Lahon w Bas is a satire program hosted by none other than Hicham Haddad. It is weekly, and, every week, there is a new guest. The latest sociopolitical developments are covered in a comical way. Haddad has had the honor of hosting the legendary likes of star Nawal Alzoghbi, candidate Assaad Nakad, former minister Elias Bou Saab, Syrian star Bassel Khaiat, star Carole Samaha, comedy actor Mario Bassil, and singer Marrita Hallani. Haddad is not intimidated by the idea of hosting such a selection of celebrities from different fields. In fact, he makes sure that each interview with each guest is an interview to remember, and one piece of proof is the abundance of highlights from his show scattered around the internet for those of have missed them or even those who watched the moments the first time and just cannot get enough.
Haddad is considered the joker of the Lebanese TV screen. That nickname started after the success of his great show despite its inevitable flaws. Last fall, it was decided for this glorious show to be aired on Tuesday evenings until it was changed to Thursday. It was competing with Marcelle Ghanim’s show, Saar el Wa’t. The opinions regarding both shows were divided. By Ramadan, Lahon w Bas stopped airing, but it made a comeback with three summer episodes. The old timing of Tuesday was selected yet again, which confused the old viewers who were used to the most recent timing. However, this step would pave the path for the next fall broadcast, which will consistently be on Tuesdays. On Thursday, Albert Costanian’s show will take the old place of Lahon w Bas. It is about Lebanon’s vision by 2030. It is true that Costanian indirectly avoided the confrontation with Haddad, but the competition is still there as his ecopolitical show is still in its early stages. However, Haddad is clearly a sport, and there are no reported bad feelings that he exhibited towards his competitor. It would be hard to believe that he is anything but a sport when observing his infectiously magnetic demeanor on the screen or, otherwise, his natural habitat.
The show has grown to become one of the highest rated shows in the blessed nation of Lebanon. Instead of being overtaken by the more well established Hayda Haki by Adel Karam, viewers find themselves switching between the two formidable shows in order not to miss any of the enticing action. There is competition between the two, but it seems friendly, and their numbers are only growing regardless. Haddad can be considered edgier as he once hosted a teenage kid who went viral online for singing a parody song about Justin Bieber. Some have described the made up song to be incoherent with little artistic value in addition to the kid’s rough voice. However, Haddad was perfectly aware of this and so he decided to mock the kid, but with class and sportsmanship, of course. Another edgy moment was when an actual cow was brought into the studio as a reference to Emirati hit singer, Ahlam, in accordance with the trending social media meme of fat shaming her. As a comeback, Ahlam suggested that Lebanon cleans its trashy streets before addressing trivial subjects such as how many Twinkies she decides to devour.
There is a lot of responsibility on the show due to it being successful since such shows shape the image of the country. Haddad learned his mistakes from his previous show, LOL, and made sure to skew the Hayda Haki division in his favor. Haddad is street smart, making him highly relatable, and his wittiness ensures that no punchline is missed. He knows what he is talking about. His content is well prepared, and he never needs instructions on how to proceed. In fact, his improvisation is simply mastery. He knows how to engage with both the crowd present in the studio in addition to the online crowd. When the crowd claps for Haddad, they mean it. Furthermore, his lack of interest in political correctness is what sets him apart from his competitor, giving him a unique twist. Seldom does one of his puns and wordplays fail, and he is always on the ball. Credit to OhMyJad, his sidekick, for making the show even funnier as his synergy with Haddad is unparalleled, making him a perfect partner in crime. Haddad is also not afraid to comment on other shows, and, when he makes a comment, it is a comment that stands out with its heft. In other words, no comment by Haddad is thrown out carelessly. He crafts his words with accuracy and precision.
Perhaps Haddad’s greatest asset is being unorthodox. He is unafraid to milk a joke beyond perdition, especially if it is vulgar, challenging even the most unmovable crowds. He is not held back by any cliché questions that modern media has deemed obsolete. He also has the same set of politicians that he likes to poke fun at to give his show a meme quality. Regardless, Haddad’s crowd decides to keep coming back almost every time, and he even manages to attract new people.
In a world of political correctness and excessive care towards issues that are actually non-issues, Lahon w Bas is a breath of fresh air. It gives the viewer an ability to watch a type of show, talk shows, with a sense of familiarity but also enough spice to keep things unfamiliar and intriguing. With his talented host, the best is yet to come, and the show’s quality will only improve from here. Those who thought that his previous feats were extreme will probably be shocked by the even edgier episodes that will most likely come. Perhaps, over time, Lahon w Bas will take over the likes of Hayda Haki to establish itself as the leading show of Lebanon.You can watch the exciting Lebanese show, Lahon w Bas, on MTV Lebanon when you subscribe to the Arabic Mosaic pack on Sling TV!
