**Disney Has Done It Again: Father of the Bride II Is Arab-Bashing Redux**

By Jack G. Shaheen

Touchstone Pictures, which is owned by the Walt Disney Company, recently released its rendition of a feel-good family film, Father of the Bride, Part II.

There is no doubt that Disney executives feel good about Bride II, listed among the top 10 weekly money-makers. But eight million American Arabs and Muslims do not share Disney's enthusiasm. They are repulsed and troubled by the unwarranted appearance of obnoxious Arab Americans.

Beginning with the original 1950 Spencer Tracy and Elizabeth Taylor film, all Father of the Bride movies have focused on marriage and love. Bride II is a sequel to the 1991 Steve Martin remake. As Arabs do not appear in any of the earlier versions, what prompted Disney to inject stereotypes in its 1995 Bride II —especially at a time when the industry is trying to curb biases?

Consider the plot. Steve Martin appears as George Banks, a dad who is shocked to learn he will soon be a grandfather, and doubly shocked when wife Nina, Diane Keaton, tells him she is pregnant too. "They lowered the boom on me," laments George.

The happily married Banks' have everything a family could hope for: a well-mannered son and a married daughter living only one mile from their 24 Maple Drive home. Though Nina cherishes the memories within their "Leave It to Beaver" Los Angeles house, George induces her to "sell the dump!" Four weeks pass without a single nibble. Suddenly, buyers surface: the crass Habibs. Even the film's ferocious Doberman pinchers behave better than this uncaring duo.

The rich, unfeeling and unkempt Mr. Habib smokes, needs a shave, speaks with a weighty accent and, when upset, screams. The sleazy Habib (Eugene Levy) blurts out: "We like house—very much. When can you move?" He adds: "You sell, we pay top dollar! We need house," especially "the dishes...a week from Wednesday or no deal."

Perceiving George's predicament, Mrs. Habib attempts to speak. Her husband barks unintelligible words of foreign mumbo-jumbo at her, supposedly exemplifying Arabic. Mrs. Habib heels. The scene perpetuates Hollywood's stale image of the Arab woman as a mute, submissive nonentity.

To seal the sale, Habib offers a bonus. The camera shows him placing into George's hand, one at a time, 15 one thousand dollar bills. The men shake, certifying the deal. Unknown to George, Habib has purchased the house only to destroy it.

No one affiliated with Bride II denounced the stereotypes.

When the Banks' learn they must be out in 10 days, daughter Annie (Kimberly Williams) and George rush back to Maple Drive. Mushy music underscores past sentiments; father and daughter view their carved initials on a tree, snatch a basketball and shoot, as they once did, some baskets. Abruptly, the music changes as vulgar Habib enters the frame, commanding, "You got a key, George? The key!" As George and Annie fondly view the house, Habib tosses his cigarette on the immaculate walkway, crushing it. The message is clear: there goes the neighborhood.

Not if George can help it! When Habib steers a huge yellow wrecking ball toward the house, George screams, then flings himself in front of the demolisher. brags Habib, "See, I demolish house, put two in its place." Pleads George, "I built this fence; I planted this grass. Don't bulldoze my memories, man! I'm begging you." Seizing a chance to rip-off George, Habib becomes Shylock. Though he has owned the house for just one day, he will return it, provided there is profit. When desperate George offers more than ample funds, Habib balks, saying he already refused an extra $50,000. Only after extorting $100,000 from George does Habib halt the wrecking ball. Then he exits the film.

As disturbing as the Habib portraits is the fact that no one affiliated with Bride II denounced the stereotypes. Why didn't actor Levy, who plays Habib, complain? Why did noted performers Martin and Keaton remain silent? Why no protests from members of the Screen Writers', Actors' and Directors' Guilds of America? With the exception of Entertainment Weekly's Ken Tucker, who writes, "The caricature of a cold, rich Middle Easterner [Habib] amounts to a glaring ethnic slur," why are movie critics mum?

A More Accurate Image

Why didn't director-writer Charles Shyer and co-writer Nancy Meyers portray the Habibs as a regular American-Arab couple with likable children? Featuring the Habibs as helpful acquaintances whom the Banks' befriend would be a more accurate image. After all, Americans of Arab heritage are an integral part of the American landscape. Ever since their forefathers arrived in the late 1800s, they have contributed much to our country. Disney could have enhanced its family-film image, complete with feel-good feelings for all Americans, had the Habibs appeared as loveable as the Banks.

What do Bride II's writers hope to accomplish by singling out one group of people for humiliation? Certainly, they possess sufficient sensitivity not to demean another racial or ethnic group. They did not implant for ridicule the Goldsteins, O'Reillys, Gonzales', Camplogos', or Yamamotos. To do so would invite charges of racism, engendering an onslaught of critical media coverage and protests.

Bride II 's nasty scenario brings to mind Club Paradise's (1986) uncaring screenwriters. They, too, inject an Arab cur. Like Bride II's Habib, Paradise's mute white-robed sheikh cares only about money, not the environment or people. He tries to destroy a Caribbean paradise, threatening to build factories, high-rise condos, even a hideous "Arabian palace."

