'Shahs of Sunset' reality show: Is this what Iranian-Americans are like?
'Shahs of Sunset' purports to introduce Americans to the culture of Iranian-Americans. But by casting an ultrarich family, some say, it will seem more like 'Keeping up with the Kardashians.'
'Shahs of Sunset' purports to introduce Americans to the culture of Iranian-Americans. But by casting an ultrarich family, some say, it will seem more like 'Keeping up with the Kardashians.'
California's Iranian-American community is getting its very own reality TV show 鈥� exposing millions of viewers to the culture, trials, and antics of six Iranian-American men and women who either immigrated to the United States with their families after Iran's 1979 revolution, or were born and raised in America.
At a time when reports on Iran and things Iranian focus primarily on the聽Islamic Republic's controversial nuclear program, the prospects for war, and sanctions, much of the Iranian American community is asking whether 鈥淪hahs of Sunset,鈥� which debuts Sunday night on Bravo, could help improve American perceptions of Iranian culture.
Some, though, are also asking whether the show trades in one stereotype for another, and whether it presents a face of the community that Iranian-Americans want to show.
鈥淚t's introducing people to the idea that Iranian culture even exists,鈥澛爏ays Shadi Gholizadeh, a researcher on Iranian politics from the San Francisco Bay area. 鈥淚t's showing a face of Iranians that's not related to terrorism or nuclear weapons.鈥�
Produced by Ryan Seacrest, host of 鈥淎merican Idol鈥� and producer of 鈥淜eeping up with the Kardashians,鈥� which depicts the family life of Armenian-American socialite Kim Kardashian, 鈥淪hahs of Sunset鈥� will take place in Los Angeles, a.k.a. 鈥淭ehr-Angeles,鈥� home to the largest population of Iranians outside of Iran's capital, Tehran.
鈥淪hahs鈥� certainly marks a shift in the stereotypical portrayal of Iranians, which was dominated by the frightening images of Americans held hostage in Tehran after the 1979 overthrow of the Shah. Even in the 1990s, films such as 鈥淣ot Without My Daughter鈥� (1991) branded Iranian culture as narrow-minded and provincial.
In reality, the Iranian-American community has been anything but, with聽Iranian-Americans playing major roles in American corporations such as聽eBay, Google, Expedia, AT&T, and Yahoo.
But these entrepreneurial Iranian-Americans aren't the types 鈥淪hahs鈥� is聽following. Rather, the show will be a fusion of Bravo's 鈥淩eal Housewives鈥� franchise 鈥� which depicts wealthy suburban housewives 鈥� and 鈥淜eeping Up With the Kardashians.鈥�
All the Shahs portrayed in the show went to Beverly Hills High School聽and enjoy ultra-rich lifestyles: they live in plush homes, dine at high-end聽restaurants, drive luxury cars, and only wear designer fashions.
Some Iranian-Americans are advocating a boycott of 鈥淪hahs鈥� as they think聽showcasing the lives of Iranian-American socialites who flaunt their status聽as part of the country's moneyed 鈥渙ne per cent,鈥� will merely worsen public聽views of the Iranian-American community, especially as the rest of the聽United States is still painstakingly climbing out of an economic recession.
鈥淭he people taking part in this show are a small percentage of our聽community and nothing like the rest of us. They're pushing stereotypes,鈥澛爏ays 26-year old Sheeva Javid, a student at the academy of arts in San聽Francisco.
That said, if 鈥淪hahs of Sunset鈥� had a more realistic, intellectual slant,聽would Bravo viewers watch the show? Probably not.
鈥淚'll watch one episode out of curiosity,鈥� says Azita Mashayekhi, who moved to the United States at age 18 after Iran's 1979 revolution and works at a Washington-based non-profit. 鈥淏ut I just don't connect with them, in the same way I wouldn't connect with the Real Housewives.鈥�
The purpose of reality television is to entertain, but by putting the show鈥檚 Iranian-Americans on public view, 鈥淪hahs鈥� will inevitably push the community to acknowledge some realities that are rarely discussed. By casting an openly gay Iranian-American, for example, 鈥淪hahs鈥� will shed light on the very real and vibrant Iranian-American gay community.
鈥淭he fact that it shows there's a gay culture among Iranians in the US and聽also in Iran is huge,鈥� says Ms. Gholizadeh, the Bay-area based researcher.
鈥淲hatever you may think of the show 鈥� you must admit it's quite brave聽to be 'out' in such a public way.鈥�
Will 鈥淪hahs鈥� reception by American viewers ultimately be much different聽from that of other reality shows? Probably not.
鈥淭he show is an evolution of the Iranian-American into truly being聽American,鈥� says Tehran SoParvaz, a 26-year old comedian and entertainer聽from Washington, DC.
"The show ... is simply the next step in assimilation, and will hopefully make the Iranian-American a more stable mainstay in American society.鈥