Stereotypes of Americans in Khlaiji Drama

We always hear about Arab image and stereotypes in American films. Before 9-11, Arabs were portrayed as thieves, murderers, and ignorant. After 9-11, the term terrorist was added to the list. According to L Susan Williams and Travis W. Linnemann, Arabs in the movies were subjects to what some call "the three B syndrome" being portrayed as "bombers, belly dancers, or billionaires." (193). And the list goes on and on.

Anyhow, when watching Arab (Khaliji) drama, I notice that they, too, have stereotypes about Americans. American men are usually portrayed as feminine, soft, and with schemes to take over the protagonists' business. American women are portrayed as promiscuous, gold-diggers, and blonde. The appearance of Americans in old khaliji drama was rare. A character or two would appear throughout the series. However, in contemporary dramas, we see more American characters appearing as regulars.

In the Khaliji drama Droub Alshak the young male protagonist falls in love with an American girl when he was studying abroad, he brings her home to meet the family, but receives negative sanctions from the rest of the society. The girl was portrayed as a gorgeous blonde. She speaks little Arabic, merely to explain to the family that she is not here for the money, but simply because she fell in love with the man. Later in the show, she brings her father to Kuwait. Because the family of the man refuses to marry their son without meeting the family of the girl. Her father was portrayed as an ignorant old man who tries to convince his daughter of getting a share of the khaliji family's business. However he fails and gets sent away at the end.

The stereotypes about the American women still exist nowadays. Men who marry American women are frowned upon because it serves the stereotype of gold diggers. Another stereotype for American girls is being promiscuous. Society thinks that "yellow" blonde girls are unfaithful to their husbands, and that he should stick to the women in his own society, because they're "flawless." Overall, Arab stereotypes of American people do exist, and always will. Cultures of fear exist everywhere, in American and Arab societies. But why do we create our fears from celluloid images?