Okay, so here are three videos that have been making the rounds on the local interwebs lately:
This is a commercial for the Saudi teleco giant Mobily. As with most of their ads, it is of high production quality. But that’s not what make it interesting. What makes it interesting is the fact that it stars Prince Abdullah bin Meteb, the grandson of King Abdullah. This is the first time a prince appears in a commercial, and some people think such thing signifies a change in the way members of the Saudi royal family conduct themselves. I don’t know. I mean, can’t this be just a sports sponsorship deal? Prince Abdullah is a professional rider who could use a sponsor for such an expensive career, and Mobily is a for-profit company who wants to improve their image and make more money. I, for one, did not raise an eyebrow when I saw the tv ad.
In this video, a man who allegedly belongs to the Commission for Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, is seen ambushing a jalsa which is basically a small gathering where people entertain themselves with music and dancing. The bearded man snatches the oud from the singer’s lap with a swift move, and then smashed it to the ground in a scene more commonly associated with rock concerts. So much for calling to the way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching, and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious.
The Cube is a popular British game show. For some reason, the Saudi state TV thought it was a good idea to bring it to their screen. The Saudi version is the same as the British one, except that our version has a nutty host who keeps on screaming. This video was put together by fellow blogger Raed al-Saeed, who previously produced Schism and Why Gaza children don’t deserve to be killed. I wonder if what he did is legal under the new e-media law proposed by MOCI :P
Saudi Jeans 
Yes, smashing and oud is the best way of instilling virtue in a society!
The video about the screaming guy is really …. really funny. What is he trying to do exactly??? I’ve never seen the show, but it seems I’m going to see it, a one needs a good laugh form time to time.
And the guy who broke the Oud, it seems that he got some nice beating but it was edited out!!
I think the ad received such an over-reaction. It’s just a normal ad where a sport figure is sponsored. Nice ad on a scenographical level but you just have to ignore the creepy horse name :D
Raed’s montage cracked me up, really hilarious especially that i don’t know what the hell is the show’s deal :D but then again, i couldn’t enjoy it; seeing someone breaks the Oud always breaks my heart :(
Thanks Ahmad
first video, it’s a great AD i think, it would not get this much attention if it was just another guy. he is into he sport and this is part of the sponsorship
second video, felt soooooooooo angry when I saw it, not sure why, but man my mood is cranky now. Man i really hate them more and more every day >.< what a great civil way.
I wonder why they don't show up in Junadriah, or abbha or Jeddah. just nuke the poor guys oud. this is the hypocrisy we live in.
third video, funny ^.^
i really like the first video. And how tiresome that a great fuss should be made over it.
What is the horse’s name? Why is it creepy?
The second video is just too depressing. It looked like a very nice peaceful civilised gathering. Destroying instruments, or anything to do with art and culture, is the action of a deranged Baboon.
Excellent to have captured it on video and for the whole world to see.
Destroying musical instruments is evil, like burning books.
How about a campaign to destroy a Quran every time one of these fanatics destroys a musical instrument?
The commercial is lovely! The prince looks very cool and the horse is beautiful.
The scream guy is working very hard to get a sense of excitement into the programe. I must admit I don’t watch a lot of television.
the second video is amazing! such uncalled for brutality!
and they call this man a lion?
yes, one with rabies i suppose!
to me he looks more like a tröll!
I LOL’d so hard at the Lion of Hay’a , the thing it self is funny. The approach is like a ” Just For Laughs ” funny prank.
Video #1–as you said good production values; most likely sponsorship deal and promoting the sport
Video #2–allegedly being the operative word. If true, ie anyone did this and it wasn’t staged, intolerant. If staged, interesting message.
Video #3–proof that these stupid shows have the same formulae everywhere.