Another film injecting Arabs is Earthbound (1980), a story about Americans befriending an outer-space family. Yet, producers display a mute burnoosed sheikh threatening to ruin the environment by buying a picturesque hotel and replacing it with "a 20-story monstrosity." Laments the American owner, "The sheikh's trying to sell my hotel right from under me [so he] can build condominiums, but not on this land." All ends well.

Note the similar theme. Earthbound's scheming sheikh does not get the hotel. And Paradise's covetous sheikh fails to ruin the Caribbean landscape. Finally, Bride II 's conniving Habib is unable to wreck Martin's quaint home.

Implanting unsightly Arabs having absolutely nothing to so with movie story lines is not a new occurrence. Ever since cameras started cranking, Hollywood began releasing such films—more than 200 to date. This unprincipled habit began with Universal's The Rage of Paris (1921)—the Western heroine's husband is killed in a sandstorm by an Arab—and became more commonplace beginning in the mid-1960s.

Libyans, for example, are a recent target. In Back to the Future (1985), Broadcast News (1987), and Patriot Games (1992), Libyan "bastards" shelter Irish villains, bomb U.S. military installations in Italy, and shoot our heroic scientist in a mall parking lot! Columbia's The American President (1995) is an agreeable romantic comedy about a widower president falling for a lovely environmental lobbyist. Yet, the Libyans again are targeted as culprits, accountable for bombing a U.S. weapons system.

Iraqis, too, are villains-of-choice. For example, talented Iraqi-American actors such as Nicholas Kadi are obliged to demean their heritage. Although Kadi is a highly competent character actor, producers cast him primarily as a keffiyeh-clad heavy. As Kadi explained on CBS's "48 Hours," if he wants to work, he is obliged to portray evil Arabs in films such as Navy Seals, and in TV shows such as NBC's December JAG episode, "Scimitar."

In "Scimitar," the Iraqi-born Kadi portrays a Saddam-like colonel holding an innocent U.S. Marine hostage. The lusting Kadi tries forcing himself on Meg, a blonde U.S. Naval officer. And why not? According to screenwriters, all Arabs believe date rape to be "an acceptable social practice." The camera shows drooling Kadi slowly removing Meg's uniform.

JAG producers and others demean today's Arab as they once demonized yesterday's American Indian. Clad in different garb, both peoples spoke muddled dialogue and lusted after blonde heroines. Just as screen Indians were tagged "savages," Arabs are labeled "terrorists." Consider this stereotypical similarity: "Scimitar" concludes with Kadi being killed. Next, as Americans cheer, a pursuing Iraqi helicopter goes down in flames. "Yahoo! It's just like Stagecoach," says the freed Marine, "with John Wayne." Puzzled, Meg asks, "John Wayne was killed by Iraqis?" The reply: "Indians!"

Distorted screen images even spill onto Hollywood trade publications. Last October, Variety joined the Arab-bashing brigade, running a story critical of Kuwait's Muslims because they believe U.S. cartoons may have an adverse effect on their children. It seems the Kuwaitis want to produce and project more Islamic animated cartoons, featuring Arab heroes and heroines. In fact, the Kuwaitis' concerns seem justified. Ever since the pioneering 1926 cartoon "Felix the Cat Shatters the Sheik" was produced, America's cartoon champions—Bugs Bunny, Woody, Porky and Popeye—have denigrated the Arab.

Interestingly, what Variety failed to point out is that 80 percent of the programs telecast by Kuwait TV's English channel are American imports, that U.S. distributors earn millions from these syndicated TV shows, and that images and profits flow in only one direction: out of Arab pockets into American pockets. Our networks never import or telecast Arab TV shows.

A Hallmark of Lazy Writers

Adding even more injury, Variety opted to display an illustration featuring militant desert Arabs, sabers and rifles raised, ready to mow down Tom and Jerry who are tied to the stake. Consider this: had some Asians, Africans, or Israelis expressed similar concerns about U.S. cartoons, would Variety brandish a similar sketch, mocking them?Imagemakers engaged in defaming peoples should heed Bill Watterson's insights. In his Calvin and Hobbes Tenth Anniversary Book, Watterson writes that, like films, "Comic strips have historically been full of ugly stereotypes, the hallmark of writers too lazy to honestly observe the world." Declared Watterson, "The cartoonist who resorts to stereotypes reveals his [or her] bigotry."

Getting back to Disney. This is the same studio that bashed Arabs in Aladdin (1992), the second most successful animated picture ever. Then Disney trounced Arabs again by displaying hook-nosed, buck-toothed Arab "desert skunks" in its home video release, The Return of Jafar (1994). Following sensitivity meetings with American Arabs, studio executives promised "never again." In July 1993, the studio tossed a scrawny bone to the watchdogs, proclaiming that two offensive lines from Aladdin 's opening lyric would be deleted from home videos. That's it!

