An Internet campaign has recently been launched against plans to film an Egyptian television series to be inspired by the popular American series Baywatch. The ulterior motive of the series is the promotion of tourism to Egypt but the intended production has prompted criticism from a group of Egyptian Internet users. The news outlet Middle East Online reported the group claims the production is immoral and undermines Egyptian and Arab traditions. American actor Sylvester Stallone is expected to contribute to the joint Egyptian-foreign production, which will film youngsters in revealing swimsuits along the beaches of Egypt.
A petition was also sent to Egyptian Information Minister ‘Safut A-Sharif demanding he “respects religion and tradition and puts a stop to the exploitation of naked women in this despicable series.” The petition appeared on the Internet and drew around 500 supporters within three days.
The foreign production company responded, “We respect the Arab and Egyptian customs and traditions and do not wish to act against them. Our films are respectful and they teach about nature and diving, preserving the environment, especially the Red Sea region.” The local Egyptian company, Action Film, also tried to tone down criticism and claimed there was a misunderstanding and they do not wish to insult Egyptian tradition.
Despite the protests, plans for filming are apparently proceeding as planned.