# Afghan Idol **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [July 18, 2010, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/afghan-idol/547137 "2010-07-18T17:13:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Stoneburg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@Stoneburg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoneburg)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/afghan-idol/547137/1 "2010-07-18T17:13:32Z")
What will be the implications of an Afghan version of American Idol being produced and broadcast in Afghanistan? ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/afghan-idol/547137/2 "2010-07-18T17:20:31Z")
Uh, Afghans will be exposed to shitty music and stupid tv personalities? ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/afghan-idol/547137/3 "2010-07-18T17:23:41Z")
Not to mention the performer with the fewest votes gets stoned to death. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/afghan-idol/547137/4 "2010-07-18T17:36:19Z")
Does this mean we won, and can now leave? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/afghan-idol/547137/5 "2010-07-18T17:50:01Z")
Idolatry in Afghanistan? Go for it. ---
**Author:** ![Stoneburg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@Stoneburg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoneburg)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/afghan-idol/547137/6 "2010-07-18T17:52:32Z")
Not really answers to the question though. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/afghan-idol/547137/7 "2010-07-18T17:56:07Z")
I don’t know what kind of answers you wanted. It’s a TV show, they already have those there i imagine. Just because most of their film industry is dedicated to beardy guys in caves urging viewers to please explode everyone doesn’t mean they don’t have regular TV also. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/afghan-idol/547137/8 "2010-07-18T17:56:23Z")
Is this idol speculation, or have I missed a news item? ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/afghan-idol/547137/9 "2010-07-18T17:59:25Z")
Inasmuch as [Afghan Star](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afghan_Star_(TV_series)) has been on for five years, the implications are apparently increased violence and a resurgence of the Taliban. ---
**Author:** ![Stoneburg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@Stoneburg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoneburg)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/afghan-idol/547137/10 "2010-07-19T20:39:15Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Inasmuch as [Afghan Star](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afghan_Star_(TV_series)) has been on for five years, the implications are apparently increased violence and a resurgence of the Taliban. And what are the implications of that? I’m wondering if introducing secular entertainment that is practically viral may be an effective weapon against religious extremism. Just like TV-sets raised gender equality in India. ---
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/afghan-idol/547137/11 "2010-07-21T23:55:42Z")
There’s a documentary on _Afghan Star_ called [Afghan Star](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afghan_Star_%28film%29) that won a couple of awards at Sundance in 2009. I missed it, but it’s highly acclaimed. It’s available on [Netflix](http://www.netflix.com/WiMovie/Afghan_Star/70113929?strackid=32fd04a4275de8b7_0_srl&strkid=674506804_0_0&trkid=438381). ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2010, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/afghan-idol/547137/12 "2010-07-22T00:26:27Z")
> [@Stoneburg](#): > > And what are the implications of that? > > I’m wondering if introducing secular entertainment that is practically viral may be an effective weapon against religious extremism. Just like TV-sets raised gender equality in India. I think you miss **Fear Itself’s** point. Afghanistan already has western-style secular entertainment TV. It has had it for a number of years. Any effect that it can have, it presumably has had.