All of Aladdin's terrifying stereotypes remain intact: children see dastardly saber-wielding villains trying to cut off the hands of needy maidens, plus a wicked vizier getting kicks by "slicing a few throats." Be assured, these scenes, as well as the film's opening song, still teach children that Aladdin's home is a "barbaric" place.

Disney and others should be held accountable for their stereotypes. How much longer will professionals be able to present repulsive Arabs and get away with it? Haven't they learned from the past? History reveals that damaging words and pictures have a telling effect, indoctrinating people about whom to fear, whom to hate. Sadly, not so long ago, screen images taught viewers that the Asian was "sneaky," the black "Sambo," the Italian "mafia," the Irishman "drunk," the Jew "greedy," and the Hispanic "greasy." Fortunately, such offensive labeling is no longer tolerated.

"Apply Heat"

Change in the presentation of Arabs may occur, provided one keeps in mind the basic law of physics: "Nothing percolates unless you apply heat." In Disney's case, a lot of heat is needed. The studio exercises a double standard. Recently, Disney permitted American Arabs to peruse the screenplay of its upcoming home video, Aladdin and the King of Thieves. But the studio did not employ one American Arab to do voice-overs; not one is on the scene, regularly consulting with writers, animators.

American Arabs and Muslims certainly would sensitize filmmakers, and lead to more balanced portraits. For example, to insure hurtful images would not appear in its successful Pocahontas, Disney sought out and hired American Indians as consultants, using American Indian performers. Impressed with Disney's commitment to fairness, Russell Means, an American-Indian activist and actor said: "I cannot find anything wrong with this movie. I love the treatment of everything because it's all done with respect." "Respect." That's all Americans of Arab origin want, to be projected as others, no worse, no better.

The time is long overdue for imagemakers to begin eradicating bigotry of all types. There has been harm. The prejudices Disney's Bride II and other films project injure innocents. They engender among America's Arabs and Muslims feelings of insecurity, vulnerability, alienation, and even denial of heritage.

Make no mistake, the hated Arab-Muslim stereotype does not exist in a vacuum. Following last April's bombing of the Alfred Murrah federal building in Oklahoma City, more than 200 hate crimes, ranging from eight vandalized and burnt-to-the-ground mosques to a pregnant Muslim woman losing her child, were committed against American Arabs and Muslims.

Why did many Americans believe those journalists who incorrectly reported the bomber was someone who looked "Middle Eastern"? Because of pre-conditioning. For more than a century, anti-Arab images have been pounded into their psyches. When motion pictures such as Navy Seals (1990), Killing Streets (1991), The Human Shield (1992), Son of the Pink Panther (1993), and True Lies (1994) perpetuate myths that all Arabs possess a violence gene, racism is kindled.

Movies influence some people to commit acts of violence. Consider the Wesley Snipes hit, Money Train (1994), a film depicting criminals firebombing subway tollbooths in New York City. Soon after the film's release, several copycats emulated on-screen violence, igniting a subway booth and killing the attendant.

Given the motion picture industry's anti-Arab track record, many American Arabs and Muslims firmly believe all imagemakers not only hate them, but despise their religion and heritage. Last May, a lovely American-Arab girl approached ABC's Sam Donaldson and innocently asked, "Why do you hate us?"

Should ethical imagemakers wish to eradicate the beliefs of this youth and others, perhaps they should seriously consider the following conversation between Earthbound's alien father and son.

"Why do they [the police] hate us so?" asks the boy.

"I guess because we're...different," says the father.

"Just because somebody's different doesn't mean they have to hate 'em. It's stupid," replies the boy.

"It's been stupid for a long time," concedes the father.

No one knows when fantasy fabricators will begin to understand that just because someone is different, we should not hate them and that it's stupid to denigrate peoples because of religion, color, ancestry, or country of birth. Imagemakers should practice what Jeffrey Katzenberg, former Disney chairman, advocates: "Each of us in Hollywood has the opportunity to assume individual responsibility for creating films that elevate rather than denigrate, that shed light rather than dwell in darkness, that aim for the common highest denominator rather than the lowest."

As for the future, only when filmmakers begin striving for the "highest common denominator," only when they present motion pictures that "elevate" and "shed light," will discrimination and cinematic hate be erased from movie screens. Then and only then will essays like this never again be needed.

As one who has addressed this issue for 20-plus years, I am apprehensive as to whether change will occur soon. After all, Arab caricatures have served Hollywood's selfish interests for nearly a century. Yet, perhaps moviemakers will shed prejudices, and cease using ignorance as an excuse for perpetuating enmity. In time, perhaps biases will be shattered, and in lieu of projecting their US Americans versus THEM reel Arabs, viewers will come to see real, humane Arabs and Muslims. But this writer is weary of holding his breath.

Note: The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) is encouraging its members to protest Bride II's stereotypes by writing and/or calling Mr. Joe Roth, Chairman, Walt Disney Pictures, 500 South Buena Vista St., Burbank, CA 91521, (818) 560-1000.

Dr. Jack G. Shaheen, a former professor of mass communication at Southern Illinois University, is the author of The TV Arab.