Months after self-professed “queen” Myriam Klink was nominated for the Lebanese Presidency, the model turned singer raised eyebrows when Justice Minister Salim Jreissati banned the circulation of her newest music video on social media. “Goal” – a provocative clip featuring a scantily clad Klink and Lebanese singer Jad Khalife – was released Friday on various social media platforms.
Lebanese legal authorities stepped in less than 24 hours after the video went live. Jreissati and Information Minister Melhem Riachi met Saturday to discuss the matter, deciding to officially ban the video due to “indecent” content.
A press statement from Jreissati’s office Saturday stipulated that displaying, distributing or circulating the music video online would result in a hefty LL50 million ($33,105) fine. Judge Roland Chartouni officially issued the ruling later in the day, the state-run National News Agency reported.
The ministers determined that, among other offenses, the video’s inclusion of a child constituted a form of “exploitation.”
Klink’s salacious performance in the video was rambunctiously unapologetic. B-list singer Khalife joined her, as the two sang about Klink “playing football” – the sports reference an obvious allusion to explicit activity, which was made clear by the raunchy accompanying video.
The ban of the viral video sparked clamor online, with some taking to Twitter to express shame over the “low-brow” lyrics and aesthetic of Klink’s embargoed production.
“Myriam Klink is the reason why I’m embarrassed to say that I’m Lebanese sometimes,” @Chantal_Bayeh tweeted, while @FarahFneiche was also exasperated: “I’m moving to Mars. This was it.”
At least one user agreed with Jreissati’s assessment of “exploitation.” @KhouryNayla tweeted, “Still can’t get over the little girl in #Myriamklink’s video ... what were her parents’ thinking?”
Many pointed out that Klink and Khalife’s efforts seemed to plagiarize the song “Show Biz” by Albanian artist Sabiani, featuring Marseli and Shkendije Mujaj.
“This is where she stole the song, I busted you Myriam Klink,” tweeted @rebaloooo.
Crying-while-laughing emojies littered social networks, indicating that some users found the song – and the controversy it generated – amusing. A few admitted, sheepishly, to finding “Goal” catchy.
But the prohibition on the circulation of the video also prompted larger conversations around the government’s use of censorship. Local blogger Elie Fares went beyond Twitter’s 140 character limit to both ridicule Klink and champion the singer’s right to free expression.
“Not all attention is good attention and it is our duty as a society to speak up against such an abomination to our intellect and our taste,” Fares wrote. “Despite all of this, entities like Myriam Klink and Jad Khalife should not be censored.”
“The moment we allow authorities to dictate what we are allowed to be exposed to, we give them the ability to interfere into way more than that,” Fares said.
On an equally serious note, other users criticized the Lebanese government for not addressing more critical issues plaguing the country.
“#Lebanon has garbage and refugee crisis, electricity and water shortages, no elections, corruption overload, but #MyriamKlink is the problem?” tweeted @NadineElhindi.
Controversy is an essential component of Klink’s brand. The singer’s 2012 “Klink Revolution” music video featured a hot pants-wearing, gun-toting Klink strolling through a cemetery and criticizing Lebanon’s elites.
In 2014, Klink stuck to her guns following criticism of a meeting with President Bashar Assad of Syria. Klink subsequently publicized her support for Assad on Facebook. The Syrian leader has been accused of perpetrating war crimes in the near 6-year-old war.
Klink received a single nomination in the presidential election of 2016, when an unnamed MP wrote her name on the ballot in what was widely regarded to be a protest vote. The move drew laughs from MPs but as long established tradition dictates, the president must be a Maronite Christian. Klink, as an Orthodox Christian, was deemed ineligible.
Despite Saturday’s ruling by the ministers and Judge Chartouni, “Goal” is still accessible via U.S. based Youtube and the clip has reportedly been widely shared via private messaging service WhatsApp. No reports have yet emerged that any individual has been charged under the new ruling.
In response to all the commotion, Klink responded via twitter: “All this attention for ME?? Hihihi, thank you Lebanon.”
