As millions of Arab Muslims welcome the holy month of Ramadan with traditional dishes and an annually renewed list of TV shows, viewers in Yemen could not help but notice what they described as a "new racist show."
مسلسل كابتشيو يحتوى على عنصرية متعمدة أولاً في البلاك فيس في شخصيتين وأيضاً، المشهد الذي تقرف وتشمئز الممثلة من بوسه صوفيا المدهونة بالأسود، وكأنها وسختها، هذا يوضح النظرة تجاه
— Basma Nasser (@basmanasser_) April 14, 2021
اللون الأسود أنه وسخ وقذر @yemenshababTV قناة
تمارس العنصرية على السود. pic.twitter.com/ZCSNllAmye
Translation: "Cappuccino show includes several deliberately racist scenes. First, the black face, but also how the other actress feels disgusted after Sofia with black face kisses her as though she was dirty. This shows that black skin translates as dirty to them. Yemen Shabab channel is being racist against black people."
The new sitcom called Cappuccino which airs on the Yemen Shabab Channel has featured at least two black faces so far, which has triggered a strong backlash online.
Internet people condemned the act, saying that people working in the entertainment business in the Arab World should know better by now, as controversies over the black face continue to take place every now and then.
Amongst the commentators, there were many Black Arabs, who highlighted the fact that they are still facing racism within Arab communities, and that such social practices are not limited to TV shows aired during Ramadan every year.
Stop normalize toxic thoughts it’s not funny but shameful #ايقاف_كابيتشينو_العنصري
— بُثينة (@9_rnz) April 14, 2021
we got enough from muslims,media , tv and society , we are not for your entertainment,we are normal human being, with huge dignity,stop it, each Ramadan you make some ugly shows about us, do you think it is funny/you are sick, and humane-less society#ايقاف_كابيتشينو_العنصري
— ندى إدريس (@nadaalgalb) April 14, 2021
Almost every year, one or more Ramadan shows prompt criticism over casting non-black people for black roles using the black face paint technique, which has been highly regarded as a racist one worldwide.
Using the hashtag (#ايقاف_كابيتشينو_العنصري :Stopping racist Cappuccino), Twitter users called on the channel to cancel the show to show respect to the black community in the Arab World, and particularly in Yemen.
