Shah's of Sunset-thoughts?

[Anonymous]

All of the Persians I know are extremely insular. If anything, it offends that dirty laundry might be out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please don’t take this the wrong way, I don’t want to start a historical discussion, but west really fears another Persian empire. If you ask Westerns or Americans about Iran, some of them even don’t know where Iran is situated. The Persian empire conquered 80% of the civilized world but You generally don't learn about the Persian empire in schools simply because of politics. They never wanted a powerful and successful Iran (I’m NOT talking about nuclear bomb sort of things, Iranian PEOPLE think knowledge is power), they are trying to introduce Iranians as superficial and non-modern people). After the Arab invasion of Persia, the islamic hordes burnt all books in the Persia libraries, destroying the knowledge that took Europe 1000 years to re-invent. Now they want the world to forget everything and think WEST IS EVERYTHING!
Do you remember any historical movie about Persians? Cyrus the Great figures in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) as the patron and deliverer of the Jews. He is mentioned 23 times by name and alluded to several times more. From these statements it appears that Cyrus the Great, king of Persia, was the monarch under whom the captivity of the Jews ended, for in the first year of his reign he was prompted by God to make a decree that the Temple in Jerusalem should be rebuilt and that such Jews as cared to might return to their land for this purpose. But west made the film 300 in which Iranians are some wild people and Westerners are some angles! Cyrus the Great declared the first Charter of Human Rights known to mankind. He took the title of “King of Babylon and King of the Land”. Cyrus had no thought of forcing conquered people into a single mold, and had the wisdom to leave unchanged the institution of each kingdom he attached to the Persian Crown. In 539 BC he allowed more than 40,000 Jews to leave Babylon and return to Palestine. This step was in line with his policy to bring peace to Mankind. He liberated nations from slavery. Why they don’t make any film about this?!

I don't think the U.S. wants any other country to be more powerful and successful than them, but that should be expected and I doubt any country would want to be humbled in that way. Does Iran enjoy that the U.S. wields the power that it does today? Probably not. And it's true that the U.S. deems Iran in some ways to be irrelevant (lacking the world influence in terms of economy and trade) and in some ways highly relevant (in terms of being a security threat to the world). I think Iran's time may be better spent not fretting so much over what the U.S. thinks of them or their history and instead putting their energy on improving the lives of their people.

[Anonymous]

Happy New Year!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Happy New Year!

Happy Norouz

[Anonymous]

sal-e no mobarek

[Anonymous]

Happy Nowruz!!!!!!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm married to an Iranian. The Iranians in LA are mostly, wealthy and educated. They can be very sophisticated people. But there are also a lot of very materialistic Iranians on the fringe of the uber-wealthy ones who seem like they are always trying to keep-up. They seem, to me, very insecure people who think if they aren't wearing designer or driving a luxury car, they are worthless. They are the types who live in mediocre rented apartments but buy $5000 handbags. These are the ones depicted in the show. Maybe not college educated, trying to make big bucks in real estate, etc. Some do it. Others just hang in. My inlaws are this type- except they are all in car dealerships.
But do you think the educated, sophisticated Iranians would agree to be on a reality show? Of course not! Same for DC Housewives. The actual power players of DC would never agree to something so cheesy. You need to be very insecure and desperate for 15 minutes of fame. The producers sniff these people out to capitalize on their insecurity. That makes good reality TV!
But it is too bad for the Iranians who are educated and sophisticated because too often many Americans have no idea what Iranians are like. They stereotype them as poor or fanatic or from some third world existence. Now middle-america will have a new stereotype: greasy, materialistic and shallow.

I think this basically describes every one of the housewives on any Bravo show. So I would assume that this isn't a true depiction of Persians, but rather a pretty consistent depiction of how well Bravo knows its audience. The people who watch these shows live for schadenfreude, and for the ability to howl relentlessly at the fools who choose to be on these shows and act as though they are hot shit. But we're the fools too, b/c this is how we choose to spend our free time, watching these dingbats on tv. I admit to being one of them myself.

[Anonymous]

No, it doesn't describe every one of the housewives of any Bravo show. Beverly Hills housewives are indeed wealthy. The others do live in more average homes yet they spend lavishly on their clothing and bags...because as MJ on Shahs of Sunset said, "Because more people are going to see my bag than my crib." So it is all for show...

I don't think Shahs of Sunset or Housewives show are idiotic. I think one can learn a lot about people and also different cultures on these kind of shows. I don't think Shahs falsely represents Iranians. I think they accurately represent a part of Iranian culture that is probably shameful but it's not inaccurate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not the same thing, but I've seen East Coast Armenians complain about West Coast Armenians for being like the Shahs of Sunset. Is there a similar divide among the Persian/Iranian diaspora?

I still think the Armenians need to trade Kim Kardashian to another diaspora for an annoying celebrity to be named later.

I live in a town that is majority persian jewish and is known as the east coast counter part to the LA persians. Yes the persians here do not like how they are being portrayed through this show the same way italians surely feel about Jersey Shore or Sopranos, but that's how it is with any reality show. First off the people in charge of casting are looking for those people that are going to get a rise from the audience, that's what keeps you engaged; Nobody wants to see the super religious persian that cant do much because of their own restrictions, that's boring. That said it still paints a decently accurate picture of persians so far. Obviously they havent gone over all aspects of culture and it is exaggerated but on point nonetheless.

[Anonymous]

"There is a big difference btw the superficial and materialistic people who just spend money and the people who love their jobs and are trying hard to be the best one. Yes, Bijan had his exclusive Bijan-designed Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport and ... but it doesn't mean he was a materialistic person. He was not a wealthy man from his childhood, he worked hard and succeeded. Is Bill Gates a supericial and materialistic man?"

You totally missed the pp's point. Whoosh!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Back to the show, it comes on tonight I think.

I do not get the Gigi hate. Someone explain. Yes, I know she said that she did not like ugly people but still.

Gigi is a C.U.N.T snob!!!!!!!!!

[Anonymous]

I HATE Gigi!!!

[Anonymous]

I dislike GG too but maybe we can not stoop to her level by using words that are at least in a respectable dictionary.

[Anonymous]

You shouldn't be married to an Iranian, but that's how America is. Everyone race-mixes and it's disgusting. I'm a Persian Jew and my family has maintained our Jewish identity for millenniums, I am not going to throw away my cultural and religious identity by marrying outside of my religion or race. Persian Jews who marry non-Jews are ostracized in our community.

YOU r the ignorant one! Who r u to judge anyone else's marriage/relationship, especially based on race. People like you are disgusting. I am biracial, very proudly I might add.

It amazes me that bigots like you are still infecting this diverse nation with your idiotic views on race. I hope to God you haven't married someone in America, started a family, and passed along these thoughts to the next generation; your bulls*** needs to be buried in the ground with you. Until then please get out of my country and take the like minded in your "community" with you.

[Anonymous]

GG is so pretty. She is the reason I watch the show.

She IS the show.