I'm really enjoying it!!
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I'm really enjoying it!! Posted on Jul 18 2008 at 2:41pm by I am really enjoying On the Road and I hope that people are watching. It is a wonderful concept. We are always asking the question, Can't we all just get along? Well we can. We need to bring people together to create understanding and break down the historical misconceptions and hatred. On the road does this. The young and educated characters from the Middle east are a joy to watch. We witness interactions that they even do not think are possible. We have the opportunity to learn how and what they feel about America and American policies. And....On the road presents us with wonderul footage not only of our country but how it is we really live. A great way to bring people together is their core humanity. Through music, dance, prayer, breaking bread, etc. The fact is that we are not that different from eachother. On the road creates situations for this to happen. I loved the episode where they went to a Mosque and visited the Gang members. It was also just as great to see them play and relax at the beach. Makes me want to get to one ASAP. The cinematography was so cool too. On the Road has been a lesson for me in the realities of human nature even with all this crap going on the world. So, thanks. 
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RE: I'm really enjoying it!! Posted on Jul 18 2008 at 5:23pm by I was a cast member myself, my best friend and I being part of the original cast. We shot the pilot episode, which you “might” see on August 20th, and then we were replaced by the director by “producers’ request”. Because we were hip, engaging, real, and straight to the point, we didn’t sugarcoat anything. We said exactly what today’s youth says in very exciting, heart to heart conversations, and we were constantly interrupted by directors to say what they thought should be said. Worst of all is that they barely know 5% of what we know, since they’ve lived in the US all their life, and they still wanted to impose on us to say what they want us to say, as if recreating a modern “Lawrence of Arabia” visual, to the point where they would kindly request us to be more emotional, to cry on queue…is that what the US audience is interested in?
See, if I was interested in seeing Palestinians and Israelis hugging, I would go see “The Zohan”. This show was supposed to be more than just a minute or two of on-screen camaraderie; it was to hear what they have to say in order to learn about each other and bridge differences, not reflect the directors’ and producers’ image of Arabs through the cast and lens. Since when is skating, or going out clubbing, a new thing to Arabs? Do you even know that we have public clubs for all sexual orientations in about 80% of the Middle East, when republicans here are constantly fighting around these issues? Do you know that Dunkin’ Donuts shops are fancier in the Middle East than most of the restaurants in the US? Have you ever known that Arabs invented Algorithm, and half of the words you use are derived from Arabic? Do you really think we are still riding camels in the desert, or that a “Madrassa” is anything other than the Arabic meaning for a regular, lay school where kids prepare for the SATs? Or that all of the new “toys” the cast are being “introduced” to on the show reflects what these guys have or have not seen in their life? I could understand the amazement if they got them front row tickets to a Lakers/Celtics game, but heck, is it really that the people of the United States (producers, at least) think Arabs have seen nothing out of what they are showing the cast?
From an Arab’s point of view, and I speak for millions who have already watched the show in the Arab world, we were disgusted by how ridiculously the show represented us and the rest of the cast and crew. This show was an absolute failure in terms of all the efforts directed towards the breaking of stereotypes, and reaching out to the US audience. We wanted to say that we are peaceful people, that we have extremists like any and all religions, and that all countries and all eras have had this dilemma at some point in time. We should battle these stereotypes and terrorist ideals together. We wanted to say that Arabs have their customs, and share them with those unfamiliar to them. We wanted to show that we really do love hummus, tabboule, dancing at our weddings, and praying in the mornings. We look forward to graduating from school with our parents in the crowd, looking for work. We get happy, get depressed, date and break up, love and hate, possess all the feelings that proves we are all the same. We could have taken it all to a deeper level that the show was avoiding. We wanted to show why people write “Death to America” on the walls, and where that hate is streaming from. What’s the deal with all this hate? At the same time we wanted to show how we love American movies, how sitcoms in the Arab world are as much a hit as they are in the US, and how my friends even Americanizes my name to “Moe” because they like your lifestyle… wasn’t this what the audience was interested in?
