-loving, cow-tipping, and surprisingly-not-a-terrorist Muslim character. Huzzah. It will be called “Memories of My Drunk Terrorist Whores”.
Or, perhaps, “Visits to Iowa City in 2000.”
You leave Iowa City out of it. And, in any case, Packers suck.
this show is just aching to suck. it’s trying to do what ‘little mosque on the prairie’ has very successfully done, i.e. breaking every muslim stereotype they could with very, very intelligent humour. but i’m sure because it’s a canuck show, hasn’t done too well down south. i highly recommend you try and catch the show if you haven’t seen it already.
p.s. i apologize for my horrible grammar.
Haven’t seen the show. But Raja Musharaff, now that’s imaginative.
I’ve developed a theory of anyone who spells then name as Musharaff, with a double-f. Your post seems to validate it.