Society & Culture
Can you think of a Middle Eastern protagonist who has appeared front and center on American, cable television - past or present? If you cannot, then you are not alone, and the reason is at once obvious and deeply troubling. Since the advent of film and television, and the subsequent rise of popular culture which continues to evolve into today, the facts clearly show that there have been next to no such characters - protagonists or even supporting actors whose bloodlines stem from Greater Middle East, North African, or Central/South Asian countries. Together - after over a decade of effort, trial, and tribulation - Reza Aslan and Mahyad Tousi are combining their artistic talents and unwavering will to challenge the unjust status quo and give America one of its first Middle Eastern protagonists.Their sitcom, United States of Al - premiering on CBS on April 1, 2021 - has some of television’s biggest names behind it. Chuck Lorre - a man called the “king of sitcoms” and the mastermind behind critically acclaimed series such as 3rd Rock From The Sun and The Big Bang Theory - excitedly took on the role of executive producer. Though Lorre is at the helm of the show’s production, Aslan and Mahyad made clear from the start that they wouldn’t settle for anything less than reasonable representation not just on screen, but behind the camera and in the writers’ room. At long last, Reza Aslan and Mahyad Tousi’s efforts to equalize representation for the Greater Middle East region are coming to fruition.Tune into this episode of Stories of Transformation to hear more about United States of Al, the groundbreaking sitcom premiering on CBS in April. Learn more about Reza Aslan and Mahyad Tousi’s previous endeavors to represent the people of their region onscreen, and how their paths converged and led to their working together. We also discuss the timeless importance of storytelling, the power of media, and how the culture shift in America towards inclusion and equality has been long precipitated by the disruptive, relentless work of people like Reza Aslan and Mahyad Tousi.For full show noteshttps://www.baktashahadi.com/podcastConnect with Reza AslanWebsite: http://rezaaslan.com/Facebook: Reza AslanTwitter: rezaaslanConnect with Mahyad TousiTwitter: https://twitter.com/MahyadT?s=20ResourcesWatch the trailer for United States of Al:United States Of Al | Season 1 Official Trailer | CBSBoomGen Studioshttp://www.boomgenstudios.com/Follow/Support Stories of Transformation and Baktash AhadiDonate to the production of this podcast https://www.baktashahadi.com/supportFollow us on Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/stories_of_transformation/Follow us on FacebookStories of TransformationCreditsHosted by: Baktash Ahadihttps://www.baktashahadi.comProduced by: Joseph Gangemihttps://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-gangemi-audio/Digital Marketing & Media by: Katherine Anhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/katherine-a-91081b56/Theme music by: Qais Essarwww.therabab.comArtwork by: Masheed Ahadihttps://www.LinkedIn.com/in/masheedEpisode Music Credits"Metamorphosis" by The Bows"New World" by Ian Post"Landing On The Ground" by Sivan Talmor