Weren’t you interested in knowing that I was disappointed that the families are not so close to each other in the US, or that I was impressed by how peaceful and diplomatic people can be together at the workplace? Or how I was disappointed with how the healthcare system is messed up here, or how the value of money amongst friends and family is ever more material than it is back home? I was impressed with how pleasant people are in the Midwest, and how bright people are in the business sector. I was disappointed by how Puerto Rico is a part of the States, yet is still treated so inferior, the way New Orleans was during the time of Katrina. I was interested in telling you about how I eat, drink and live my days with my buddies in the Middle East. I wanted to tell you how I loved little Italy and my first cannoli, and how we wished we had made Arabic coffee for American youths and shared ideas on how we can to convey their messages to our friends back home; about what we can do about our governments to propel them towards peace and coexisting on this planet. I had a lot to say about the experiences that I know you are interested in hearing about, my first, last and many reactions and cultural shocks when I came to the States, because fresh eyes always tell you something you didn’t know about others and yourself. For this reason, I will write my own book about my real journey, and will be happy to send it to anyone interested in actual human experiences. Just send me an email to moe@bachouti.com to add you to my list.RE: I'm really enjoying it!! Posted on Jul 25 2008 at 7:21pm by I have watched every episode of "On the Road in America" with great anticipation and I want to congratulate Jerome Gray and his team for producing a remarkable, groundbreaking series of which they can all feel justifiably proud. This program provides a much-needed bridge between Middle Eastern and American cultures and allows viewers from both sides to more closely examine what America is, and is not, and provides us with a rare opportunity to view ourselves through the eyes of young Middle Eastern travelers, albeit through an American filmmaker's lens. I agree with the director's comment in the opening episode when he stated that "if its possible to improve our understanding of Arabs, and their understanding of us, I don't think there is anything more important."
There are countless ways in which the story of young Arab visitors exploring America could be told. Other viewers may have elected to feature different cast members, have them discuss different topics, go to different locations, or interact with different people on their journey. I am much less concerned how the director may have influenced comments cast members made or scenes the producer may have rehearsed to increase the sense of drama during the trip. Most of us realize that even the most objective 'reality" programs have a certain degree of calculated drama infused in them. After all, there is an entertainment element in all programs of this type.
Despite whatever documentary omissions or contrivances the series may have, On the Road in America has proven to be a unique, seminal, informative, engaging and, God forbid, entertaining piece of filmaking. I've enjoyed watching the lighter moments among the cast members, including the contrast between Ali, Sanad, and Lara roughing it on the camping trip vs. Mohamed getting pampered on a dude ranch, contrasted with their serious political discussions with Americans from both ends of the political spectrum (i.e., the very conservative radio host who talked over his Arab guests regarding U.S. policy in the Middle East as well as the very left-leaning Montanan who felt the need to apologize for his country's treatment of Arabs in the Middle East). While I didn't particularly agree with the views of either of these Americans, I thought it was great that our four Arab travelers had a chance to interact with people who expressed such diverse opinions.
That's not to say that I would have made this series in the same way that the director chose to. Or that there aren't other elements I wished would have been included in the program. But the most important thing we can take away from this series is that this cultural exchange was undertaken, documented, and shared with us all. If the series provokes thoughtful discussion about the dire need for each of our cultures to talk to one another, experience each other's culture, and share our desire for peace, then, warts-and-all, the program was a successful envdeavor for the filmakers, and a worthwhile investment of my time as a viewer.
I look forward to others who may wish to write, direct, and produce their own versions of this type of cross-cultural exchange program in the future.
RE: I'm really enjoying it!! Posted on Jul 26 2008 at 1:31pm by I have watched each episode of On the Road in America since its premiere and look forward to watching the latest episode on “Big Sur”. So far, the show has delivered an interesting and entertaining viewing experience as it chronicles the cultural exchange between four Middle Eastern people who trek across the US with the film crew. The selection of Mohammed, Ali, Sanad and Lara were good choices, all having varied backgrounds and differing personalities but with each one possessing pride in their own cultural background as well as clear political ideas on US/Middle East relations. This has allowed these four young people to share their positive and negative reactions of their daily experiences with the viewer with a good synergy that has been captured and expressed well by Jerome Gray, Director and Executive Producer, and his total film crew, leaving me wanting each episode to be more than 30 minutes in length.
While this program was "created to foster Arab-American understanding through television" and was initially intended to be viewed only in the Middle East, “On the Road in America” found its way back to the US on the acclaimed Sundance Channel. This is a positive reflection of the film’s intent to bridge relations and understanding in the U.S. This program allows viewers the opportunity to gain a better understanding of American culture while enjoying some of the many diverse locations and cultural backgrounds that comprise our country which many viewers may not have experienced themselves. We also benefit by sharing Mohammed, Ali, Sanad and Lara’s experiences to internally compare them with our own experiences and feelings.
Thank you for creating this unique program that provides an opportunity for both the cast members and viewers to exchange opinions and feelings on a subject that, in today’s media, continues to breed misunderstanding and anger. I will continue to watch the remaining episodes of OTRIA with anticipation and I look forward to seeing new locations and experiences that I hope deepens my understanding of Middle Eastern culture, particularly when the cast and crew return to the Middle East.
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