Do you know what America loves? Speculating about Hollywood stars who might be gay! Know what Egypt doesn't love? Doing that very same thing. Which is why when the independent newspaper Al Balagh Al Gadid did just that, officials banned it.
Al Balagh's crime? Reporting actors Nour El Sherif (pictured), Khaled Aboul Naga, and Hamdi El Wazir were involved in a gay prostitution ring that was reportedly discovered last month at a hote. The paper said the actors were questioned by police — which the cops deny. That makes sense, given the newspaper also claims the actors bribed the police and hotel management to stay mum. But how does that get a newspaper banned by the government?
In a statement Monday the Egyptian Higher Council for Journalism said it decided to ban the broadsheet after considering the reports forwarded to the general prosecutor by the actors, who stressed that Al Balagh Al Gadid was aiming to damage their reputations.
As for El Sherif, who is married and has two daughters? He doesn't so much care about being tied to paid sex workers. But gay ones? Heavens no! He said in a statement: "Naming me among other homosexuals defamed me and all Egyptian artists. The Journalists' Syndicate has to be firm with anyone trying to insult the dignity of Egyptian artists."
Keep in mind, this is a land where being gay may not be a crime, but it's certainly a societal wrong, and no public figure wants his image tainted with gay allegations. Prostitution, however, is an acceptable social il.
UPDATE: Was the newspaper's report just a smear campaign to discredit the actors, who work on behalf of AIDS and gay rights causes? Writes in an offended reader: "The news source is allegedly a police informant who fabricated details that never happened to diminish the artists' popularity
They claimed that the artists are being prosecuted as members of a gay prostitution ring! in a Hotel Semiramis Intercontinental. For their bad luck the main two stars happened to be out of Egypt at the time of their claims. Moreover: when the artists found out about the rumor, the filed a report to The Attorney general prosecutor later the The Attorney general prosecutor made a statement that NONE of the allegations is true! and ordered the journalists to be investigated and later they are being sued now by the artists and the state and the Hotel they claimed it all happened. check your sources before attacking human rights activists being framed by islamists in Egypt"
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This is so funny. This guy saying that suggesting there's homosexuality in the world of egyptian arts is an insult to their dignity. Yeah, right! Because we all know how "hetero" the artistic world is.
Thats the Tom Cruise of Egypt? Yikes.
First off, this is an Arabic newspaper gossip section – the rumors fly fast with those sections – it'd be the equivalent of running blind gossip in the newspapers and attaching names.
Nour el Sherif and Hamdi el Wazir are both old. The "Tom Cruise" one is Khaled Aboul Naga – and he is very attractive.
If they are gay (and this is a big if), the repercussions of far greater than it would be in America. It is far easier AND safer to just say you aren't gay and maybe thrown in some homophobia for good measure to keep yourself safe.
This is not fair! Shame on you Queerty… where did you get this nonsense!
The real story is:
Artists like Khaled Aboul Naga and Nour above are symbols of Liberal Egypt, Nagais a human rights activist and is fighting a tough war against islamist extremists for years in Egypt, He is also an AIDS awareness spokesman and UNICEF appointed him thier goodwill ambassador lately, If there was anyone fighting for liberal rights, equality, rights for those living with Aids : its Mr Naga…
SHAME ON YOU QUEERTY missing the whole point
Mr Naga and Mr El Sherif have been falsely accused by some extremists in order to diminish their role in affecting public opinion to human rights
The newspaper (tabloid) known to make up stories to sell more and famous for its links to extremist views,
The news source is allegedly a police informant who fabricated details that never happened to diminish the artists' popularity
They claimed that the artists are being prosecuted as members of a gay prostitution ring! in a Hotel Semiramis Intercontinental ,
For their bad luck the main two stars happened to be out of Egypt at the time of their claims
moreover: when the artists found out about the rumor, the filed a report to The Attorney general prosecutor
later the The Attorney general prosecutor made a statement that NONE of the allegations is true! and ordered the journalists to be investigated and later they are being sued now by the artists and the state and the Hotel they claimed it all happened
Queerty: check your sources before attacking human rights activists being framed by islamists in Egypt
its all been very clear all over the Arabic net sources:
check this:
http://www.saveegyptfront.org/.....mp;a=24379
Mr Farid has a point. While it's unacceptable that El-Sherif expressed homophobia in defending himself, the irresponsible media in Egypt are fast and loose with the facts. It's unlikely El-Sherif was caught in some kind of sordid sex ring at the Semiramis and, to boot, the "network" was, in some Arabic sources, supposedly a foreign gay sex network, further entrenching the idea that same-sex sexuality is a foreign import to Egypt. Nonsensical.
and more news here:
http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2009/967/eg3.htm
chief editor Maghrabi told the Ahram Weekly. Moreover, he believes that certain officials deliberately leaked this particular fake story in order to deflect attention from far more serious issues.
AND:
here is the SHOCKER:
The idiots who published the story did not even check the calendar:
according to the published story the bust happened at certain dates where 2 of the main artists were out of the country altogether!
Mr Naga was in Venice film festival with his film ONE-ZERO then off to Beirut for shooting UNICEF Child rights TV Spot for Middle East for celebrations of Child Rights Convention soon
and Mr El Sherif was on Vaccation in europe after shooting his Tv show in ramadan!
info from 90min TV show Mehwar Tv